Chocolate Rosemary Snack Cake with Mascarpone Whip & Roasted Strawberries
This Chocolate Rosemary Snack Cake is a quick and easy winter dessert perfect for when you are craving something sweet with minimal effort.
Happy Valentine’s Day! We’ve never been ones to go all out for this holiday and, even before the pandemic, usually would avoid the crowds by staying at home and cooking together. If you are like us, you may have not even made plans for today but, now that the day is here, are starting to feel like you should celebrate in some way. If so, I’ve got a simple one bowl cake to share today that is perfect to whip up this afternoon and evening and can be topped with whatever you’ve got on hand.
Move over mint and chocolate because something magical happens when you add rosemary to your favorite chocolate dishes. It adds both an herby brightness and an earthiness that compliments the chocolate perfectly. I’m obsessed with it in this cake and also bet it would be delicious with chocolate cookies or chocolate ice cream (should I develop a rosemary chocolate syrup for sundaes? Ohhh, I think so.)
It’s hard to think of Valentine’s Day dessert without thinking of strawberries which is why I topped this Chocolate Rosemary Snack cake with roasted strawberries. Strawberries are obviously not in season for a large part of the US right now so I love roasting them to bring out the natural juices in what are most likely some lackluster berries for many of you. You could also use frozen berries instead if you don’t have a local option for them right now. I also topped this with mascarpone whipped cream (so good!) and a dusting of freeze dried strawberries for an extra punch of flavor but feel free to dress this cake up as much or as little as you are feeling like – its delicious regardless!
In other news, I’m also excited to share that I am one of Google’s paid early testers for their Thank with Google pilot program! Thank with Google is an experimental feature that allows you to purchase a virtual sticker and directly show your appreciation for content I’ve created on my website, Vegetarian ‘Ventures. As a loyal reader, you now have the option to send a free or paid sticker and personal message to let me know you are enjoying the recipes and my content.
You can find the Thank with Google feature in my website sidebar on the right! If you test it out, even just to send a free sticker, let me know what you think! I’m so excited to have this additional avenue for you to support Vegetarian ‘Ventures through and to hear from you all!
Interested in other Valentine’s Day recipes? Here ya go:
- Mascarpone Risotto with Orange and Fennel
- Pink Salt & Peppercorn White Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Blood Orange Sorbet with Red Wine Hot Fudge Sauce
This Chocolate Rosemary Snack Cake is a quick and easy winter dessert perfect for when you are craving something sweet with minimal effort.
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 1/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup ricotta
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 pound strawberries, topped removed and cut in half if large
- ~ 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- dash of salt
- 3/4 cup heavy cream, cold
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 oz mascarpone cheese
- 1/4 cup freeze dried strawberries
-
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, salt, and rosemary. Use clean hands to work the butter into the mixture by rubbing the butter and the mixture between your fingers to create a coarse crumble. Stick in the fridge to keep cold.
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 inch baking pan.
-
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and rosemary.
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and two sugars together until pale and combined, about 5 minutes.
-
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing between each addition. Add vanilla extract and beat until incorporated, about 15 seconds.
-
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and ricotta.
-
With the mixer on low speed, alternative adding the dry ingredients and the ricotta mixture and mix just until everything is combined.
-
Transfer batter prepared baking pan and use a spatula to evenly spread it across the pan. Sprinkle the chilled crumb over the top.
-
Take for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean. Let cool before slicing.
-
While the cake bakes, transfer strawberries onto a baking sheet with parchment paper. Taste a strawberries and if it's already sweet then only add 1-2 Tbsp of sugar. If it's rather tart, add up to 1/4 cup sugar along with a pinch of salt and toss to coat.
-
Transfer to the oven with the cake and roast for 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of your strawberries), until very juicy but still holding their shape.
-
Add heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to a stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment and whip on high until soft peaks form. Add mascarpone and whip until stiff peaks form (this happens quickly, within about 15 seconds, so watch closely). Keep chilled until ready to enjoy.
-
Transfer freeze dried strawberries to a clean coffee grinder or blender and blend until finely ground. Let sit for a few minutes to let the dust settle.
-
When ready to serve, cut the cake into 8 pieces and transfer each piece to a serving plate. Top with a dollop of whip cream, roasted strawberries, and a sprinkling of strawberry dust.
Make sure to tag Vegetarian ‘Ventures on Instagram and use #vegetarianventures when trying this dish out!
2 Comments
Shu-Chun
Hi,
I really like your photography. Would you mind sharing which camera and lens you use for your food photography? Thanks.
Pralinek
Yum!
Its like a summer dream.