Raspberry and mascarpone cake

Name: Raspberry and mascarpone cake
Ingredients: 4 eggs; 4 tablespoons sugar; 2 tablespoons oil; 2 tablespoons cold water; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon rum essence; 3 tablespoons flour; 2 1/2 tablespoons cocoa; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 500 g mascarpone; 200 g whipping cream; 2 tablespoons icing sugar; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 300 g fresh or frozen raspberries; 3 tablespoons sugar; 5 tablespoons water; 7 g gelatine; 4 tablespoons cold water; 100 ml liquid from sour cherry compote; 50 g chocolate

Dessert - Raspberry and mascarpone cake by Daiana F. - Recipia

Raspberry and mascarpone cake has a cocoa sponge and two layers of cream, one plain and one with fruit. Sour cherry compote juice moistens the sponge, while the raspberry layer adds colour and a tangy flavour. I use plain mascarpone and keep it cold until I mix it, so the cream stays firm. Prep: 30 minutes. Cook: 20 minutes. Chilling: 8 hours. Total time: 8 hours and 50 minutes. Serves: 12. Approximately 350 kcal and 13 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the sponge

4 eggs
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon rum essence
3 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 tablespoons cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the cream

500 g mascarpone
200 g whipping cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
300 g fresh or frozen raspberries
3 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons water
7 g gelatine
4 tablespoons cold water

For soaking

100 ml liquid from sour cherry compote

For decorating

50 g chocolate

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 180°C and line a 37 x 24 cm tin with baking paper. Separate the eggs, then beat the egg yolks with the sugar until fluffy. 2. Mix in the oil, cold water, baking powder and rum essence. Sift the flour and cocoa over the mixture and stir until smooth. Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff, then fold them in with a spatula. 3. Pour the mixture into the tin and level it out. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the sponge is cooked and springs back slightly when touched. Leave it to cool. 4. Leave the gelatine to soak in 4 tablespoons of cold water for 10 minutes. Put the raspberries in a saucepan with 5 tablespoons of water and the sugar. Heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the raspberries have softened. Take the pan off the heat, add the softened gelatine and stir well. Leave the mixture to cool a little. 5. Beat the cold mascarpone with the cold whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract until you have a fluffy cream. Keep half plain and mix the other half with the raspberries. Refrigerate the pink cream for 10-15 minutes. 6. Soak the cooled sponge with the liquid from the sour cherry compote. Spread the plain cream over it, then the raspberry cream. Cover the cake and leave it in the fridge overnight, for at least 8 hours. 7. Chop the chocolate and sprinkle it over the cake before serving.

Notes

Thanks to Irina from Bucătăraș, where I got the idea; I liked the cake at first glance, and my guests loved it. For a gluten-free sponge, replace the flour with the same amount of gluten-free cake mix; the dessert still contains dairy and eggs. I slice it cold and serve it with coffee. Keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Plain mascarpone, with no additions, has the right texture for this cream. Fresh raspberries soften faster than frozen ones, so keep an eye on the pan as the sugar dissolves. For soaking, the compote liquid should be thin, not a thick, very sweet syrup.

Frequently asked questions

Can I bake the sponge a day ahead?

Yes. Once it has cooled completely, wrap it and keep it at room temperature until the next day; add the compote liquid only when you assemble the cake.

Why doesn't the raspberry cream set?

Add the gelatine after taking the pan off the heat. If you boil it, it can lose some of its setting power.

How do I cut neat slices?

Run the knife blade under hot water and wipe it before each cut, so it doesn't drag the cream along with it.