Chocolate and olive oil cake with raspberry mousse

Azzurra's recipe from Sprinkles Dress for Valentine's Day: Chocolate and olive oil cake with raspberry mousse.

"A very soft and moist cocoa base, with the addition of extra virgin olive oil, which gives a delicate and pleasant aroma, topped with a fresh and "all pink" raspberry mousse. An absolutely delicious combination."

Recipe

Ingredients

FOR THE COCOA BASE

• 185 g all-purpose flour
• 55 g cocoa powder
• 2 level teaspoons baking powder
• 150 g sugar
• 80 ml milk
• 80 ml fat-free plain yogurt
• 120 ml delicate extra virgin olive oil Oleificio Fratelli Vieste
• 2 eggs
• 160 ml boiling water

FOR THE MOUSSE

• 200 g raspberries
• 50 g sugar
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 and a half gelatin sheets (Paneangeli)
• 250 ml very cold fresh cream
• dark chocolate for decoration

Method

1. For the base: start by combining milk and yogurt with a teaspoon of lemon juice. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, sift flour, cocoa, and baking powder, then add salt and sugar.
3. In another bowl, combine eggs, oil, and the yogurt and milk mixture.
4. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ones and mix briefly.
5. At this point, add the boiling water, letting it trickle down the sides of the bowl, and mix. The mixture will be liquid.
6. Pour it into a 22 cm springform pan (mine is heart-shaped) greased and dusted with cocoa. If using a springform pan, be careful as it might leak; in this case, use parchment paper or line the outside of the base with aluminum foil.
7. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 40 minutes. Always do the toothpick test. Let cool completely.
8. For the mousse: rehydrate the gelatin in cold water.
9. Blend the raspberries very well, pour them into a saucepan, and add the sugar and lemon juice. Let it just come to a boil and remove from heat.
10. Add the softened and squeezed gelatin and let it dissolve. Let it cool for about ten minutes.
11. Semi-whip the cream (it should remain soft and shiny) and add a couple of tablespoons to the raspberries. Mix to lower the temperature and then gradually pour into the cream, stirring with a whisk from bottom to top.
12. Place the cake (level the surface if necessary) inside a 22 cm ring placed on the serving plate and lined with an acetate sheet along the edges. If you used a springform pan for baking, you can use the same pan without the base.
13. Pour the mousse over the cake and level well. Transfer to the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
14. Melt the chocolate and write the message on parchment paper. Carefully peel it off and place it on the cake. Decorate as desired.

Some tips

The dessert can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days, but always enjoy it at room temperature.

All cake ingredients should be at room temperature.