CHOCOLATE, STRAWBERRY & CREAM GÂTEAU

Rich chocolate sponge layered with whipped cream and juicy strawberries, finished with a flourish of chocolate flakes and fresh zest. A true celebration cake.

INGREDIENTS

For the cake:

• 150g Bonnita butter, softened
• 150g castor sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 150g self-raising flour, sifted
• 25g cocoa powder, sifted
• 3 tablespoons milk (optional)

For the filling & decoration:

• 300ml Parmalat cream
• 125g icing sugar, divided
• 300g strawberries, hulled
• 25g dark chocolate flakes
• 50g strawberries, extra, to decorate
• sprig of fresh mint
• strip of orange zest

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 23cm springform cake tin and line with baking paper. Beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and cocoa with an electric whisk until smooth.
2. Add the milk if the batter looks dry. Pour into the tin and bake for 30–40 minutes, until springy to the touch. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Whip the cream with half the icing sugar until soft peaks form. Chill until ready to use.
   Slice the cooled cake horizontally into three even layers. Place the base layer on a serving plate, spread with cream, and scatter over half the strawberries. Spread a little cream onto the underside of the second layer and place it on top, pressing lightly.
4. Spread most of the remaining cream over the second layer and top with the rest of the hulled strawberries. Spread a thin layer of cream on the underside of the third cake layer, then place it on top, pressing down gently.
5. Dust with the remaining icing sugar, then scatter over the chocolate flakes. Decorate with the extra strawberries, mint sprig, and orange zest before serving.