In celebration of Mary Berry’s visit to Bath
Dame Mary Berry is set to return to Bath to support The Beacon of Lansdown project, an ambitious restoration and renewal project dedicated to revitalising the historic Grade II listed St Stephen’s Church in Lansdown. Her visit will mark the start of Phase One, with funds raised helping to cover essential development costs, from architectural plans to heritage assessments…
Mary has a close connection to St Stephen’s Church and the Lansdown area, as it is where her childhood, schooling, and family life began. With immediate family still nearby, the culinary icon has always felt a deep affection for St. Stephen’s and the community it represents.
In true Mary Berry style, the occasion is being sweetened by one of her favourite chocolate cake recipes, which she has shared exclusively with The Bath Magazine.
This is an impressive cake, so good, in fact, that it’s on the cover of Mary Berry’s latest book, Mary 90 – My Very Best Recipes by Mary Berry.
To find out more or to support the appeal, visit thebeaconoflansdown.org.uk
The recipe
Ingredients | Serves 8–10
55g (2oz) cocoa powder, sifted
6 tbsp boiling water
4 large eggs
225g (8oz) baking spread, straight from the fridge, plus extra for greasing
225g (8oz) caster sugar
225g (8oz)
self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
For the filling
6 generous tbsp cherry jam
300ml (½ pint) pouring double cream, lightly whipped
For the ganache
200ml (⅓ pint) pouring double cream
200g (7oz) Bournville chocolate, broken into pieces
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and base line 2 x 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed sandwich tins.
2. To make the ganache, measure the cream and chocolate into a glass bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and heat until runny. Remove from the heat and leave to cool in a cold place until thick and stiff.
3. Meanwhile, measure the cocoa powder into a large bowl with the boiling water. Mix to a paste. Add all the remaining cake ingredients and whisk together until light and fluffy using an electric hand whisk.
4. Divide the cake mixture between the tins and level the tops. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25–30 minutes until well risen and shrinking away from the sides of the tin. Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes, then transfer the cakes to a wire rack to finish cooling.
5. Place one of the cakes upside down on a board. Spread the cherry jam over the surface and top with the whipped cream. Place the second cake on top. Spread the ganache icing over the top of the cake and swirl to make a pretty design.
Mary’s Tips
Can be made completely up to eight hours ahead.
Freezes well filled but ice on the day.
Extracted from Mary 90 – My Very Best Recipes by Mary Berry, BBC Books £28, photograph Tara Fisher