Black Cocoa Cake with Basil & Cherry
Black cocoa olive oil sponge brushed with a basil cake soak, filled with dark sweet cherry compote and finished with basil-infused black cocoa buttercream. The Scorpio Cake.
Here it is: the final recipe for my astrology cake series! I apologize for the delay in getting all of these recipes posted, culinary school was very demanding and did not leave me as much time as I had hoped to blog! But now that I am back home, I can be much more consistent in getting content to you all. Not to exhaust this sentiment but thank you for your patience while I was preoccupied! Now, about the cake!
This was a birthday cake I created for one of my best friends. While I stuck to my usual practice of basing my cake foundation on the traditional correspondences of the sign I’m working with, the double-tiered structure and eccentric decorations were touches designed specifically for my friend. The cherry filling was also a request I had to honor!
This cake’s black cocoa sponge uses my tried and true Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Cake recipe, swapping out some of the regular cocoa for black cocoa. Black cocoa is an alkalized version of cocoa powder, yielding a higher pH, richer taste, and more intense color. You can, of course, omit the black cocoa, but the sponge won’t be as dark.
The cake is then brushed with a basil cake soak, filled with a dark sweet cherry compote, and then frosted in a basil-infused black buttercream. The base of this buttercream is the Black Buttercream Version 1 from Sugarologie. This buttercream is dye-free and uses a sugar syrup method to create a rich, smooth, delicious final product.
The base of this cake is my usual 6-inch triple cake topped with a 4-inch double mini cake. The written recipe below will reflect this, but feel free to adjust the proportions for any size. I placed the mini cake to the side a bit to create a whimsical Alice in Wonderland-esque structure before decorating it with buttercream spikes and flowers. Feel free to decorate however you see fit.
Black Cocoa Cake with Basil & Cherry
Makes one 6-inch triple-tier cake + one 4-inch double-tier cake
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1 1/3 batches of Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Cake, with 1/3 of the cocoa swapped for black cocoa (ie: 75g cocoa = 50g cocoa + 25g black cocoa)
For the cake soak:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
Handful of fresh basil leaves
For the compote:
2 cups fresh or frozen (preferably frozen) dark sweet cherries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
For the buttercream:
The 4 1/2 cup batch of Sugarologie’s Black Buttercream Version 1
Large handful of fresh basil leaves
Method:
For the cake:
Follow the instructions as written, substituting 1/3 of the written cocoa for black cocoa.
Bake the mini cakes for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
For the cake soak:
Combine all ingredients in a heatproof bowl or mug.
Microwave for 1-2 minutes or until sugar has completely dissolved.
Set aside to cool to room temperature. Keep the cake soak in the fridge until ready to use. You can also make this in a small saucepan on the stovetop, but I’ve found this method to be faster and easier with an identical result.
For the compote:
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over high heat.
Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the compote gets too dry, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water. This will prevent burning.
Once the time has elapsed, the cherries should be soft and jammy but still relatively intact. If you want the cherries to be more broken down, continue to simmer or mash partially with a potato masher.
Remove the compote from the heat, cool, then refrigerate until ready to use. The compote must be cool before assembling.
For the buttercream:
Add the basil leaves into the black cocoa and water mixture at the same time as the sugar.
Once you remove the black cocoa syrup from the heat, carefully remove the basil leaves and discard. Continue with the recipe as written.
Assembly:
On a cake board or serving platter, place your first layer of cake.
Brush the sponge liberally with the basil cake soak.
Add a scoop of your buttercream and spread an even layer across your cake.
Pipe a dam around the outside rim of the cake layer. The dam is essential to keep the compote from spilling out the sides (unless that is what you are looking for aesthetically).
Add a scoop of the cooled cherry compote in the center of the cake, spreading with a spoon to create an even layer.
Place your next layer of cake on top. Press down gently.
Repeat steps 14-18.
Place your last layer of cake on top.
Add a large scoop of buttercream to the top of the cake. Spread the buttercream across the entire top and sides of the cake in a thin, even layer to create a crumb coat.
Now place the first layer of your mini cake on top of the crumb coat, positioned however you’d like.
Repeat steps 14-18 with your mini cake.
Add a scoop of buttercream to the top of your mini cake. Spread the buttercream across the top and sides of the mini cake to create another crumb coat. If you would like to further secure your mini cake to the top by using skewers, do so now.
Place the entire cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes so the crumb coat can harden.
Add another scoop of buttercream, spread the frosting around the entire cake, and proceed to decorate as your heart desires. Enjoy!