Bare chocolate cake with berries.
♥ Ingredient
Chocolate cake
1/2 cup 500g all-purpose flour
1/3 cup 40g cocoa powder
A little salt
3/4 teaspoon 3g baking soda
1 tablespoon 12g baking powder
200g unsalted butter to soften
1/3 cup 260g granulated sugar
1 teaspoon 5g vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1/2 cup 360 ml milk
Berry
1/3 cup (35g) cornstarch
3 tablespoons 50ml water
150g raspberries
150g raspberries
150g blueberries
1 tablespoon 15ml lemon juice
3/4 cup 150g granulated sugar
Berry sauce
50g raspberries
50g raspberries
50g blueberries
3 tablespoons 30g granulated sugar
Swiss egg white cream butter cake
130g egg whites, room temperature
1 cup + 3 tablespoons 240g granulated sugar
1/4 cup 270g unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
♥ Recipe
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare two 8-inch (20 cm) baking pans, line the bottom with baking paper and grease the sides.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Place butter and sugar in large bowl, beat until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until most combine after each.
4. Gradually add dry ingredients while alternating with milk and mix on low speed until well combined.
5. Divide the prepared cake pans evenly and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. The cake will cook when the sides of the cake begin to separate from the box and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake will come out clean.
6. Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool for about 5-10 minutes, then remove the cake from the rack to cool completely.
7. Prepare the berry filling. Mix cornstarch with water, set aside.
8. Bring the strawberries, sugar and lime juice to a boil in a saucepan, stirring occasionally. Then pour the cornstarch mixture into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Remove the pan from the heat and fill it with a container. Refrigerate and let cool completely.
9. Prepare the berry sauce to give the sauce time to cool before preparing the swiss meringue buttercream. Place the berries and sugar in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes, until sauce thickens. Turn off the heat and sieve to remove seeds.
10. Prepare the Swiss meringue butter cream. Place egg whites and sugar in a bowl.
11. Place the bowl over the pan of boiling water. Make sure the water does not touch the bowl. Beat continuously until mixture reaches 150°F (65°C). The sugar should be completely dissolved (you won’t feel any sugar particles when you rub the mixture between your fingertips). The mixture should feel hot to the touch.
12. Turn off the heat and beat on high speed for about 8-10 minutes, until the meringue is glossy, firm and cool to the touch, about 80°F (26°C). The bowl should not be warm at all as it could melt the butter.
13. Reduce mixer speed and add butter, one tablespoon at a time. Do not add the next tablespoon until the previous tablespoon is completely mixed. Then continue on high speed and mix for at least 7-10 minutes until the cream is translucent and smooth. (The mixture may go from liquid to granular, so keep beating until you have a thick and smooth cream.)
14. Add berry sauce and mix on high speed until blended.
15. Transfer the frosting to the star-tipped ice cream bag; I used the Wilton #6B opening star.
16. Assemble the cake. Use a large serrated knife to remove the arches on the top of the cake, then divide each layer in half. You will have 4 cake layers.
17. Place the first layer of cake on a serving plate. Pour the cream over the sponge, starting at the edge of the cake and working towards the center. Spread 1/3 of the cooled berries over the frosting. Add a second cake layer and repeat the same steps. Refrigerate for about 4-6 hours or overnight.
18. Before serving, garnish with fresh berries and mint leaves.