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Recipe by Mary Cadogan

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1. Video tutorial: Melting chocolate

1. TO MAKE THE CAKES: Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter and base-line a deep, 30cm round cake tin (20cm round cake tin for the smaller cake) with baking parchment. Whisk the eggs and sugar together using a hand-held or tabletop mixer until the mixture leaves a trail when the whisk blades are lifted. This could take 8-10 mins, but don't skimp this step as it is crucial to the success of the cake.
2. Fold in the butter, almonds and orange zest using a large metal spoon, then sift in the flour and baking powder. Fold everything together lightly, then pour into the tin. Bake for 50-60 mins (30-40 mins for the smaller cake) until firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out, peel off the paper and leave to cool completely. The cakes can now be frozen for up to a month.
3. TO MAKE THE ORANGE SUGAR SYRUP: Put the caster sugar in a small pan with the water and orange peel. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar has melted, then boil hard for 2-3 mins until slightly syrupy. Cool, then stir in the Cointreau.
4. TO MAKE THE CRÈME PATISSERIE: Whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla extract and caster sugar using an electric whisk until the mixture is pale and thick. Whisk in the flour. Boil the milk, then gradually whisk into the egg mix. Return to the pan and cook over a gentle heat, whisking until the custard is thick and glossy. Cook gently, stirring for 2 mins more to cook out the raw flour taste. Remove from the heat and beat in the butter.
5. Spoon into a clean bowl, then cover closely with cling film (so it's in contact with the custard) and leave to cool. Whip the double cream, then fold into the cool custard. Can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge. Just before using, stir in the crème fraîche. This quantity makes enough to cover both cakes.
6. TO DECORATE: The day ahead of serving, split each cake in half; brush the cut edges with syrup. Lightly crush half the raspberries. Put the base of each cake on a cake board, then spread each with a layer of raspberry coulis. Scatter over the crushed raspberries followed by a thin layer of Crème patisserie (about one-third of the total amount). Cover with the other halves of the cakes, then chill.
7. Select about 6-8 long strands of redcurrant. Lightly beat the egg white and put the sugar in a shallow bowl. Brush redcurrants lightly with egg white, then coat lightly with sugar and arrange over a flat tray lined with baking paper. Leave overnight to dry out.
8. Spread Crème patisserie thinly over the tops and sides of the cakes. Measure the depth and circumference of the small cake, then roll one-third of the modelling paste into a sausage. Put this shape between two large sheets of baking parchment, then roll to the circumference of the cake and about 3-4cm more than the depth. If the paste splits, put it in the food processor with 1 tbsp oil and whizz it up, then re-knead and it should come back again to a smooth paste. Once rolled sufficiently, flip the whole lot over and peel away the uppermost sheet of paper. Trim the base of the paste in a straight line, leaving the top wavy. Carefully wrap the modelling paste around the cake with the straight edge to the base, pressing in the sides, then peel off the parchment. Repeat with remainder of paste for the larger cake.
9. Cut the dowels into equal lengths, about 2cm more than the depth of the larger cake, then insert 4 into the centre of the cake in a square formation, just smaller than the size of the smaller cake, then put two in the middle. On the day, place the smaller cake on top of the larger one, then fill around the edge of the large cake and the top of the small cake with the berries, finishing with the frosted redcurrants. Dust with icing sugar.
10. CHOCOLATE MODELLING PASTE: Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, then leave to cool for a few mins. Heat the glucose gently in a pan, then tip into a large bowl. Gradually beat the chocolate into the glucose, beating to a thick paste that leaves the sides of the bowl clean. Place in a polythene bag and leave for about an hour until set firm.
11. To use, knead lightly until slightly softened. Microwave on Defrost for 10-15 secs if really firm, then use as desired. (Takes 10 minutes to prepare, 10 minutes to cook and makes about 1.8kg)

Per serving (30)

639 kcalories, protein 10g, carbohydrate 84g, fat 31 g, saturated fat 16g, fibre 3g, salt 0.37 g

Latest comments and suggestions

• AMa

  25 August 2008

  AMa rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Not very easy to decorate but worth the trouble ... without a double layer it makes a wonderful birthday cake for 20 or even 50 year olds...and it tastes exquisite....plus the instructions are easy to follow even for a begginer..

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• Milunka

  16 January 2009

  Milunka rated and commented on this recipe

  

  The cake is amazing.All my friends claimed it is the best they've ever tasted. And the experience of making such a wonderful work of art was more than satisfying :) Great recipe!

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• mums cooking

  31 May 2009

  mums cooking commented on this recipe

  Wow, what a cake. I made this for my friends Birthday and it went down a treat. I just made the smaller cake - that was big enough. I couldn't find any liquid glucose so substituted with golden syrup which seemed to do the same. All my friends said it was amazing. I usually make childrens type cakes so this was a fantastic change with a bit of glamour. A great cake for a summer Birthday. Would definately recommend :0)

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• cathy.p

  20 June 2009

  cathy.p commented on this recipe

  Hi - just wondered if anyone who has made this cake can tell me if you keep the cake board on the upper cake when you assemble it?! hope someone reads this as i am making itthis week

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• kaff_mca

  23 July 2009

  kaff_mca rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Amazing!!! I made this cake for my sister's birthday and it was worth it for the wow factor alone!! Give it a go- its not as difficult as it may seem and the result is a wonderfully moist, tasty cake.

