Chocolate Raspberry Cake

For New Year’s Eve, I was looking for a special chocolate dessert  to serve to my guests and found two recipes on the Bon Appétit website that I combined to give me the results I was looking for.

For the cake, I used this recipe as a base and for the shell I used the “bands” from this recipe.  I paced myself and made the cake over a 3-day period and it was both beautiful and tasty (see “notes” below for additional information on preparing the cake in advance).

Cake Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 2 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries

Chocolate Ganache Ingredients

• 18 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
• 2 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 6 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam, stirred to loosen, divided

Chocolate Shell Ingredients

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
• 2 16×5-inch strips waxed paper

Chocolate Cake

1. Position racks in top and bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with 2-inch high sides with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper rounds then spray rounds with cooking spray.
2. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl.  Whisk to blend and form well in center.
3. Whisk the water, buttermilk, oil, and eggs in medium bowl to blend.
4. Pour wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients and whisk just to blend.
5. Divide cake batter between prepared pans (about 3 cups each).
6. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. (If cakes form domes, place kitchen towel atop hot cakes, then press gently with palm of hand to level.) Cool completely in pans on cooling racks.

Chocolate Ganache Directions

1. 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.
2. Transfer 1 1/4 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.
3. To assemble the cake:  a) Place rack inside rimmed baking sheet. b) Carefully run knife around pan edges to release cakes. c) Invert 1 cake layer onto cardboard round or bottom of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Peel off parchment paper. Place cake layer on round on prepared rack. Spread 3 tablespoons jam over top. Spoon dollops of chilled ganache over, then spread evenly. d) Invert second cake layer onto another cardboard round or tart pan bottom. Peel off parchment paper. Carefully slide cake off round and onto frosted cake layer on rack. Spread remaining 3 tablespoons raspberry jam over top of second cake layer. e) Frost the entire cake with the remaining chilled ganache. f) Pour half of barely lukewarm ganache over cake, spreading over sides to cover (microwave for 15-20 seconds if mixture has completely cooled off).  g) Freeze until ganache sets, about 30 minutes. h) Pour remaining ganache over cake, allowing to drip down sides and spreading over sides if needed for even coverage and to smooth edges. i) Freeze to set ganache, about 30 minutes.
4. Arrange raspberries in concentric circles atop cake.

Chocolate Raspberry Cake Slice

Chocolate Shell Directions (watch video directions)

1. Line large baking sheet with foil; set aside.
2. Place another large sheet of foil on work surface; place waxed paper strips atop foil, spacing apart.
3. Stir chocolate in medium bowl set over pan of simmering water until melted and smooth.
4. Pour half of melted chocolate down center of each waxed paper strip. Using small offset spatula, spread chocolate to cover strips evenly, allowing some of chocolate to extend beyond edges of paper strips, making sure strips are completely covered. Using fingertips, lift strips and place on foil-lined sheet. Chill until chocolate just begins to set but is still completely flexible, about 2 minutes.
5. Using fingertips, lift 1 chocolate sheet from foil. Wrap sheet around cake, waxed-paper side out, lining up 1 long edge with bottom of cake (sheet will be higher than cake).
6. Repeat with second sheet, arranging so ends just meet, pressing sheet onto uncovered side of cake. If sheets overlap, trim any excess paper and chocolate.
7. Using fingertips, press top edge of sheet in toward cake, forming slight ruffle.
8. Chill until chocolate sets, 5 minutes. Gently peel off waxed paper. Chill cake.

Notes: The cakes can be baked 2 days before assembling and I recommend making them at least 1 day ahead.  Simply wrap the cakes in the pans with foil at room temperature.  The assembled cake can be made 1 day before serving if stored in the refrigerator.  Be sure to let the cake stand at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.