Name: Chocolate cake with raspberries
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Ingredients: 210 g flour; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 400 g sugar; 85 g BAM cocoa powder; 100 g vegetable oil; 227 g buttermilk or plain yoghurt (room temperature); 227 ml boiling water; 2 teaspoons BAM vanilla paste; 3 large eggs at room temperature; 28 g softened butter; 227 g mascarpone cheese (room temperature); 113 g powdered sugar (sieved); 1/2 teaspoon BAM vanilla paste; pinch of salt; 115 g BAM dark chocolate; 227 g sweet cream; 600 g fresh raspberries; 113 g softened butter; 455 g powdered sugar; 43 g BAM cocoa powder; 57 ml of milk; 1 teaspoon BAM vanilla paste

Ingredients:

for the biscuit:

210 g flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
400 g sugar
85 g BAM cocoa powder
100 g vegetable oil
227 g buttermilk or plain yoghurt (room temperature)
227 ml boiling water
2 teaspoons BAM vanilla paste
3 large eggs at room temperature

for the cream:

28 g softened butter
227 g mascarpone cheese (room temperature)
113 g powdered sugar (sieved)
1/2 teaspoon BAM vanilla paste
pinch of salt
115 g BAM dark chocolate
227 g sweet cream
600 g fresh raspberries

for the chocolate icing:

113 g softened butter
pinch of salt
455 g powdered sugar
43 g BAM cocoa powder
57 ml of milk
1 teaspoon BAM vanilla paste

Instructions:

preparation procedure:

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly grease three cake tins or prepare the sponge cake mixture in one tin and bake it in different batches. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients in the order listed: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and BAM cocoa powder. If any of the ingredients seem lumpy, especially the cocoa, strain them through a sieve. In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, mix together the oil, buttermilk or yoghurt, boiling water and BAM vanilla paste. Add to the dry ingredients and whisk at medium speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute until smooth.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl, then fold in the eggs one by one. Mix on medium speed for another minute or until smooth. Divide the batter between the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake starts to pull away from the edge of the baking tray and a tester inserted in the centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Run a table knife around the edge of each baking tray to loosen the crust and turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely. While the cake layers are cooling, make the filling.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla and salt and mix on medium-low speed until smooth. Melt the chocolate; a minute or less in the microwave should be enough to soften the chocolate enough to stir until completely melted and smooth. Add the melted chocolate to the bowl and stir on medium-high speed for 1 minute, or until slightly lightened and fluffy. Whip the sweet cream to soft peaks. Whisk just until the cream is firm.

Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture; scrape the bowl and stir to combine any sticky residue. Divide the cake layers horizontally if you have baked them in one piece and cut off any domes. Place the first layer on a serving plate and spread one third of the filling on it. Cut a third of the raspberries lengthwise and place them over the filling, covering the entire surface. Repeat until all the layers are stacked; place the last layer with the bottom side up for a flat surface on top. Once the layers are assembled with the filling and raspberries, place the cake in the fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes to set. While the cake is cooling, make the icing.

In a large bowl, whisk the butter and salt. Sift the caster sugar and BAM cocoa powder through a sieve to remove lumps and gently fold into the butter, alternately adding the milk. Add the BAM vanilla paste. Beat at medium-high speed for 2 minutes or until fluffy. For the best cake, make the icing in two steps. First, apply a very thin layer of frosting around the sides and over the top. Place the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow this layer to set. When the cake is chilled, apply the remaining icing and spread it thoroughly and evenly.

Ingredients:

for the biscuit:

210 g flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
400 g sugar
85 g BAM cocoa powder
100 g vegetable oil
227 g buttermilk or plain yoghurt (room temperature)
227 ml boiling water
2 teaspoons BAM vanilla paste
3 large eggs at room temperature

for the cream:

28 g softened butter
227 g mascarpone cheese (room temperature)
113 g powdered sugar (sieved)
1/2 teaspoon BAM vanilla paste
pinch of salt
115 g BAM dark chocolate
227 g sweet cream
600 g fresh raspberries

for the chocolate icing:

113 g softened butter
pinch of salt
455 g powdered sugar
43 g BAM cocoa powder
57 ml of milk
1 teaspoon BAM vanilla paste

Instructions:

preparation procedure

	Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly grease three cake tins or prepare the sponge cake mixture in one tin and bake it in different batches. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients in the order listed: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and BAM cocoa powder. If any of the ingredients seem lumpy, especially the cocoa, strain them through a sieve. In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, mix together the oil, buttermilk or yoghurt, boiling water and BAM vanilla paste. Add to the dry ingredients and whisk at medium speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute until smooth.
	Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl, then fold in the eggs one by one. Mix on medium speed for another minute or until smooth. Divide the batter between the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake starts to pull away from the edge of the baking tray and a tester inserted in the centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
	Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Run a table knife around the edge of each baking tray to loosen the crust and turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely. While the cake layers are cooling, make the filling.
	In a large bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla and salt and mix on medium-low speed until smooth. Melt the chocolate; a minute or less in the microwave should be enough to soften the chocolate enough to stir until completely melted and smooth. Add the melted chocolate to the bowl and stir on medium-high speed for 1 minute, or until slightly lightened and fluffy. Whip the sweet cream to soft peaks. Whisk just until the cream is firm.
	Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture; scrape the bowl and stir to combine any sticky residue. Divide the cake layers horizontally if you have baked them in one piece and cut off any domes. Place the first layer on a serving plate and spread one third of the filling on it. Cut a third of the raspberries lengthwise and place them over the filling, covering the entire surface. Repeat until all the layers are stacked; place the last layer with the bottom side up for a flat surface on top. Once the layers are assembled with the filling and raspberries, place the cake in the fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes to set. While the cake is cooling, make the icing.
	In a large bowl, whisk the butter and salt. Sift the caster sugar and BAM cocoa powder through a sieve to remove lumps and gently fold into the butter, alternately adding the milk. Add the BAM vanilla paste. Beat at medium-high speed for 2 minutes or until fluffy. For the best cake, make the icing in two steps. First, apply a very thin layer of frosting around the sides and over the top. Place the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow this layer to set. When the cake is chilled, apply the remaining icing and spread it thoroughly and evenly.