CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CAKE

A Valentine's Day treat or an anytime treat.  Great when you're in the mood for those wonderful flavors of chocolate and raspberry all rolled into one!

Ingredients for cake:
2 cups all purpose flour 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa 1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup butter or margarine, softened1 3/4 cups sugar2 teaspoons vanilla2 large eggs 1 1/3 cup milkDirectrions for cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour two 9? x 1-1/2? round cake pans.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add vanilla and eggs one at a time, scraping bowl after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and milk (starting and ending with the flour mixture), while mixing on low speed. Continue to mix until smooth. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of cake comes out clean.

Additional ingredients:
Raspberry preserves (for filling)Raspberries (for garnish)1 dark chocolate bar, peeled into shavings with a vegetable peeler (for garnish)Ingredients for frosting:
6 tablespoons butter, softened2 2/3 cups confectioners? sugar 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa1/3 cup milk1/2 teaspoon vanilla extractDirections for frosting:

Beat butter until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, mix confectioners? sugar with cocoa. Blend sugar mixture with butter alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Beat until smooth. Blend in vanilla.

To assemble cake:

Spread a generous amount of raspberry preserves on top of the cake. Remove the other cake from its pan and place it, bottom side down, on top of the preserves. Frost the top and sides of the cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. Garnish with raspberries and dark chocolate shavings.

Enjoy!


Click here for a printable version of this recipe from Culinary Collage.