Ingredients

• 40g butter, melted, plus extra, softened, to grease
• 100g (1 cup) Dutch cocoa, (see top tips) plus extra, to dust
• 250ml (1 cup) buttermilk
• 3 eggs
• 300g (1 cup) whole-egg mayonnaise
• 440g (2 cups) caster sugar
• 225g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
• 120g (1 cup) ground almonds
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 150g frozen raspberries
• 100g dark chocolate (55% cocoa solids), very finely chopped
• 1 pomegranate, seeded
• 175g icing sugar, sifted
• 20g flaked almonds, roasted

Method

• Step 1 Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease pan well with extra softened butter (make sure centre tube is very well greased; this will make it easier to release cake). Dust well with extra cocoa, then shake out excess.
• Step 2 Using an electric mixer, beat buttermilk, eggs, mayonnaise and 200ml water on low speed until combined. Sift cocoa, caster sugar, flour, ground almonds, bicarbonate of soda and 1 teaspoon salt through a fine sieve into a bowl, pushing through with a wooden spoon. Add to buttermilk mixture and, using a wire whisk, stir until combined. Add raspberries and chocolate, and, using a spoon, fold in until combined.
• Step 3 Pour batter into pan, then place on an oven tray. Bake on bottom shelf of the oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife or spatula down sides of pan to release cake (repeat several times, if necessary). Invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Step 4 To make icing, place half the pomegranate seeds in a bowl and, using the back of a spoon, crush to release juice. Strain juice into a bowl. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons juice, icing sugar and butter in a separate bowl and stir until thick and smooth. Adjust with a little more icing sugar or juice to form a thick drizzling consistency.

• Step 5 Spoon icing over top of cake, allowing it to drip down sides. Place remaining pomegranate seeds on paper towel and pat dry. Scatter seeds and almonds over icing. Stand for 10 minutes for icing to set, then serve.