I woke up this morning feeling achy and decrepit – unsurprising, as yesterday was my 30th birthday. It was an absolutely marvellous day, rounded off with a slice of birthday cake (or rather, 2 slices of 2 birthday cakes – why make only one?). And I got three new cookbooks, so there will be a lot more treats in the near future.
I have a sweet tooth, but even I had to halve the amount of ganache – I’ve left the recipe with enough for a thick layer to sandwich the cakes and to pipe a few rosettes on top. An extra layer to coat the cake might be overkill, and it’s not often that I say that. Maybe I am getting wiser and more sensible now that I’m old(er).
Raspberry Blackout Cake
Ingredients:
175g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
350ml soy milk
125ml rapeseed oil
275g raspberry jam
2 tsp vanilla extract
250g sugar
Ganache:
90ml soy cream
3 tbsp vegan margarine
150g plain chocolate
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C and baseline two 20cm tins with greaseproof paper.
2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarb and salt.
3. Whisk together the milk, oil, half the jam, vanilla and sugar until the jam has mostly broken down into small bits.
4. Combine the dry and wet ingredients and mix until everything is incorporated.
5. Divide the batter between the two tins.
6. Bake for about 40 minutes until a cocktail stick or knife poked in the centre comes out clean.
7. Let the cakes cool in the tins, then carefully turn them out and let them stand on a wire rack until completely cool.
8. Make the ganache: bring the cream to a low boil in a saucepan and add the margarine. Stir until melted.
9. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate and stir until thick and melted. Leave to set for an hour in the fridge.
10. Spread the rest of the raspberry jam over one of the cakes.
11. Top it with a layer of chocolate ganache and press the second cake on top.
12. Pipe a little extra ganache on top.
