Chocolate Raspberry Cake

The dessert saga continues with chocolate raspberry cake. We were somewhat suspicious of the frosting, but it was so very fitting for this cake. We actually would probably recommend putting some frosting in between the layers as well - not just on top and sides of the cake. Overall, this turned out to be a beautiful and delicious dessert.

Here is the original recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/1140966/chocolate-raspberry-cake

So much chocolate and raspberry!

Ingredients:

CAKE
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon raspberry liqueur
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (61 percent cacao), melted and cooled

FILLING
4 packages (6 ounces each) fresh raspberries (a scant 6 cups)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of coarse salt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Chocolate Frosting for Chocolate-Raspberry Cake
2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
Pinch of coarse salt
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (61 percent cacao), melted and cooled
3/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

Directions:

Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly coat three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment. 3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
4. In another large bowl, beat butter with sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in liqueur. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk in two batches. Beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in melted chocolate.
5. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, smoothing tops with an offset spatula.
6. Bake, rotating pans halfway through front to back and top to bottom, until a tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
7. Let cakes cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a small sharp knife around edges, then invert onto rack. Remove parchment and let cool completely, about 25 minutes.

Filling:
1. While cakes are baking, stir together 3 cups raspberries, sugar, salt, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Cook over high, stirring frequently and mashing with the back of a spoon, until mixture comes to a boil, 2 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring, until mixture thickens and clings to spoon, 7 to 8 minutes more. (You should have 1 1/3 cups.) Let cool 30 minutes. Stir in 2 cups raspberries, reserving remainder.


Frosting:
1. Sift together sugar, cocoa, and salt. Beat cream cheese with butter on medium-high speed until smooth. Reduce speed to medium-low; gradually add cocoa mixture and beat until combined. Pour in chocolate in a slow, steady stream. Add creme fraiche; beat until combined. Frosting can be stored in refrigerator up to 5 days; bring to room temperature and beat before using.

Assemble:
1. Place first layer of cake onto stand. Spread half of filling over it. Top with second layer; spread remaining filling over top. Top with final layer, cut-side down. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour and up to overnight. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with remaining raspberries.

What we liked:

It was really really really good. 

What we didn't like:

Nick does not like the raspberry seeds...so perhaps we could strain those next time as this cake is full of them in the filling part. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He thought it was a wonderful dessert. So did Astrid. 

Next time:

No changes needed

Decadent Chocolate Ganache Cake

We made the most rich and chocolaty cake we have every had today. This cake is covered in ridiculous amounts of chocolate ganache! It was delicious but maybe a little too chocolaty (we didn't think that was possible).  The original recipe is here: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/triple-layer-sour-cream-chocolate-cake. As you can see, ours did not quite turn out like their picture. We suspect this is because we used real chocolate instead of the Hershey/Tollhouse/Nestle baking chips that have an oil/wax to stabilize them.

Completed Cake - DRENCHED in chocolate

Inside of the cake

Cake slice

   

Ingredients:

CAKE
Unsalted butter, for greasing
3 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting
9 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups hot brewed coffee
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup canola oil
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fine sea salt

GANACHE
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 pounds semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup hot brewed coffee
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

MAKE THE CAKE
1) Preheat the oven to 350° and position the racks in the center and lower thirds. Butter three 9-by-2-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the paper and dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.
2) In a medium bowl, combine the chocolate with the coffee and vanilla and let stand for 2 minutes, then stir until the chocolate is melted. In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the oil until pale yellow, then whisk in the sour cream. Gradually whisk in the melted chocolate mixture until smooth.
3) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the 3 cups of flour with the sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and mix well. At medium speed, beat in the wet ingredients in 3 batches until just incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and beat until the batter is smooth.
4) Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Gently tap the pans on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean; shift the pans halfway through baking. Let the cakes cool completely, then carefully invert onto a rack and peel off the parchment.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE GANACHE
1) In a medium saucepan, bring the cream, butter, sugar and salt just to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Stir in the coffee and vanilla. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally.

2) Transfer 1 cake to a plate. Spoon one-fourth of the ganache on top and spread in an even layer. Top with another cake and one-fourth of the ganache. Cover with the third cake and spread the remaining ganache over the top and side 
of the cake; decoratively swirl the ganache on top. 

What we liked:

It was oh so good! It was so rich and satisfied everyone's chocolate need!

What we didn't like:

The cake was too tall! We couldn't cut it and serve in one go. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

We thought he would love this cake as he love all things chocolate, but we bought a jar of jelly beans for the first time in his life today and he only had eyes for the green, blue and orange jelly beans! Did you know that jelly beans can be transported in matchbox cars - this makes them extra awesome (both the cars and the jelly beans).

Next time:

Make it two layers instead of 3 and maybe try to use the waxy baking chocolate chips (ugh! Not sure if we can make that sacrifice). Another option might be to use a little bit less of heavy cream to see if that will thicken up the ganache.