Ingredients

The following ingredients have 12 Servings
  • Chocolate Cake
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 3 eggs (lightly beaten)
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • 1/2 boiling water
  • 1 Tbsp raspberry liqueur
  • Raspberry Liqueur Soaking Syrup
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 Tbsp raspberry liqueur
  • Whipped Chocolate Ganache
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
  • 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate (chopped)
  • Swiss Meringue Buttercream
  • 5 large egg whites
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 14 oz unsalted butter (softened and chopped into 1 inch pieces)
  • 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
  • 1 Tbsp raspberry liqueur

Instruction

  • Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat 2 - 8 inch round baking pans with non-stick spray. Measure and cut parchment rounds to fit in the bottom of each pan and place in bottom.
  • Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Add buttermilk, eggs and oil to the dry ingredients and mix well until combined.
  • Slowly add in boiling water and mix to combine. Stir in liqueur.
  • Pour into prepared pans and bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Cool cake in pans for about 10 minutes, then remove from pan, peel off the parchment rounds and finish cooling on a wire rack.
  • Raspberry Liqueur Soaking Syrup: Bring water and sugar to a boil over medium heat.
  • Add liqueur and stir to dissolve. Cool to room temperature.
  • Whipped Chocolate Ganache:
  • Heat heavy cream and corn syrup over medium heat until hot, but not boiling.
  • Place chopped chocolate in a bowl and pour cream mixture over. Let stand for 5 minutes and then stir until blended.
  • Place bowl in refrigerator for about an hour, stirring occasionally until ganache thickens to a spreadable consistency.
  • Remove from refrigerator and beat on high until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Cover and reserve.
  • Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Combine sugar and eggs whites in the bowl from your electric mixer or a large metal bowl.
  • Place over a pan of simmering water and cook, whisking frequently, until sugar is completely dissolved and isn't grainy when you rub it between two fingers.
  • Remove from heat and using your electric mixer, beat on high with the whisk attachment until the meringue is thick and glossy and the bottom of the bowl no longer feels warm, about 7-8 minutes.
  • Add the butter, piece by piece, and mix until incorporated.
  • Switch to the paddle attachment and add the jam and liqueur. Continue beating until light, smooth and completely homogenized.
  • Putting it all together: Slice the top off of each cake to create a nice, flat surface.
  • Divide each cake in half to create four layers.
  • Place one layer (save your best for the top layer) on a cake plate and brush the top with some of the raspberry soaking syrup.
  • Take one third of the whipped ganache and spread over the cake layer. Repeat two more times with the cake, soak and ganache. Top with the last cake layer, but do not put any of the raspberry syrup on the top.
  • Spread a very thin layer of buttercream over the cake, just enough to give the piped rosettes something to adhere to, it doesn't need to completely cover the cake.
  • Fill a pastry bag fitted with an open star tip (I use Ateco #822) 2/3 full.
  • Beginning at the botton of the cake, pipe a small round rosette by starting in the middle and rotating counter-clockwise around. Continue to pipe rosettes around the base of the cake until you reach the first rosette. Pipe two more layers in the same manner to completely cover the sides of the cake.
  • Finish by piping rosettes in concentric circles on the top of the cake.