Raspberry and chocolate birthday cake

Ingredients

For the 28 cm cake layer

• 7 eggs
• 210 g sugar
• 210 g flour
• 5 g baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Grated zest of 1 lemon

For the 20 cm cake layer

• 4 eggs
• 120 g sugar
• 120 g flour
• 5 g baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 15 g butter
• 15 g flour

For the raspberry mousse

• 400 g raspberries
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 400 ml heavy cream with 30-35% fat
• 30 g sour cream with 20% fat
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 10 g gelatin
• 50 ml cold water

For the chocolate and mascarpone cream

• 200 g chocolate with 55% cocoa
• 200 ml heavy cream with 30-35% fat
• 45 ml heavy cream with 30-35% fat
• 250 g mascarpone
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon Cherry Angelli liqueur

For the chocolate balls

• 100 g chocolate with 55% cocoa
• 5 ladyfingers
• 100 g walnut kernels
• 50 g chocolate with 74% cocoa
• 30 ml milk

For the chocolate cream for decorating

• 200 g chocolate with 74% cocoa
• 300 ml heavy cream with 30-35% fat

For the dark chocolate glaze

• 100 g chocolate with 74% cocoa
• 100 ml heavy cream with 30-35% fat

For the white chocolate glaze

• 100 g white chocolate
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 100 ml heavy cream with 30-35% fat

For the filling and decoration

• 250 g fresh raspberries
• 18 Raffaello candies
• 100 ml heavy cream with 30-35% fat
• 15 g pink sprinkles and sugar hearts

Preparation

1. Bring the eggs and mascarpone to room temperature. Line the bases of two cake pans, one 28 cm and one 20 cm, with baking paper. Grease the sides with 15 g butter and dust with 15 g flour. 2. Prepare the two cake layers separately. Beat 7 eggs with 210 g sugar and 4 eggs with 120 g sugar, each mixture for 20-25 minutes, until it triples in volume and the beaters leave trails. Sift 210 g flour separately with 5 g baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the grated zest of 1 lemon; for the other layer, use 120 g flour, 5 g baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the grated zest of 1 lemon. Fold the dry mixtures into the eggs in three additions. Pour the mixtures into the pans and bake them together at 180°C for 35 minutes, until lightly golden and springy to the touch. 3. Let the cake layers cool in the oven with the door ajar, then on a wire rack, for at least 8 hours. Cut the larger layer into three layers and the smaller one into two. 4. Bloom 10 g gelatin in 50 ml cold water for 10 minutes. Blend 400 g raspberries and pass the purée through a fine-mesh sieve. Heat it with 3 tablespoons sugar for 5 minutes, without letting it boil. Heat the bloomed gelatin in the microwave for 1 minute, until liquid, then stir it into the purée. 5. Whip 400 ml cold heavy cream lightly. Add 30 g sour cream with 20% fat and 1 tablespoon honey. Once the purée has cooled, fold in a few spoonfuls of whipped cream, then mix it with the remaining whipped cream. Chill the mousse for 30 minutes, until it thickens slightly. 6. Melt 200 g chocolate with 55% cocoa and 200 ml heavy cream over a double boiler for 8 minutes, until smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat, add 1 tablespoon Cherry Angelli liqueur and let the cream cool, then refrigerate it for an hour. Beat the cream with 45 ml heavy cream. Separately, mix 250 g mascarpone with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, then fold in the chocolate. Set aside a quarter of the cream for attaching the smaller cake layer and covering the sides. 7. Roughly chop 100 g walnut kernels and crumble 5 ladyfingers. Melt 100 g chocolate with 55% cocoa over a double boiler for 5 minutes, until smooth, then mix it with the walnuts and ladyfingers. Shape 12 balls and chill them for 20 minutes. Melt 50 g chocolate with 74% cocoa and 30 ml milk for 5 minutes, until you have a fluid glaze. Dip the balls in it and leave them on paper until the glaze sets. 8. Melt 200 g chocolate with 74% cocoa and 300 ml heavy cream over a double boiler for 8 minutes, until smooth. Chill it well in the refrigerator for about 2 hours, then beat it until it’s suitable for decorating. 9. Spread mousse over the first large cake layer, add 6 Raffaello candies and 75 g raspberries. Add the second layer and spread over the chocolate mascarpone cream, then add 6 Raffaello candies and 75 g raspberries. Cover with the third layer. Attach the smaller cake on top with the reserved cream, then spread mousse and add 100 g raspberries between the two smaller layers. Cover with the last layer. 10. Spread the reserved chocolate cream over the sides of the cake and cover the top with 100 ml whipped heavy cream. Melt 100 g white chocolate with 1 teaspoon honey and 100 ml heavy cream over a double boiler for 5 minutes, until no pieces of chocolate remain. Let it cool slightly and pour it over the top. 11. Melt 100 g chocolate with 74% cocoa and 100 ml heavy cream over a double boiler for 5 minutes, until the glaze is smooth. Pour it around the edge of the large cake layer. Decorate with 15 g pink sprinkles and sugar hearts, 18 Raffaello candies, the chocolate balls and the remaining raspberries. Pipe on the whipped chocolate cream and refrigerate the cake for 2 hours.