THREE-LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE

Pull out this cake recipe for your special occasions - birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas or New Year's! It's perfect for when you want to create a sense of festivity and a wow factor. Truly, everyone who sees this cake in our home can't help but exclaim "wow!" It's incredibly chocolatey, combined with other delightful flavors that please the palate - smooth cream, chocolate ganache and homemade jam. The variety of flavors makes this cake truly exceptional.

Ingredients

For the sponge cake:

(For one sponge cake, you'll need the following ingredients. Since you'll be making two sponge cakes, you'll need to repeat the baking process and the ingredient quantities twice.)

• 10 medjool dates

• 200 ml of water

• 1 tablespoon of chia seeds

• 2 teaspoons of plant-based milk

• 1 teaspoon of coconut oil

• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

• 65 g of oat flour (can be substituted with your favorite flour)

• 40 g of cocoa powder

• A pinch of salt

• 1 teaspoon of baking powder

• 40 g of chopped dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)

For the chocolate ganache:

• 80 g of cocoa powder

• 80 g of honey

• 180 ml of plant-based milk

• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

For the homemade jam:

• Bag of frozen berries (300 g) - cherries or forest berries work best

• 1 tablespoon of honey

• 1 teaspoon of chia seeds

For the layer of cream: 

• 1 can (400 ml) of chilled full-fat coconut milk

• 0.5 teaspoons of corn flour

• 1 teaspoon of plant-based milk

• 2 teaspoons of honey

• A pinch of salt

• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

For decorating:

• Chocolate

• Fresh berries (if you have them)

Instructions

Making the sponges:

I usually prepare this step the night before to make cooking on the day of the celebration a bit quicker. I want to point out that the list of ingredients and their quantities are for one cake layer. Since we need two, we'll have to repeat the process twice.

I remove the pits from the dates. Then, I place the dates along with some water into a high-powered blender and mix everything well.

I chop the chocolate with a knife.

Next, I add all the remaining ingredients to the date caramel I just made.

I mix everything thoroughly and then bake it in a preheated oven at 190°C for about 20 minutes.

Once the first sponge is baked, I repeat the process to bake the second sponge.

I let the cake sponges cool down.

Making the chocolate ganache:

Add all the ingredients for the chocolate ganache into a pot. Over low heat, stir continuously for about 7-10 minutes until everything melts into a smooth mixture. Once melted, turn off the heat and let the cream sit until you need it for layering the cake. If the ganache thickens too much as it cools, you can warm it up slightly with a splash of plant-based milk to achieve your desired consistency before assembling the cake.

Making the homemade jam: 

I put frozen, cooled berries into a pot, along with a spoonful of honey and chia seeds. I stir everything together and simmer it over low heat for about 10 minutes. Once the jam is cooked, I take it off the heat and let it cool. As it cools, it will thicken up.

Making the cream: 

Before making the cream layer, I place the coconut milk in the refrigerator the night before (this step is essential).

I carefully open the can of coconut milk (do not shake it beforehand). You'll notice that the coconut milk has separated into a thick white mass and some "water." We need to drain that "water" (it can be used for making pancakes, waffles or other baked goods). We only need the thick mass.

I put the coconut mass into a bowl, along with honey, salt and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, I mix cornstarch with plant-based milk and then pour that mixture into the coconut cream. I whip everything together well and place it in the refrigerator until I'm ready to layer the cake.

Layering the cake: 

I assemble the cake about 15 minutes before serving.

I start by placing a layer of sponge cake on a plate. Then, I spread a layer of cream on top, followed by a layer of chocolate ganache, and finish with some berries. I then place a second layer of sponge cake on top and repeat the process.

Note: I don't spread any of the fillings all the way to the edge; I leave a few centimeters without cream at the edges. Otherwise, all the creams will just slide off, and while the cake will still be delicious, it will lose its distinctive beauty.

For decoration, I sprinkle chocolate shavings on top. Then, I serve it.

BON APPETIT!