Chocolate Raspberry Cake

This glorious dessert is a real labour of love but I promise you your family and friends will love it. Sift cocoa powder in a bowl then to that adding milk and mix them. For the dry ingredients, have some flour in a bowl then add baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt then gove that a whisk.

Mix your room temperature butter and sugar in another bowl then beat with a mixer until soft and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time while beating it in then add sour cream and vanilla and beat them in. Mix your dry ingredienst with the cocoa mixture starting with the dry then the cocoa mixture.

Once the batter is well mixed, pour into parchment-lined cake tin then bake in 350 degrees preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the centre comes out clean. For the whipped ganache frosting, it is very important to use best quality chocolate you can find.

Finely chop the chocolate in a bowl then pour over some cream that you bring to a boil then let it rest for 2 minutes before you start mixing it in. Mix everything until well-melted then let it sit for about an hour you want to make sure it’s nice and cool before you start whipping it.

Once your cake is baked, let it cool completely then whip the cooled chocolate ganache, you are looking for a soft nice peak. Take one-third of the chocolate ganache and mix with raspberries and fold that in then pour over the first layer of the cake and use the other layer to cover it.

Top the cake with the remaining chocolate and raspberries then serve.

Ingredients;

• 2/3 cup (150 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) milk
• 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
• 1 1/4 cups (300 mL) granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup (150 mL) butter softened
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) sour cream
• 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla

Whipped Ganache Frosting;

• 8 oz (250 g) bittersweet (dark) chocolate (65 to 70% cacao), chopped
• 1 1/4 cups (300 mL) 35% whipping cream
• 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) fresh raspberries divided

Instructions;

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter sides of two 9-inch (23 cm) round metal cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
2. Sift cocoa into a bowl; gradually whisk in milk until smooth; set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; beat in sour cream and vanilla.
6. Using a wooden spoon, alternately stir in flour mixture and cocoa mixture, making 3 additions of flour and 2 of cocoa, until blended.
7. Divide between prepared cake pans; smooth tops.
8. Bake for about 30 min or until cake begins to pull away from the side of pans and a tester inserted in centre comes out clean.
9. Let cool in pans on a rack for 15 minutes. Invert onto rack and remove pans and parchment paper. Let cool completely.

Whipped Ganache Frosting;

1. Place chocolate in a large, heatproof bowl. In a saucepan, bring cream just to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Pour over chocolate in a bowl and let stand for 2 min or until chocolate is melted; stir until smooth.
3. Let cool for 30 to 60 min, until slightly thickened and at room temperature, but not solid.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat the ganache until whipped and just thick enough to spread.
5. In a bowl, lightly mash 1 cup (250 mL) of the raspberries. Add about 1/3 of the whipped ganache to berries and fold until combined.
6. Place 1 cake layer, domed side up, on a serving plate. Spread raspberry ganache over cake, leaving 1/2 inch (1 cm) border.
7. Place a second cake layer, domed side down, on top, pressing lightly. Frost sides of cake thinly with ganache, then frost the top.
8. Garnish with remaining raspberries. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 day.