Blackberry Chocolate Dessert Cake

We've paired this divine cake with the deliciously rich 1994 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port. Happy Easter!

Ingredients (serves 8)

- 250g butter, chopped
- 250g good-quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature, separated
- 1/3 cup plain flour
- 150g frozen blackberries
- Solid chocolate Easter eggs, extra blackberries and cocoa powder, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and line a 23cm (base) springform pan with baking paper. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Set aside.
2. Combine chocolate and milk in a large heatproof bowl. Place over a saucepan of simmering water (don't let base of bowl touch water). Heat, stirring with a metal spoon, until melted and smooth. Using an electric hand mixer, beat in sugar. Remove bowl from heat. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
3. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, to chocolate mixture, beating well after each addition. Add melted butter. Stir until combined.
4. Sift flour over chocolate mixture. Gently fold in. Whisk eggwhites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Gently fold into chocolate mixture. Sprinkle over blackberries. Gently fold in until combined.
5. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until risen. Reduce oven to 160°C. Bake for a further 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely in pan (don't worry if cake sinks in centre).
6. Place cake onto a serving plate. Decorate with chocolate eggs and blackberries. Dust with cocoa. Serve slices with mascarpone or thick cream, if desired.

Super Food Ideas - March 2005, Page 35
Recipe by Annette Forrest