Vegan Chocolate Berry Cake

So this is a slightly different version of the cake that won an award at the 50s bake off... This one had extra berries, which was a hit with the festival goers. So this recipe is exactly what I made for the festival today... So feel free to use more or less berries or adapt it slightly if you don't have everything... Feel free to ask questions and I'm happy to give advice.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups wholemeal flour
2 cups raw sugar
2/3 cups cocoa2 tsp baking soda1 tsp salt
2 cups warm water
2 tsp vanilla essence
2/3 cup stewed apple or vegetable oil
2 tsp cider vinegar
frozen raspberries and mixed berries

Ganache:
1/3 block whittakers 72% dark chocolate
2 tsp margarine
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup water

So first of all you need to mix together all of the DRY ingredients in a BIG bowl till it's all even an a light brown colour. Add more cocoa if you want it more chocolatey.

In a SEPARATE bowl mix together all of the wet ingredients so they blend together really well. Once you've mixed that all up make a well in the dry ingredients bowl and pour in the wet then mix it all together nicely. Split the mixture in half to make a double layered cake. Make the first layer slightly bigger than the top layer, bake in the oven at 180 degrees for about 30 - 40 mins (stab a knife in to check).

After about 25 mins you need to remove the bottom layer cake and pour on the raspberries so they don't sink right in but sit on the top and melt down a little to make a raspberry type sauce. Pop it back in the oven for another 10-15 mins until it's cooked right through. Then remove, cool on a rack till its completely cold and repeat for the top layer, but instead of raspberries use mixed berries.

Once both the bottom and top layers are cooked, got their berries on and are completely cool, pop the mixed berry layer on top of the bottom raspberry layer and then make your choc ganach and decorate with rosettes around the side.

To make the ganach all you need to do is melt the marg and whittakers dark choc in a double boiler on a low heat, add the water, stir in the icing sugar slowly while mixing until it reaches a smooth, buttery consistency. You can either use a plastic bag and cut a hole, or an old school icing decorating tube with the rosette nozzle on the end and decorate!