Description
Rich chocolate layers mingle with luscious raspberry filling in this heavenly chocolate raspberry cake. Delicate ganache and fresh berries crown this elegant dessert, promising a sensational journey of indulgent flavors you’ll savor with pure delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 cups cake flour
- 2 1/4 cups light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream
- 4 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups salted butter
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
Liquid and Binding Ingredients:
- 2 cups hot water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 tablespoons raspberry preserves
- 2/3 cup raspberry preserves
Dry and Flavor Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons freeze-dried raspberries, powdered
- Fresh raspberries
- Mini chocolate chips
- 12 teaspoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Meticulously prepare three cake pans by coating with butter and dusting with flour, ensuring complete coverage to prevent sticking.
- Craft the chocolate base by whisking hot water into cocoa powder until velvety smooth, creating a rich dark mixture that intensifies the cake’s deep flavor profile.
- Sift together dry ingredients, creating a light, airy foundation for the cake batter, then gently incorporate wet components including the prepared cocoa blend until just combined.
- Distribute batter evenly across prepared pans, using a spatula to smooth surfaces and eliminate potential air pockets.
- Position pans in preheated oven, baking for approximately 25 minutes until a wooden pick emerges clean when inserted into cake centers.
- Allow cakes to cool completely on wire racks, ensuring total temperature reduction before frosting preparation.
- Whip butter until creamy, gradually introducing powdered sugar and remaining frosting ingredients, blending raspberry powder and preserves for vibrant flavor intensity.
- Fold cream cheese into frosting mixture, beating until silky and uniform in texture.
- Construct cake layers by alternating between frosting and raspberry preserves, creating delectable flavor intervals.
- Apply initial crumb coat, refrigerate briefly to stabilize, then cover with final smooth frosting layer.
- Generate chocolate drizzle by gently heating cream and melting chocolate, incorporating a touch of oil for glossy finish.
- Carefully cascade chocolate drip around cake edges, allowing gravity to create elegant patterns.
- Embellish with delicate piped frosting swirls, scattered fresh raspberries, and miniature chocolate chips for visual and textural complexity.
Notes
- Use high-quality cocoa powder for rich, deep chocolate flavor that elevates the entire cake.
- Ensure ingredients like butter and eggs are at room temperature for smoother, more consistent batter mixing.
- Raspberry powder can be substituted with freeze-dried raspberry pieces for intense fruit flavor without added moisture.
- Chill cake layers before assembling to prevent crumbling and create cleaner, more precise frosting application.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 45 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 63 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg