Chocolate Raspberry Cake – Sally’s Baking Habit

There’s so much happening as we speak, so let’s break down every element of this unapologetically indulgent cake:

1. Raspberry Filling: This sweet-tart jammy raspberry cake filling comes collectively rapidly and simply on the range. It wants to chill utterly earlier than spreading onto the cake layers, so my directions direct you to make this primary.
2. Darkish Chocolate Cake: We’re utilizing the identical deeply chocolate-y cake batter as this darkish chocolate peanut butter cake. You’ll love the extra texture from mini chocolate chips within the batter—have you ever tried it earlier than?
3. Chocolate Frosting: Slather on a layer of chocolate buttercream frosting between every cake layer, and use it to use a crumb coat to the outside of the cake. You’ll additionally want a piping bag + large round tip to pipe a border across the fringe of the layers. The chocolate buttercream is right here not just for style, however serves a reasonably vital perform: a buttercream “dam” helps maintain the raspberry filling in place.
4. Chocolate Raspberry Ganache: Prime the entire cake with darkish chocolate ganache. If desired, you possibly can exchange a number of the cream with raspberry liqueur (resembling Chambord) to make a chocolate raspberry ganache (or maintain it simply chocolate). Style testers liked it each methods.

We’re utilizing frozen raspberries for this filling, which I like as a result of it means this cake could be made 12 months spherical! You may also use recent berries. You want 12 ounces (about 340–375g). Listed below are the opposite elements it’s essential make it:

• Water & Cornstarch: Cornstarch is the magic thickener for this raspberry filling. You don’t want a lot, however you will need to dissolve it in just a little water earlier than utilizing. That is referred to as a “slurry”; see strawberry sauce for example.
• Sugar: The raspberry filling ought to be just a little tart, since you’ll pair it with candy chocolate buttercream frosting.
• Lemon Juice: The filling wants *one thing* to steadiness the berry and sugar, and lemon juice supplies that trace of freshness. Don’t go away it out or the filling will style fairly flat.
• Vanilla Extract: Add just a little splash of vanilla extract to the filling as soon as it comes off the warmth. It tastes and smells unbelievable!

You want a handful of primary baking elements for the cake batter. The acidity in each bitter cream and buttermilk is a should to offer correct leavening. (If desired, see baking powder vs baking soda for extra data.) A contact of espresso powder and sizzling espresso additional enhances the chocolate taste. The cake will not style like espresso—relatively, these add depth to the cake’s darkish chocolate taste. Be happy to skip the espresso powder and exchange sizzling espresso with sizzling water or use decaf.

• Why sizzling liquid? The recent liquid encourages the cocoa powder to bloom and dissolve.

We’re utilizing my favourite chocolate buttercream on this cake, so you understand it’s going to be good! This creamy chocolate frosting is good, silky clean, and straightforward to work with.

You want sufficient frosting to unfold on the underside 2 cake layers earlier than topping with the raspberry filling, and to pipe a “dam” across the edges of these layers to maintain the raspberry filling in place, in addition to for a skinny crumb coat on the outside of the cake. The recipe under, additionally discovered on my chocolate buttercream web page, makes simply the quantity we’d like for all the things.

Is your chocolate buttercream lighter in shade than you need? See my tried-and-true trick for darkening it above the chocolate buttercream recipe (warmth a few of it!).

Do you get pleasure from chocolate mousse as an alternative? Swap the buttercream for the chocolate mousse filling from my chocolate mousse cake.

You may completely make a basic 2-ingredient chocolate ganache, or you possibly can swap out a number of the heavy cream for raspberry liqueur, which provides this refined cake that *little one thing additional.*

Usually, for making chocolate ganache, you want 8 ounces (weight) chocolate and eight ounces (quantity) heavy cream. (Improve/lower every for extra/much less.) For topping this chocolate raspberry cake, I used 2 baking bars (that’s 8 ounces/226g) of bittersweet chocolate (Ghirardelli model 60% cacao), 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream, and 1/4 cup (60ml) Chambord raspberry liqueur.

So, I changed a number of the heavy cream with the raspberry liqueur. Once more, you don’t have to do that. You may follow 8 ounces chocolate + 8 ounces cream if desired.

Begin by leveling your truffles, if wanted, to create a flat floor for stacking and adorning.

Spoon about 1/2 cup of the chocolate buttercream right into a piping bag fitted with a big spherical piping tip. I take advantage of Wilton 2A. (Or simply use a disposable piping bag and minimize about 3/4 inch (2cm) off the tip and use that with out a piping tip.) Place the underside cooled cake layer in your cake stand or serving plate. Utilizing a large icing spatula or small offset spatula, evenly cowl the highest with about 1/4 cup of chocolate buttercream frosting (a skinny layer).

A cluster of recent raspberries is the proper crowning glory on prime of this cake. A masterpiece for a special day like Valentine’s Day, this chocolate raspberry cake is the proper marriage of chocolate and berry. See much more Valentine’s Day dessert recipes.

So many elements! So many layers! I hope you get pleasure from.