Chocolate cake with raspberry mousse

Chocolate cake and raspberry mousse – a combination worth making at least once during raspberry season! This raspberry and chocolate traybake is a generous, family-sized dessert in a neat, elegant form. The rich chocolate flavour is definitely the star here (so it’s a real treat for chocolate lovers!), which is why I recommend using good-quality chocolate. The raspberry mousse provides the perfect contrast, cutting through all that chocolate richness. It’s ideal for all kinds of gatherings, including outdoor parties, and makes plenty of delicious portions to share with family and friends. A timeless classic that never gets old!

Ingredients for the chocolate cake:

• 130 g plain flour
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• 120 g butter
• 55 g dark chocolate, chopped
• 60 g cocoa powder
• 2 large eggs
• 185 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup sour cream

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place the butter in a small saucepan and melt over a low heat. Remove from the heat, add the chopped chocolate and leave until melted. Stir until smooth. Add the sifted cocoa powder and whisk until combined. Set aside to cool slightly.

Place the eggs (without separating them) and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk with an electric mixer until pale, light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract, whisking continuously. Pour in the chocolate mixture and beat thoroughly using the same whisk attachment. Sift the plain flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda directly into the mixture. Add the sour cream and gently fold everything together with a spatula, just until combined.

Line a deep rectangular baking tin measuring 23 × 35 cm with baking paper. Pour in the batter and level the surface.

Bake at 170°C for approximately 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.

Ingredients for the raspberry mousse:

• 650 g raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 sachet raspberry jelly crystals (for 500 ml water)
• 470 ml double cream, chilled
• an additional 200 g raspberries, fresh or frozen, to fold into the mousse

Place the raspberries (if using frozen, do not thaw them first) and sugar in a saucepan. Heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture comes to the boil. Remove from the heat and push through a sieve to remove the seeds. Return the raspberry purée to the saucepan, bring back to the boil and remove from the heat. Add the jelly crystals and stir thoroughly until completely dissolved. Leave to cool to room temperature.

Whip the chilled double cream in a mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Add the cooled raspberry purée and gently but thoroughly fold together. Add the additional 200 g raspberries and fold in gently.

Spread the raspberry mousse over the cooled chocolate cake. Refrigerate for several hours, until completely set. Before serving, decorate with chocolate sauce and raspberries torn into smaller pieces.

Ingredients for the chocolate sauce:

• 30 ml double cream
• 30 g dark or milk chocolate, chopped

Place both ingredients in a small saucepan and warm gently over a very low heat until the chocolate has melted. Stir until smooth. Leave to cool slightly. Transfer to a disposable piping bag (or a small food bag), snip off the corner and drizzle over the cake.

This raspberry and chocolate traybake should be stored in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!