Raspberry-Kissed Chocolate Cake

Bliss is chocolate cake.

Moist, tender, chocolatey cake layers enrobed in ganche. Stick to the fork/tongue/ribs rich ganache.

The only thing that makes it better is a tall, icy cold glass of milk waiting on standby.

And maybe a little raspberry jam.

See, when you enrobe three layers of cake in nothing but thick ganache, there is certainly nothing wrong with that, but it helps to have something a little sharp in flavour to give it depth and make the whole experience a little more… intriguing.

My chocolate cake got kissed by a raspberry.

What I mean by “kissed” is that this is by no means a raspberry cake or even a chocolate raspberry cake. This is very clearly a chocolate cake. It has just enough raspberry kick to make you stop and notice that it’s not just ganache hugging your cake and there might be something else there lurking in the shadows. Although I sort of give away what that “something else” might be by covering the top of the cake with fresh raspberries.

But I digress.

Let’s rewind and break it down real simple-like.

Chocolate cake? Good.

Ganache? Good.

Both together with a touch of raspberry? Good.

Raspberry-Kissed Chocolate Cake

Adapted from BonAppetit.com

Cake

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs

Chocolate Ganache & Filling

• 23 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
• 2 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam, stirred to loosen, divided
• 1 6-ounce container fresh raspberries
• Powdered sugar

Directions

1. Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch-diameter cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper rounds; grease rounds.
2. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl; whisk to blend and form well in center.
3. Whisk 1 cup water, buttermilk, oil, and eggs in medium bowl to blend. Pour wet ingredients into well in dry ingredients; whisk just to blend. Divide cake batter between prepared pans.
4. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in pans on cooling racks. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover cakes in pans and let stand at room temperature.
5. Ganache: Place chopped chocolate in medium bowl. Bring cream just to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Pour over chocolate. Let stand 1 minute, then stir until ganache is melted and smooth. Transfer 2 1/2 cups ganache to small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ganache is thick enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Let remaining ganache stand at room temperature to cool until barely lukewarm.
6. Place rack inside rimmed baking sheet. Carefully run knife around pan edges to release cakes. Invert 1 cake layer onto cardboard round. Peel off parchment paper. Place cake layer on round on prepared rack. Spread 1/4 cup jam over top. Spoon dollops of half the chilled ganache over, then spread evenly. Repeat process with second layer. Invert last cake layer and spread remaining jam over layer. Pour half of barely lukewarm ganache over cake, spreading over sides to cover. Freeze until ganache sets, about 30 minutes. Pour remaining ganache over cake, allowing to drip down sides and spreading over sides if needed for even coverage and to smooth edges. Freeze to set ganache, about 30 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before continuing.
7. Arrange raspberries in concentric circles atop cake. Sift powdered sugar lightly over raspberries and serve.

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