This chocolate mousse cake can be made one to two days in advance of any party by simply chilling it in the fridge without the fruit topping until needed.
The sponge base can be made ahead and frozen, then defrosted prior to adding the mousse layer, which helps to take the stress out of a party.
The recipe notes said: “Mary Berry’s rich, indulgent chocolate mousse cake is fit for a celebration and makes a stunning centrepiece.”
The cake serves eight to 10 people and will be ready in under four hours, including chilling time.
For this recipe, you’ll need a 20cm springform cake tin for the best results.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
25g cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
Three tablespoons of boiling water
100g caster sugar
100g self-raising flour
One teaspoon of baking powder
Two large free-range eggs
100g margarine, plus extra for greasing
Two tablespoons of brandy
For the mousse:
300g dark chocolate, no more than 40 to 50 percent cocoa solids
450ml whipping cream
To serve:
225g fresh raspberries and blueberries
Double cream
Icing sugar, for dusting
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C or 160C Fan before greasing the tin and lining the base and sides with baking paper.
For the chocolate cake, measure the cocoa powder into a large bowl, pouring the boiling water over it and mixing it with a spatula.
Add the rest of the dry ingredients along with the eggs and margarine, beating it until smooth.
Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake it for 20 to 25 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the cake.
While the cake is still hot, brush the brandy over the top of the cake, leaving it to cool in the tin.
Meanwhile, for the mousse, place the chocolate in a bowl and melt over a pan of simmering water, stirring continuously until melted, then set aside.
Whip the cream until soft peaks before carefully folding in the melted chocolate until smooth.
When the cake has cooled, and while still in the tin, spoon the chocolate mousse on top and level it off with a palette knife.
Cover the cake tin with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for a minimum of four hours, but preferably overnight.
To serve, remove the cake from the tin and transfer it to a flat plate. Dust the top with cocoa powder, then pile the raspberries and blueberries into the centre.
Finish with a light dusting of icing sugar before cutting it into wedges and serving with cream.
