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Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup full fat sour cream
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- For the frosting:
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
- 2 cups 35% whipping cream
- 3 tbsp sugar
- For the filling:
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup 35% whipping cream
- 1 pint fresh raspberries, rinsed and dried
Preparation
Step 1
When you make this cake, do your best to keep things even so that you don't have any weirdos like me trying to snatch the piece with the most raspberries and thickest frosting. Above all, bring some to your neighbour or your great Aunt Ethel. I'm sure they'd be delighted and you'd put a smile on their faces. Share the wealth and everyone will be happy!
Makes one 2-layer 9-inch cake
¾ cup boiling water
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly butter two 9-inch round cake pans and dust lightly with flour, knocking out the excess. Line the bottoms with a round of parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk ingredients together to blend evenly; set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder and boiling water until smooth. Let it cool for 1 to 2 minutes and then whisk in sour cream until well blended; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until creamy, about 10 seconds. Add sugar and beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl half-way through mixing. Beat in vanilla extract. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing until each one is well incorporated, about 10 seconds between each addition. The batter will change from looking curdled to smooth and homogenous.
With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts alternating with the cocoa mixture. Do not beat more than 10-15 seconds between additions. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and then beat on medium-high speed for 3-5 seconds to create a smooth batter, but be sure not to over beat or the cake will be tough and dry. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold the batter a few times using a rubber spatula to ensure that everything is evenly blended.
To make the frosting, bring cream and sugar to a boil in a saucepan and immediately pour over chocolate in a bowl. Let stand 3 minutes and then stir until smooth and glossy. Set aside to cool at room temperature, stirring every 10 minutes or so. This will take about 1 1/2 hours but you can put it in the fridge to speed it up. Just keep an eye on it so it doesn't harden.
To make the filling, whisk together cocoa, sugar and cream. Refrigerate until fully chilled. Once chilled, beat the cream with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Resist the temptation beat on high speed since this mixture can go from smooth to grainy very quickly.
To assemble the cake, first trim the tops of the cake layers if necessary using a serrated knife so that they have an even, flat (not domed) surface. Place one layer on a turn-table or a serving plate. Spread half of the whipped cream filling over the top, leaving about ½-inch border around the edges since it will spread slightly with the weight of the top layer. Place about two-thirds of the fresh raspberries over the filling in a single layer. Spread the remaining filling over the raspberries. Place the top cake layer precisely over the filling. Using a large off-set spatula, place about 1 cup of the frosting over the cake, spread it out to the edges and bring it down to cover the sides. Continue applying frosting to the cake until all sides are covered evenly.
Ooh this cake looks scrumptious! I love all the chocolate and the addition of raspberry.
How much vanilla do we add to the frosting?
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