Raspberry Chocolate Cake with Chambord Ganache

This is the Ultimate Raspberry Chocolate Cake! Three decadent layers of rich dark chocolate cake filled with a creamy Chambord Ganache. Finally, a layer of fresh raspberries completes this chocolate lovers dream!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate,ganache,raspberries,chambord,

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Cooling time 1

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 821kcal

Author Nicole Crocker

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake

3 1/2 Cups All-purpose flour
4 Cups Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Salt
2 Cups Buttermilk
2 Cups Strong brewed coffee
1 Cup Canola Oil
4 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
4 Large Eggs

For the Chambord Ganache

1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 ,12 ounce package Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/4 Cup Chambord, liqueur

For the Buttercream Frosting

2 Sticks Unsalted butter ,softened
1/2 Pound Shortening
1 ,2 pound bag Confectioner sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream

Fruit filling

2 ,6 ounce packages Fresh raspberries

Instructions

For the Chocolate Cake

Prepare three 8 inch round cake pans. (Spray bottom of pan with oil, line with wax paper cut to size of cake bottom, spray top of wax paper and sides of pan with more oil. Dust pan with flour)
Preheat oven to 325 Degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients. Using a whisk mix until all dry ingredients are well combined.
Create a gully in the center of dry ingredients and add remaining ingredients except eggs. Whisk together. Add eggs and whisk by hand for 2-3 minutes. Once incorporated mix for another 3 minutes with electric hand mixer on high speed periodically scraping sides of bowl.
Pour batter evenly between both pans. Bake on center rack of oven for 40-45 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
I always start at 40 minutes and add on from there as needed so I don't over bake.
Remove and let cool for about 30 minutes in pan. Loosen the edges with a small off set spatula or butter knife, flip pan up side down onto cooling rack to remove cake and let cool completely.

For the Chambord Ganache

In a small sauce pan heat cream over medium heat.
Just before it begins to bubble shut off heat and add chocolate.
Let sit for about 1 minute then whisk until it's smooth and creamy and there are no more lumps of chocolate.
Whisk in Chambord and let cool for at least 30 minutes before adding to cake.

For the Buttercream

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter and shortening until pale in color and fluffy.
Add confectioner sugar, cream/milk mixture and vanilla, cover mixer with a dish towel to prevent sugar from getting everywhere. Mix on low for about 1 minute.
Scrape down sides of bowl. Turn mixer to high speed and mix for 3- 5 minutes until frosting is smooth and creamy. If you still feel frosting is too stiff for spreading you can add a little more milk to thin it out.

Put your cake together

Start by carving out a circle in the first layer of cake.
Then scoop out about a 1/4 deep layer of the cake.
Pour in half of your cooled ganache. Add a layer of fresh raspberries. * I like to crush them a bit before adding them to let some of their juices come out.
Pipe a bead of buttercream around the edge to create a damn. This will help prevent any ganache from leaking out.
Add the next layer of cake and repeat. Then frost your cake with a crumb coat and chill in the fridge or freezer before adding the final layer of buttercream.

Notes

*This will make very thick layers if using 8 inch pans which is what I used. However it will also make 3, 10 inch layers easily. You will just need to adjust the bake time. I would check cake after 30 minutes if using larger pans.

*A 10 inch cake will serve 25 people.

*Also this 8 inch cake will likely serve more than 15 people since it is so tall.

Nutrition