Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Cake
1 hour + setting 
10-12 
We defy anyone not to love this intensely Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Cake which was created for Food Thoughts by cake designer and author Charlotte White. Made with layers of dark chocolate sponge created with Food Thoughts Organic Cacao Powder and Food Thoughts Organic Cocoa Powder and intercepted with a fresh and vibrant raspberries mousse, it’s by far the most delicious way to celebrate a special occasion, no matter what time of the year. Charlotte covered this Dark Chocolate & Raspberry cake with a rich chocolate ganache, then sprinkled a handful of Food Thoughts Roasted Cacao Nibs to add a level of crunchiness to the otherwise moist and smooth texture of this cake.
Serve with some fresh raspberries on the side, or use them to decorate the cake. We promise you, this case will feel you up with love and joy ❤️️.
You will need
- FOR THE CAKE
- 330g Food Thoughts Luxury Dark Chocolate Chips
- 330g unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp Food Thoughts Organic Cacao Powder
- 240ml water
- 190g plain flour
- 190g self-raising flour
- 60g Food Thoughts Organic Cocoa Powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- pinch of salt
- 720g caster sugar
- 6 eggs
- 165ml buttermilk
- 55ml vegetable oil
- FOR THE FROSTING
- 400g unsalted butter
- 800g icing sugar
- 100g Food Thoughts Organic Cocoa Powder
- 2-3 tbsp raspberry jam
- 1-2 tbsp full fat milk
- Food Thoughts Roasted Cacao Nibs
- freeze-dried raspberries
- heart-shaped sprinkles
Method
You will need a 3x8” round sandwich tins and a disposable piping bag fitted with a large open-star piping nozzle (if piping rosettes). Preheat oven temp: 160°F / 325°F / Gas Mark 3.
Begin by melting dark chocolate chips and butter in a large saucepan with the cacao powder and water. The cacao powder adds a rich, roasted chocolate note to the finished cake.
In a large bowl, combine flours, Cocoa Powder, bicarb, salt, and sugar. Stir into one dry mixture with no lumps of sugar or pockets of flour.
In a jug, fork together eggs, buttermilk and oil until combined. Pour this into the dry ingredients and mix into a thick paste.
Add the melted chocolate mixture and mix to combine into a thick and glossy chocolate batter. Be careful to scrape to the bottom of the bowl when you stir to ensure all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Divide the batter evenly between 3x8” sandwich cake tins, each one lined with baking parchment.
Bake in a preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until a cocktail stick comes out with just a few crumbs, but no wet batter attached to it. Allow the cakes to cool completely in their tins.
FOR THE FROSTING: Beat the butter until pale and creamy. I use a freestanding mixer for this job but an electric hand whisk will work just as well – the advantage to freestanding is that you can leave it to do all the hard work!
Add your icing sugar and mix in completely. Beat the frosting for a further 2-5 minutes until creamy.
Remove 1/3 of the frosting and place in a separate bowl. Add 2-3 tablespoons of good quality raspberry jam and beat until light and fluffy. Add a little milk if necessary to create a consistency like whipped cream. Use this generously to sandwich your layers of chocolate cake together and pop the whole cake into the fridge to firm up for 30 minutes.
Add the cocoa powder to your remaining frosting and continue to beat on a medium speed. You may need to add a tablespoon or two of milk to loosen the frosting. Continue beating for around 5 minutes or until you have a light, very chocolatey frosting with a spreadable consistency. Again, this should be a whipped cream consistency.
Use the chocolate frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. A large palette knife makes light work of this job.
Decorate with piped rosettes of raspberry frosting and chocolate frosting, a sprinkling of freeze-dried raspberries, a handful of hearts, and a good helping of extra Food Thoughts Cacao Nibs for good measure.
