Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Eat your heart out Betty Crocker: Double Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake


Finished product! I added chocolate chips around the top for fun.


Okay, it's been a while since my last post, but now that a slight (very slight) chill is in the air, and it feels a little more like fall, I've cranked the oven back up.   I wanted to make a decadent cake for my dad's birthday this weekend, and made a triple layer chocolate raspberry cake with chocolate ganache frosting!  It was delish! Now, I will say a scratch cake like this is a lot of work....I may try a boxed mix next time :)

Ingredients:

For cake layers:
  • 3 ounces chocolate chips (semi -sweet)
  • 1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla

For ganache frosting:

  • 1 pound  semisweet chocolate chips (note:  If you bought a 24 oz bag, you'll use 16 oz for the frosting and 3 oz for the cake....leaving you some extra chips - hey, I'd just eat them or throw them in with the cake or frosting, or garnish the cake later - how could that hurt?)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

For raspberry filling:

  • 1 jar of raspberry preserves (I draw the line at making my own raspberry filling, but there are recipes out there if you want)

Directions:
 
Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 300°F and grease three 8" or 9" pans
  • Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper (generously with cooking spray)
  • Put 3oz of chocolate chips in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
  • Into a large bowl whisk or sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  • In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer).
  • Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well.
  • Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well.
  • Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
  • Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
  • Note: I made the cakes on a Friday, let cool completely and wrapped in plastic wrap. I tackled the frosting on Saturday.

    Make frosting:

    In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved.
  • Remove pan from heat and add 1 lb of chocolate chips, whisking until chocolate is melted.
  • Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.
  • Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable
  • I put in the fridge for a while to harden up (about 20 minutes to start)

  • Assemble:
    • If the cake layers have a "dome" on them, then cut it off with a knife so the layers stack better. 
    • Spread raspberry preserves (generously) between layers and on top
    • Spread ganache filling over cake...then put in cake and extra frosting in fridge (my frosting was still a little "soft" at this point).
    • Repeat about 2-3 times...you'll keep re frosting the cake/smoothing it with the additional frosting (if you have extra frosting, it's ok...i used it all though!) as it hardens and gets easier each time - put frosting and cake back in fridge etc and repeat

      Here's the first attempt at frosting it.

      Here's my final product

    • Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.
    Enjoy!

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