Cherry ripe is one of my favourite chocolate bars and I think they are underrated and I know, I know there are cherry ripe haters out there, but I would like to change your mind with this cherry ripe inspired cake. This cake is my signature chocolate mudcake, it's not super dense and fudgy like most chocolate mudcakes, it has a lightness to it and so super delicious. filled with 2 layers of cherry ripe filling and 1 layer of dark chocolate ganache, with the outside further smothered in dark chocolate ganache.
It is a little cake, 5" round to be exact, but it is tall and impressive. I always prefer my cakes to be on the taller side, they make a bigger impact that way. Even though this chocolate cherry ripe cake is small in diameter, you can still get at least 16 slices out of it (Obviously depending on how keen you are for cake)
Some tips and tricks before you get started
Do not, I repeat DO NOT fill or ice the cake while it is still warm or even has the slightest bit of warmth to it. The cake will be a disaster, the ganache will melt and the cake will collapse. I recommend putting the cake in the fridge after it has cooled slightly, to speed up the cooling process and you will know it is cool enough to assemble.
As you are icing your cake, you may find the dark chocolate ganache start to firm up a little bit as time goes on, put it back in the microwave to soften slightly. You don't want the ganache to be liquid, still a spreadable consistency. Depending on the quantity left in your bowl start with 10 second bursts. Even a short amount of time can make or break the consistency.
Cooling the cake between filling and icing, will stabilise the cake and make it easier to spread the dark chocolate ganache on.
Make sure all of your elements are ready to go before decorating, to make you are more organised and in a clean space to decorate and assemble with everything in front of you.
As you get to piping, your ganache may have firmed up a bit. As I said above, soften the ganache down to a spreadable consistency, but we want it to hold it shape when piped. A good way to tell is run a fork or skewer through it. If it glides through nicely and holds its shape, it's the perfect consistency.
Really helpful tools that you will need to make things easier for this chocolate cherry ripe cake is: a turntable, palette knife (either a 4", 6" or 8" will work well) and a cake leveller( super optional but super handy in getting those perfect layers)
The piping tip that I used was a #4B. Any large star shaped piping tip will work just fine.
Cutting taller cakes can be a little tricky, I usually recommend cutting a slightly wider slice and then cut the tall slice in half horizontally.
There is no wrong way to get textured ganache, so just go for it. But if you are wondering how I went about getting the texture, I did larger swipes with my palette knife and then layered it. See below for assembly video.
Chocolate Cherry Ripe Cake
Yield : 16 slices
Time: 4 hrs
Ingredients
Cake
1 egg
235g caster sugar
85g vegetable oil
50g cocoa
140g plain flour
7g baking soda
160ml milk
155g sour cream
Cherry ripe filling
200g chopped glacé cherries
70g desiccated coconut
150g condensed milk
Dark chocolate ganache
250g thickened cream
625g dark chocolate
Decorations
30g of shredded coconut
red liquid food colouring
1 regular sized cherry ripe
Instructions
Preheat oven to 150°C
Line 2 round 5" tins with baking paper
In a large bowl whisk together the egg, sugar and oil.
In a separate bowl whisk together the milk and sour cream and in another bowl sift together flour, cocoa and baking soda.
Whisk in half of the milk mixture to the sugar and then half of the dry ingredients until combined.
Repeat
Divide the cake mix between the 2 cake pans
Bake for 40-45 mins or until a skewer comes out clean
Allow to cool for 10 mins and then turnout on to a cooling wire (see tips and tricks for further cooling info)
Wash and then reline the 5" tins with baking paper
Roughly chop the glacé cherries, place in bowl then add in the condensed milk, coconut and a drop of red food colouring. Stir to combine
Divide between the 2 tins. Make sure the mixture is firmly pressed down evenly. Bake at 150°C for 15mins
Allow to cool completely before taking out of the tins
While the cherry ripe filling is baking, make the ganache. Combine the cream and chocolate in a microwave proof bowl. Microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until completely melted. Allow to firm up and the texture resembles peanut butter.
Once the cake, ganache and cherry ripe layers are completely cooled. It's ready to assemble.
Cut the 2 cakes in half to get a total of 4 layers.
Spread a little bit of ganache on a cake board or serving plate to help the cake stick, then lay down the first layer of cake.
Apply a thin layer of ganache on top of the cake layer and then place a cherry ripe layer, and then a thin layer of ganache to help the cake stick. Place the 2nd cake layer on top.
Apply a thicker layer of ganache approx 1.5cm-2cm thick. Place the 3rd cake layer on top.
Repeat step 18
Place cake in the fridge for approx 30 mins until the filling firms up.
Using a palette knife cover the cake with remaining ganache (sparing approx 100g to pipe on top.) and create a rough textured look. (see tips and tricks + video)
Making sure the ganache is still soft and spreadable, fill a piping bag fitted with a #4B piping tip and pipe stars around the top edge of the cake.
Cut the cherry ripe into 3 squares. Cut the squares diagonally to create 6 triangles.
Space the cherry ripe pieces on top of the piping. and sprinkle with any excess shredded coconut.
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