Bubo Recipe

Prepare and preheat

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl: all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter with the granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each addition until incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low speed, add one-third of the dry ingredients, then half the buttermilk, another third of the dry ingredients, the remaining buttermilk, and finish with the last third of dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 22–28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Place the chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl.

In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream just to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then stir gently until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.

Stir in the hazelnut paste (or Nutella), softened butter, and 1/4 tsp sea salt until glossy and homogeneous. Allow the mixture to cool until thickened but still spreadable, about 20–25 minutes at room temperature or quicker in the fridge (check every 5–10 minutes).

Combine the water, sugar, orange zest and lavender buds in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Simmer for 2–3 minutes to infuse flavor. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain out the zest and lavender. Allow syrup to cool to room temperature.

In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks using a hand or stand mixer.

In a separate bowl, beat the mascarpone with the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Fold the whipped cream gently into the mascarpone mixture until combined and light. Chill until ready to assemble.

If the cake has domed, level the top with a serrated knife to create two even layers: slice the cooled cake horizontally to make a top and bottom layer. Place the bottom layer on a serving plate.

Brush the cake bottom evenly with half of the citrus-lavender syrup to moisten and add flavor.

Spread the chocolate-hazelnut filling over the bottom layer in an even 1/2-inch layer.

Place the top layer over the filling and brush it lightly with the remaining syrup.

Pipe or spread the chilled whipped mascarpone topping over the top layer. Smooth with an offset spatula or create decorative peaks.

Sprinkle toasted chopped hazelnuts and chocolate shavings over the top. Garnish with candied orange slices if using.

Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 1 hour to set the filling and topping before slicing. Bring to room temperature for 15–20 minutes before serving for best texture.