Cake Success

Last week I told you I was hosting my book group on Monday night, and I shared two of the dip recipes I was going to make.  And they were a big hit.  But there’s no question about the star of the show that night – the dark chocolate cake with raspberry cream filling.

Cakes aren’t my specialty.  Anyone who watched my kids growing up would be surprised to hear that, because of course I made a decorated cake for every one of their birthday parties.  The 101 Dalmations Party, the Harry Potter party, the Peter Pan party – they each received their own signature cake.  But those were labours of love, with emphasis on both words in that equation.

We celebrated the Wild-West theme party with a horse cake.
(Also useful for a Godfather theme party.)

The problem is, I’m not great with intricate details.  The cake itself is a cinch to whip up.  But decorating it?  That’s where I have problems.  I’ve experienced more than one icing landslide, and I’ve perfected the craft of hiding flaws with candles or oversized accessories.  While miniature disasters are easy to overlook for a seven-year-old’s birthday party, my standards are a little higher when it comes to the ladies of my book group.  And that’s why, when I find a cake that both tastes wonderful and doesn’t resist my attempts to tame it with icing, I want to tell everyone in the world about it.

One of the blogs I never miss reading is Une Petite Gamine.  Valerie and I are like sisters who have never met.  We both love Pablo Neruda.  We both live on the wild side by completing crossword puzzles in pen.  And if we lived in some horrible dystopia, where everyone had to choose between chocolate or lemon desserts, we would both choose Team Lemon.

But this recipe, which she printed on her blog a few months ago, might give me pause.  This Dark Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Cream Filling won rave reviews from everyone who tried it.  In fact, my attempts to photograph the cake were foiled at almost every turn by all those people who raved about it, and who crowded around for a second helping.

And best of all, the icing was incredibly resistant to landslides, as it spread easily and stay put where I spread it.  I’ve already got plans to make one again.

Dark Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Cream Filling

(from Une Petite Gamine, adapted from Country Living)

For the cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup canola oil

1 tsp white vinegar

1 cup hot water or hot coffee

For the filling

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ (icing) sugar

For the frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted over double boiler and slightly cooled

2 cups marshmallow cream

1/4 tsp almond extract

6 Tbsp confectioners’ (icing) sugar

To prepare the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter two 9” round cake pans, greasing sides and bottom.  Line the bottoms with parchment paper, then grease the paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a separate bowl, combine eggs, vanilla, sour cream, oil, vinegar and hot water (or hot coffee).  Using a wooden spoon, mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients until the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until a thin knife inserted into the centre of a cake comes out clean.  Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the pans for about 20 minutes before releasing them onto cooling racks.  Cool completely before adding the filling and frosting.  (Note: cake can be made a day in advance.)

Prepare the filling:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 – 5 minutes.  Add the raspberry jam and beat to combine.  Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the confectioners’ sugar.  Beat until smooth.  Cover and set aside until ready to use.

Prepare the frosting:

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 – 5 minutes.  Add the melted, cooled chocolate and beat until well-combined and fluffy.  On medium speed, add the marshmallow cream, almond extract, and confectioners’ sugar.  Once everything is combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and flutffy.  Cover bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Assemble the cake:

Place the first cake top side down on serving plate.  (This will give you a flat surface on which to spread the raspberry cream.)  If the cream has been in the fridge, give it a good stir to soften it up a bit.  Spread the raspberry cream over the first layer.  Place the second cake on top of the filling (bottom side down, so the flat surfaces of the cake meet.)  Frost the rest of the cake, top and sides, with chocolate buttercream.

Serve cake at room temperature.