Chocolate Celebration Cake

Hello!
Today I am back again for yet another baking post. It is Father's Day today and I wanted to make a really special cake for my Dad to celebrate the occasion. I considered a black forest gateau cake as I have always wanted to make something like this. However I am not that fond of cherries in a cake so in the end I decided to use raspberries instead! It is not your typical black forest gateau cake though. I used chocolate, cream and raspberries to create my own celebration cake.

This cake is extremely decadent and rich but the sharp tang of the raspberries cuts through the rich chocolate and I think they go together very well! The cake would be perfect for a celebration or simply if you have visitors coming over and you want to impress them with a beautiful cake. I hope you like my recipe!

Chocolate Celebration Cake
Ingredients

• 225g plain flour
• 350g caster sugar
• 85g cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 large eggs
• 250ml milk- any type but I use semi-skimmed
• 125ml oil- pick something with little flavour like sunflower/vegetable oil NOT olive oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 250ml boiling water
• 2 tbsp raspberry jam
• 200g plain chocolate
• 350ml double cream
• 1 punnet of fresh raspberries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Then grease and line two 20cm/8 inch sandwich tins. Try to not use spring form tins because the batter is extremely runny and may leak!
2. Measure out the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl. Beat the ingredients together with an electric mixer, whisk or wooden spoon until everything is combined. You should have a smooth, runny, chocolatey mixture.
3. Bit by bit, slowly add the boiling water to the mixture, mixing thoroughly until combined before you add any more water. Your mixture should be extremely wet and runny so please don't worry about your mixture being too liquidy.
4. Carefully pour the mixture into the two tins, trying to make it evenly distributed between the tins. Then put the cakes into the oven for 30-40 minutes. It needed about 35 minutes in my oven but every oven is different. I would advise checking on it at 30 minutes and then giving it extra if needed.
5. When they are cooked, take the cakes out of the oven. You know the cakes are cooked if the top is firm and a skewer comes out clean. Leave the cakes to cool in their tins.
6. Remove one of the cakes from its tin and place it on a cake stand. Carefully spread on the raspberry jam right to the edges and then place the other cake on top.
7. To make the chocolate ganache, heat up the chocolate and 200ml of the cream gently either in a saucepan or in the microwave. When the cream is hot but not boiling, take it off the heat and whisk the mixture together. At first the chocolate and cream will look like it has separated but if you keep whisking, eventually you will have a dark, thick, glossy ganache. Leave this to cool for 1-2 hours.
8. Spread the chocolate ganache over the top and around the side of the cake until the entire cake is covered. Using a knife or an offset spatula, smooth down the ganache until it looks even. Leave the ganache for at least an hour to set.
9. Whip the remaining 150ml of cream until it forms stiff peaks before spooning it into a piping bag. Carefully pipe swirls of cream onto the cake and decorate with fresh raspberries. You can use my cake for inspiration!
10. Serve and enjoy!

I hope you try out this recipe!

Bye!