Chocolate Cassis Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.
• Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Steps:

• For the cassis berries: Put the cassis in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Put the berries in a bowl and toss with the reduced cassis. Let stand, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter four 4-ounce ramekins and dust with the cocoa powder.
• Put the butter in a small saucepan and heat over low until melted. Add the chocolate, espresso powder, vanilla and salt and stir until thoroughly melted and combined. Stir in the flour.
• Combine the sugar, whole eggs and yolks in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Add the chocolate mixture to the beaten eggs and beat to combine. Divide the mixture among the ramekins (at this point, the cakes can be refrigerated up to 4 hours and then brought to room temperature before baking).
• Put the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until the tops and edges are set but about an inch in the center is still wobbly, about 12 minutes. Let the cakes stand for 1 minute. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cakes. Cover a ramekin with a small plate and invert the ramekin (using an oven mitt or towel) onto the plate. Remove the ramekin, leaving the cake on the plate. Repeat with the remaining cakes.
• For the berry mascarpone: Transfer 3 tablespoons of the berry juices from the cassis berries to a bowl. Add the mascarpone, sugar and vanilla and mix to combine.
• Dollop the berry mascarpone on the cakes and top with a spoonful of the cassis berries. Garnish with mint sprigs.