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Chocolate and blackberry gateau

Chocolate cake with cream frosting topped with blackberries and mint leaves. A slice is missing, revealing layers. Wooden table setting.

By Tom · Updated

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  • About 1 hour 50 min
  • Takes a bit of care

Today we're making a rich and decadent blackberry gateau. Inspired by a Black Forest gateau, but completely its own thing. Layers of soft chocolate sponge, blackberry conserve, berry liqueur syrup, whipped vanilla cream, dark chocolate flakes, and heaps of fresh blackberries.

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The recipe

Chocolate and blackberry gateau

Today we're making a rich and decadent blackberry gateau.

  • 25 min prep
  • 1 hour 5 min cooking
  • 20 min hands-off
  • Takes a bit of care

Times and difficulty are our estimates from the method, not stopwatch figures.

Quantities
Measurements

Ingredients

For the chocolate sponge

For the blackberry syrup

For the cream filling

For assembly & decoration

Tick things off as you go — they stay ticked if you close the page.

A dotted underline means the amount has been rounded to something you can measure.

Method

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 160°C fan.

  2. Step 2

    Grease a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin with butter (150 g) and line it with parchment paper.

  3. Step 3

    For the chocolate sponge, crack the eggs (6) into the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract (1 tsp) and golden caster sugar (250 g).

  4. Step 4

    Whisk on high speed for around 10 minutes, until the mixture becomes thick, pale, and leaves ribbon-like trails on the surface when lifted.

  5. Step 5

    Sift the plain flour (100 g) and cocoa powder (50 g) into a separate bowl.

  6. Step 6

    Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the whipped egg (6) mixture in stages until fully incorporated, taking care not to knock out too much air.

  7. Step 7

    Pour in the melted and cooled butter (150 g) and gently fold through until smooth.

  8. Step 8

    Transfer the mixture to the prepared cake tin and level the surface.

  9. Step 9

    Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until:

  10. Step 10

    a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean the sponge feels springy to the touch.

  11. Step 11

    Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

  12. Step 12

    To make the syrup, place the water (200 ml) and golden caster sugar (250 g) into a saucepan.

  13. Step 13

    Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.

  14. Step 14

    Reduce the heat and simmer gently for around 5 minutes.

  15. Step 15

    Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly for another 5 minutes before stirring in the blackberry liqueur (2 tbsp).

  16. Step 16

    Set aside to cool completely.

  17. Step 17

    Using a potato peeler, shave flakes from the dark chocolate.

  18. Step 18

    Place the chocolate flakes into the fridge to keep them cold until needed.

  19. Step 19

    For the cream, pour the whipping cream (600 ml) into a large mixing bowl and add the golden caster sugar (250 g).

  20. Step 20

    Whisk until firm peaks form.

  21. Step 21

    Add the vanilla extract (1 tsp) and blackberry liqueur (2 tbsp), then gently whisk again until fully incorporated.

  22. Step 22

    Be careful not to over whip the cream.

  23. Step 23

    Once fully cooled, carefully slice the cake horizontally into layers.

  24. Step 24: You can make

    2 layers.

  25. Step 25

    3 layers or more.

  26. Step 26

    For this gateau, the cake was sliced into 6 thin layers for maximum filling and texture.

  27. Step 27

    Take your time when slicing to avoid breakage.

  28. Step 28

    Place a small spoonful of cream onto your serving plate to secure the first cake layer.

  29. Step 29

    Lay down the first sponge layer and brush generously with the blackberry syrup.

  30. Step 30

    Spread over a thin layer of blackberry conserve.

  31. Step 31

    Top with another layer of sponge and brush again with syrup.

  32. Step 32

    Spread over a layer of the blackberry cream.

  33. Step 33

    Repeat the process with the remaining layers.

  34. Step 34

    For the final top layer, add: syrup blackberry conserve and cream.

  35. Step 35

    Using the remaining cream, cover the top and sides of the cake.

  36. Step 36

    Press the chilled chocolate flakes all around the outside of the gateau.

  37. Step 37

    Finish with a generous pile of fresh blackberries and a few mint leaves if desired.

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Questions people ask

How long does chocolate and blackberry gateau take?

About 1 hour 50 min from start to finish: 25 min of prep, 1 hour 5 min of cooking, and 20 min hands-off while it waits. That figure is worked out from the method rather than timed with a stopwatch, so give yourself a little more the first time.

How much does this make?

The original recipe did not state a yield, so nothing has been invented for it. The scale control on the recipe card multiplies the quantities instead, which is the honest version of the same thing.

Can I see the ingredients in ounces and pints?

Yes. The metric and imperial switch on the recipe card converts every quantity, rounded to amounts you can actually weigh or measure rather than to four decimal places. Your choice is remembered for every recipe on the site.

Is it vegetarian?

Yes, as written. If you are cooking for a strict vegetarian, the one to check is the cheese: several hard cheeses are made with animal rennet.