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• pdesouza

  29 August 2009

  pdesouza commented on this recipe

  I made this for a family celebration. If you follow the step by step instructions it will look exactly like the picture. The redcurrants were not in season so I used a bit of imagination. We noticed the cake tasted better and better as each day went by. Impressive.

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• pdesouza

  29 August 2009

  pdesouza rated this recipe

  

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• Chantelle

  05 September 2009

  Chantelle commented on this recipe

  Oh dear dont no what went wrong followed instructions but cakes didnt rise, any suggestions anyone on what i may have done wrong. Im wanting to make it for my nannas 80th tomorrow aagghh!

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• Han<3Chocolate

  12 October 2009

  Han<3Chocolate rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I haven't made the cake, but made the chocolate modelling paste to go round a friends chocolate brownie birthday cake extravaganza! It was relatively easy to prepare, just be careful with the temperatures of it goes a bit stringy like the one for my brothers birthday cake! They turned into nice sculpture decorations though! Really sweet and moreish - Tasty!!

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• GMF

  21 October 2009

  GMF commented on this recipe

  Made a cheat's version of this cake for a friend's wedding last weekend, and it looked absolutely fabulous. I just used the idea - made my own favourite recipe choc cakes, then melted 70% cocoa solids chocolate with a little glycerine, laid it out on baking parchment cut to size with a wavy border, let it dry then carefully wrapped it around the sides of the cakes which I'd "glued" with boiled raspberry jam, and peeled off the paper backing. Stacked the two cakes using dowels as in this recipe, but left the top cake on the springform pan base for extra security, set the base on the dowels just above the top of the bottom cake. Set the bride & groom figurines on the top tier, filled in the top and bottom tiers with sugared red grapes, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. It looked really sensational, it was a less complicated cheat's version, but looked just like the photo, and got its own round of applause at the reception!

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Ingredients

FOR THE 30cm CAKE

• 50g butter , melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
• 8 eggs
• 200g caster sugar
• 100g ground almonds
• zest 2 orange
• 200g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

FOR THE 20cm CAKE

• 25g butter , melted and cooled
• 4 egg
• 100g caster sugar
• 50g ground almonds
• zest 1 orange
• 100g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder

TO DECORATE AND PRESENT THE CAKES

• 1 quantity orange sugar syrup (see below for recipe)
• 800g fresh raspberries
• 22cm and a 32cm cake board
• 200ml raspberry coulis
• 1 quantity Crème patisserie (see below for recipe)
• 400g redcurrants
• 1 egg white
• 4 tbsp caster sugar
• 1.8kg chocolate modelling paste (recipe below)
• 6 plastic dowelling rods
• 800g small strawberries
• 200g blueberries
• icing sugar , for dusting

ORANGE SUGAR SYRUP

• 4 tbsp caster sugar
• 6 tbsp water
• 2 strips orange peel
• 4 tbsp Cointreau

FOR THE CRÈME PATISSERIE

• 6 egg yolks
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 140g caster sugar
• 50g plain flour
• 600ml milk
• 25g butter
• 142ml pot double cream
• 500g tub crème fraîche

FOR THE CHOCOLATE MODELLING PASTE

• 1.25kg plain chocolate , broken up
• 700g liquid glucose (available from some supermarkets and most chemists)

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Difficulty and servings

Serves 30 - 40

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 3 hrs

Cook min 3 hrs

2-3 hrs for cake, plus 2-3 hrs for other elements

Only the cake is freezable

Ingredients

FOR THE 30cm CAKE

• 50g butter , melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
• 8 eggs
• 200g caster sugar
• 100g ground almonds
• zest 2 orange
• 200g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

FOR THE 20cm CAKE

• 25g butter , melted and cooled
• 4 egg
• 100g caster sugar
• 50g ground almonds
• zest 1 orange
• 100g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder

TO DECORATE AND PRESENT THE CAKES

• 1 quantity orange sugar syrup (see below for recipe)
• 800g fresh raspberries
• 22cm and a 32cm cake board
• 200ml raspberry coulis
• 1 quantity Crème patisserie (see below for recipe)
• 400g redcurrants
• 1 egg white
• 4 tbsp caster sugar
• 1.8kg chocolate modelling paste (recipe below)
• 6 plastic dowelling rods
• 800g small strawberries
• 200g blueberries
• icing sugar , for dusting

ORANGE SUGAR SYRUP

• 4 tbsp caster sugar
• 6 tbsp water
• 2 strips orange peel
• 4 tbsp Cointreau

FOR THE CRÈME PATISSERIE

• 6 egg yolks
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 140g caster sugar
• 50g plain flour
• 600ml milk
• 25g butter
• 142ml pot double cream
• 500g tub crème fraîche

FOR THE CHOCOLATE MODELLING PASTE

• 1.25kg plain chocolate , broken up
• 700g liquid glucose (available from some supermarkets and most chemists)

Per serving (30)

639 kcalories, protein 10g, carbohydrate 84g, fat 31 g, saturated fat 16g, fibre 3g, salt 0.37 g

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