Mary Berry Baileys Cake
In search of the ultimate, indulgent chocolate birthday or celebration cake that can satisfy a crowd? Look no further than Mary Berry's sophisticated chocolate birthday cake.
Choosing the perfect cake for a special birthday, one that is both uncomplicated, can accommodate a large number of people, and can be prepared in advance, can be challenging. This cake, however, fits the bill! It's a sophisticated creation consisting of two chocolate traybakes that are filled and iced. If served as a dessert, consider pairing it with fresh strawberries or raspberries.
Ingredients
For one traybake (you will need 2 for this recipe):
- 30 grams 1 ounce cocoa powder
- 5 tablespoons boiling water
- 225 grams 8 ounces caster sugar
- 225 grams 8 ounces baking spread, straight from the fridge
- 275 grams 10 ounces self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon milk
For the ganache Icing:
- 450 millilitres ¾ pint pouring double cream
- 450 grams 1 pound plain chocolate, broken into pieces
For the filling:
- 4 tablespoons cream liqueur such as Baileys, Kahlúa or Amarula
- 300 ml ½ pint pouring double cream, whipped to soft peaks
For the decoration:
- 175 g 6oz Maltesers
- 8 chocolate truffles roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven and line traybake. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4 and line a 30 × 23 (12 x 9in) traybake tin with non-stick baking paper.
- For one traybake. Combine cocoa powder and boiling water in a large bowl, stirring to form a smooth paste. Add all remaining ingredients and whisk with an electric whisk for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Bake. Spoon the batter into the tin and level the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes until well risen and pulling away from the sides of the tin. Let it cool in the tin on a wire rack and then remove the baking paper.
- For the second traybake. Repeat the process with the same ingredients to make a second traybake (if using two traybake tins, you can bake them simultaneously).
- For the ganache. While the cakes cool, prepare the ganache. Heat cream in a saucepan over medium heat until hot. Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until melted. Allow it to cool, thickening into a spreadable icing that holds its shape when piped.
- To assemble. Place one cake on a serving board, drizzle with half the cream liqueur. Fold the remaining cream liqueur into whipped cream and spread it on the cake. Place the second cake on top and press down gently.
- To decorate with ganache. Insert a fluted star nozzle into a piping bag and fill it with 350g (12oz) of the chocolate ganache, setting it aside. Spread the remaining ganache over the sides and surface of the cake, completely covering it. Use a fork to create a decorative horizontal pattern on the sides. Using the ganache in the piping bag, pipe small stars around the top edge to form a border. Arrange Maltesers in a line widthwise next to the piped edge. Pipe another line of stars, then arrange a neat line of chopped truffles. Continue piping and arranging chocolates in neat rows until the cake's surface is completely covered.
- Candles. Light candles, and when ready to serve, cut into squares.
Notes
Essential Equipment:
You will need one or two (if baking both sponges simultaneously) 30 × 23 (12 x 9in) traybake tins, a fluted star nozzle, and a piping bag.
You will need one or two (if baking both sponges simultaneously) 30 × 23 (12 x 9in) traybake tins, a fluted star nozzle, and a piping bag.