Rustic Chocolate Raspberry Almond Valentine Cake
One Bowl Chocolate Cake
Adapted from Martha Stewart
1 1/2 cups unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, plus more for pans
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 1/2 cups warm water
6 tablespoons safflower oil or any neutral oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter four 8-inch round cake pans (2 inches deep); dust with cocoa. Sift cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a mixer. Beat on low speed until just combined. Raise speed to medium, and add eggs, buttermilk, water, oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.
2. Divide batter between the four pans. Place two on the middle rack and two on the rack below, unless your oven is deep enough to hold 4 cake pans on one rack. If on one rack, switch pans from back to front and front to back half way through baking. On different racks, switch pans from top to bottom rack and bottom to top rack half way through baking.
3. Bake until set and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Turn out from pans. Transfer, faceup, to wire racks. Let cool completely.
Almond Scented Milk Chocolate Ganache**
9 ounces good quality, chopped milk chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 tablespoon Framboise (optional)
Creamy Dark Chocolate Frosting
Recipe from Martha Stewart
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water
2 1/4 cups (4 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds best-quality semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
DIRECTIONS:
Combine the cocoa and the boiling water, stirring until the cocoa has dissolved. With an electric mixer , starting on low speed, beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt until combined, then, on medium-high speed, beat until pale and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low then add melted and cooled chocolate, beating until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in the cocoa – water mixture.
Fresh Raspberry Buttercream
Adapted from Making Life Delicious
24 ounces fresh raspberries
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
big pinch of kosher salt
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Extra Framboise for brushing cake, if desired.
** You can leave out the milk chocolate ganache and just make it a chocolate cake with raspberry buttercream filling. Either option is wonderful.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Make the almond scented milk chocolate ganache. Place the chopped milk chocolate in a medium-sized bowl. Boil the cream on the stove until it’s bubbling. Pour over chopped chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes as is, then stir until uniform. Stir in almond extract, and Framboise, if using. Cover and place in the fridge for several hours.
2. When cakes are cooled, cut about 1/2 inch off the tops of all four layers of cake. Wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap, and chill until ready to assemble cake.
3. Make the Dark Chocolate Frosting, then cover and set aside.
4. Make the fresh raspberry reduction for the buttercream. In a medium to large saucepan, cook down the raspberries until they’ve broken down and released their juices..they will be floating in their own liquid – super saucy. If you use frozen, this will take a little longer. Strain cooked down raspberries in a fine meshed sieve into a bowl, pressing down on them to get every bit of liquid out. You should have about 1 cup raspberry juice. Place this back in a clean saucepan, and cook down until reduced to 1/2 cup. It should be thick - like chocolate syrup, and will be dark blood red. Set aside until completely cool (I put it in the fridge).
5. Make the fresh raspberry buttercream. In a bowl, beat the two sticks of butter until creamy. Add in 2 cups of powdered sugar, the reduced raspberry juice, the lemon juice and huge pinch of kosher salt. Beat until creamy and uniform in color. Continue adding powdered sugar until you get a nice, thick, but still creamy consistency. I used a little less than 3 1/2 cups. If you end up adding too much, drizzle in a couple of tablespoons of milk or cream until you reach the desired consistency.
6. Assemble the cake. Place one layer, cut side up, on a cake plate or board (I glue down the first layer of all cakes with a dab of buttercream so it stays put). If using Framboise, brush top of layer with it lightly. Spread about 1/2 cup of thickened ganache within 1/8-inch of the edge. Top with about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the raspberry buttercream and spread to within 1/2-inch of the edge of the cake. Top with next layer and press down. Repeat above. Do the same with one more layer, then top with last layer, pressing down.
7. If you’re adding any chocolate decorations, frost the cake sloppily, meaning thick with swirls or lines, so the hearts can stick - do not smooth it out. If not adding decor, frost any which way you please ;).
8. Top with homemade (or any) chocolate hearts and decorations you like, placing them around the cake too – pressing them lightly into the frosting. Top with a few Valentine Jordan Almonds from Oh Nuts, preferably in Valentine colors (red, white and pink), Chill for a bit for easier cutting. Enjoy!
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