Oatmeal gives this cake a very fudgy and chewy texture, with just a hint of nuttiness, like you would get from almonds. Topped with a tangy cheesecake-like filling and glazed with a dark chocolate Ganache, this cake is perfect for any occasion. The cake is not overly sweet and pairs fantastic with dessert wines.
Ingredients
For the cake
50 grams rolled oats
250 ml piping hot water
100 grams butter
150 grams icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
100 grams plain flour
20 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
For the vanilla filling
200 grams sour cream
200 ml double cream
2 ½ teaspoons unflavoured gelatine
50 grams icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
For the glaze
100 grams dark chocolate
100 ml double cream
Preparation
To make the cake, start by pouring the piping hot water over the rolled oats, mix and let it cool down almost completely and absorb all of the water. In another bowl, beat the softened butter with the icing sugar until light and fluffy, then blend in the vanilla and eggs, one at a time (beating just until incorporated). Sift the flour with the cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda, add it to the egg and butter batter, blend well, then pour in the cooled oats (just the oats, not the water they haven't absorbed) and whisk until incorporated. Generously grease and flour the bottom and sides of a spring-form pan (23cm, 9”), pour in the batter and bake in a preheated oven, at 180˚C (350˚F) for 20-25 minutes (do the toothpick test). Take the baked cake out of the oven, let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
For the filling, prepare the gelatine by mixing it with 4 tablespoons of cold water and letting it sit for 10 minutes, to activate (or according to the package directions). Gently whisk together the sour cream, icing sugar and vanilla. Whip the double cream in another bowl until stiff peaks form. Dissolve the activated gelatine over low heat (or in the microwave), but be careful not to let it boil; take a little bit of the sour cream, stir it in the dissolved gelatine and then pour it in back in the sour cream, and whisk a little more, to incorporate. Finally, fold it in the double cream.
To assemble, level the baked cake and carefully place it on the cake plate and close the spring-form around it. Evenly spread the vanilla filling and put the assembled cake in the refrigerator for two hours or so. To make the glaze, melt the chocolate with the double cream (in a double boiler or in the microwave), leave it to cool slightly and thicken up enough to glaze the cake. Take the cake out of the fridge, pour the glaze evenly on the top and return to fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight.
