Chocolate Cake with Passion Fruit

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CAKE BASE

• 1
  Preheat the oven to 160°C with fan and line a 20 cm diameter cake tin with baking paper - close the bottom and use a little butter to stick strips of baking paper to the sides.
• 2
  Melt the chocolate and oil in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. The chocolate will melt and combine with the oil. Let it cool slightly.
• 3
  Mix the flour, almonds, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in one bowl.
• 4
  Separate the egg whites from the yolks and whisk half of the sugar with the yolks in a large bowl (you will add other ingredients to them later) and the other half with the egg whites (to a firm glossy peak consistency).
• 5
  Beat the butter into the yolk mixture, stir in the cooled chocolate with oil, and gradually mix in the flour mixture and yogurt. Finally, fold in the egg whites with a spatula.
• 6
  Bake in the preheated oven for 45 – 50 minutes (test doneness with a skewer). Let the baked cake base cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it upside down onto a wire rack and let it cool completely. Ideally, wrap the cooled cake base in cling film overnight and place it in the fridge.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CREAM

• 1
  Melt the chocolate in the microwave (preferably in a plastic bowl in several 20-second intervals, stirring the chocolate each time) or over a water bath.
• 2
  Mix the remaining ingredients (except for the 40% whipping cream, which you will need the next day) in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour through a sieve (to separate the seeds and pulp from the passion fruit) over the chocolate, let it stand for a minute, and then stir until smooth. Cover with cling film or place in a sealed container and refrigerate overnight.
• 3
  Collect the pulp from the sieve into a sealed container and also refrigerate (save for decorating the cake).
• 4
  The next day, pour the 40% whipping cream over the chilled base and lightly and briefly whisk together on the lowest setting just until combined and slightly thickened. Be careful not to overwhip.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FRUIT JELLY

• 1
  Simmer the fruit with sugar in a saucepan. Soak the gelatin in cold water. Once softened, squeeze it out and stir it into the warm fruit until dissolved. Refrigerate until completely cooled.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

• 1
  Cut the cake base in half and spread the fruit jelly over the bottom layer with a spoon, spreading it over the entire surface. Cover with the top layer and spread the whipped cream over it, then decorate with the passion fruit pulp.