Chocolate Raspberry Cake

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Are you in need of a showstopper dessert for your party? Or do you need something to make all of your Instagram followers double-tab on your picture? This chocolate cake will always be the cake that will make your mouth water. I first made this cake for my 4th grade class teacher and my classmates for Valentine's Day.

Who wouldn't enjoy a rich, dense cake, with a sweet raspberry filling, topped off with some light, chocolate frosting? If that is you, then check out the recipe below!
 

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
Parchment paper

For the cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp coarse salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

For the filling:
6 cups fresh raspberries
1/4 plus 2 tbsp sugar
Pinch of coarse salt
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

For the frosting:
2 1/4 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder
Pinch of coarse salt
6 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 sour cream
9 oz bittersweet chocolate

Procedure:
For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350° F and lightly coat 3 2-by-9 inch round cake pans with cooking spray and parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On a stand mixer or large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low and alternate the flour mixture and buttermilk as in dry, wet, dry, wet, dry, so the buttermilk has something to set into. Melt the chocolate in a separate pot (double boiler method)*. Beat in the melted chocolate. Divide the batter into thirds and smoothen the tops with an offset spatula. Make sure there are no air-bubbles in your cake. Bake for 25 minutes, and until a tester comes out clean. After removing the pans from the oven, do not remove the cakes from the pans until they cool for at least 10 minutes. After removing the cakes from the pans and removing the parchment paper, let the cakes fully cool for an additional 25 minutes. When cakes are cooled, use a serrated knife to make the tops of the cakes even, as the baking soda should have made the cakes rise.

For the filling:
In a medium saucepan, stir together 3 cups of raspberries, sugar, salt, and lemon juice. Cook on high, mashing the raspberries with the back of a spoon until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook the mixture until it thickens and starts to cling to the spoon. Turn off the heat, and let the mixture cool for 30 minutes. Stir in 2 more cups of raspberries, and save the rest to decorate your cake. Take one layer of cake, and spread half of the filling on it. Put the next layer on, and spread the rest of the filling on, and add the last layer. Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour up to overnight. Make sure to cover it so it doesn't dry up.

For the frosting:
Sift together the sugar, cocoa powder and salt. In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese and butter on high speed. Add the cocoa mixture in increments, so the powder doesn't fly everywhere. Slowly pour in the melted chocolate. Frost the chocolate cake and chill, as the frosting might start to melt. Then all you have to do is decorate your cake with raspberries. I hope you enjoy!

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Double boiler method: Pour a cup of water into a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Then place a heat-proof bowl on top of the pan and empty the chocolate chips into the bowl. Stir gently until the chocolate is completely melted. 

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