Raspberry Chocolate Layer Cake
Cake:
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1¾ cups sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
Ganache:
- 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1½ cups heavy cream
Assembly:
- 6 Tbsp. seedless raspberry jam, stirred to loosen, divided
- one 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries
- powdered sugar
Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with butter. Line bottoms with parchment paper round, then butter rounds and dust flour on top.
Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl; whisk to blend and form well in center. Whisk 1 cup water, buttermilk, oil, and eggs in medium bowl to blend. Pour wet ingredients into well in dry ingredients; whisk just to blend. Divide cake batter between prepared pans (about 3 cups each).
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in pans on cooling racks.
Make the ganache: Place chopped chocolate in medium bowl. Bring cream just to boil in heavy medium saucepan, then pour over the chocolate. Let stand 1 minute, then stir until ganache is melted and smooth. Transfer 1¼ cups ganache to a small bowl, then cover and refrigerate until ganache is thick enough to spread, about 1 hour. Let remaining ganache stand at room temperature to cool, stirring occasionally.
Assemble the cake: Carefully run knife around cake pan edges to release cakes. Invert 1 cake layer onto cardboard round or bottom of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom and peel off parchment paper. Using a cake leveler or serrated knife, level the cake by cutting off the top if it has domed, either with a serrated knife or preferably a cake leveler. Place the cake layer on the round or tart pan on a baking sheet (for when you pour the ganache on the cake). Spread 3 tablespoons of jam over the top. Spoon dollops of chilled ganache over, then spread evenly. Invert second cake layer onto another cardboard round or tart pan bottom. Peel off parchment paper and level if needed. Carefully slide cake off round and onto frosted cake layer (I just picked it up with my hands and flipped it over onto the cake, but do whatever is easiest for you). Spread remaining 3 tablespoons raspberry jam over top of second cake layer. Pour half of barely lukewarm ganache over cake, spreading over sides to cover. Freeze for 30 minutes, until ganache sets. Pour remaining ganache over cake, allowing to drip down sides and spreading over sides if needed for even coverage and to smooth edges. Freeze for 30 minutes to set ganache.