Receta Baking | Dark Chocolate, Raspberry & Quark Layered Cake … still in the pink of October!
“I believe in pink”
Audrey Hepburn
It was just another one of those days … racing from dawn to dusk. In the middle of the madness, I got ambitious. ’twas the parents anniversary and even though we decided to do brownies and ice cream, I suddenly thought I’d give a cake a go. A Dark Chocolate, Raspberry & Quark Layered Cake happened!
The cake just happened. There was no plan in mind. I left home quite early for a PTM at school. Junior teen still gives us shivers. The poor guy can’t figure out any more if he’s done anything right or wrong. Of course, that doesn’t inspire any confidence in us, leaving us quite puzzled. He is really funny at times and most confused about himself. We, on the other hand, are still trying to figure him out!
I got back home and had just begun to get the brownies going, when I got a call from a magazine. They wanted to do a production shoot of my signature bake, the process, baking, everything! “Errr…. for when might that be?” I inquired. ‘Today,‘ said the sweet lady, very apologetically. That was obviously not going to happen. I had to say no of course….. but the wild idea of ‘signature’ got stuck in my head!
Brownies were hurriedly swapped for a chocolate sponge. It’s good we’re still in October, though the heart beats like we’re almost knocking on Decembers’ door}. The cake would have PINK; any form of pink to spread the message about breast cancer awareness. Strawberries are a tad late this year, but I am fortunate to have several bags of Del Monte raspberry fruit filling in my freezer.
It’s a nice product to have on hand and thaws really quick. Another favourite to have on hand is quark. I make it often. To tie it all together, nothing like some good quality dark chocolate on hand and life seems worthwhile after all. I hurriedly doodled my signature chocolate collar for the cake, and the leftover melted chocolate found it’s way into a freehand cake topper!
It was a race to the finish … one in which I never got down to actually wishing the parents during the course of the day. Showed up at their doorstep just in time for dinner, cake and kids in tow! We enjoyed it!
Recipe: Dark Chocolate, Raspberry & Quark Layered Cake
Summary: Dark chocolate and raspberry are a match made in heaven. Quark adds a nice sweet-tart balance to the cram filling. This is a nice dessert cake to make ahead.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- Chocolate Sponge
- 4eggs
- 100g raw sugar {or powdered sugar}
- 1t vanilla extract
- 20g cocoa powder
- 30ml extra virgin olive oil
- 125ml cup milk, lukewarm
- 75g plain flour
- 1t baking powder
- pinch salt
- Quark Raspberry Cream Filling
- 200g low fat cream
- 50g sugar
- 200g quark
- 100g raspberry fruit filling {Del Monte}
- Dark Chocolate Ganache Topping
- 150g dark chocolate
- 100g low fat cream
- Filigree
- 75g dark chooclate
Method:
Chocolate Sponge
Line the bottoms and sides of on 7″ spring form tin. Preheat oven to 180C.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Reserve.
Mix the cocoa powder, olive oil and milk to a smooth, thick pour-able paste. Reserve.
Beat the eggs and sugar over simmering water on high speed for about 10 minutes until the mixtures becomes thick and mousse like, tripling in quantity {Thermomix, Speed 4, Butterfly insert, 37C, 10 minutes or more}
Take off simmering water, add vanilla extract and continue beating for 3-4 minutes until it cools down a bit. {Thermomix, Speed 4, Butterfly insert, 3-4 minutes}
Slowly pour in the cocoa mixture, beating on low until incorporated.
Gently fold in the flour mixture in 3-4 goes. {Thermomix, Reverse Speed 2}
Pour batter into prepared tin.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until the sponge springs back when touched lightly, or a tester comes out clean.
Cool on rack for 5 minutes, remove from tin and cool completely. Cut into 3 horizontal layers.
Quark Raspberry Cream Filling & Sides
Beat the cream and sugar until medium peaks, then beat in the quark and raspberry fruit filling until smooth and light. Taste and adjust sugar if required.
Dark Chocolate Ganache Topping
Place the dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high power for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each rest, until the chocolate has melted.
Add the cream and whisk well until smooth and cool. {Alternatively, place both ingredients in a heavy bottom pan, and hear on simmer until both melted. Whisk well until smooth. Leave to cool}
Assembling
Place first layer on serving platter and sandwich the layers with half the butter cream.
Frost the sides and top with the remaining Quark Raspberry Cream.
Top with dark chocolate ganache.
Chill for 2-3 hours for the flavours to mature and cake to become moist.
Wrap with a filigree collar if you like.
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