Chocolate Mocha Cake with Raspberry Cream Filling

January 5, 2012

chocolate mocha cake with raspberry cream filling | une gamine dans la cuisine

As some of you may know, since I blurt it out at random like an obsessed parrot, I love citrus. For New Years Eve, I was convinced that I was going to make some incarnation of a perky-tart lemon pistachio layer cake...until I saw This, on Country Living.

I am not a chocoholic. (Every time I say that, it feels as though I'm confessing to a crime.) And after my sister requested a chocolate on chocolate cake for her birthday last March, I didn't want to look at chocolate again. Ever. But this recipe has something spectacular, something that brought me back to the valley of chocolate cakedome, something called raspberry cream filling.

chocolate mocha cake with raspberry cream filling | une gamine dans la cuisine

Chocolate + berries are a stunning couple. (If I were peanut butter, I'd be *slightly* jealous of raspberries.)

This cake is rich, dense & dark; without crossing that mercurial "this is too much chocolate," line. The raspberry filling is just spritely enough to temper chocolate's sometimes brooding nature. As for the frosting, it's easy, timeless (and worthy of a healthy spoon-lick!). After a multitude of guilty requests for a second slice, I have it on grand authority that both hard core chocolate lovers and their impish fair-weather chocolate loving counterparts, will adore this recipe.

chocolate mocha cake with raspberry cream filling | une gamine dans la cuisine

Dark Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Cream Filling (adapted from Country Living)

for the cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
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 coffee (hot water will work too)

for the filling
1 cup (that's 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

for the frosting
1 cup (that's 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
2 cups marshmallow cream
1/4 tsp. almond extract
6 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar

method
Prepare the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter 2 8x2-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, grease the paper, and then flour the pans (gently tap out any excess flour.)
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, vanilla, sour cream, oil, vinegar, and hot coffee (or hot water). Using a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix everything together until the batter is smooth.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepare pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a thin knife inserted into the center 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 in advance. Well covered, the baked cakes can be refrigerated for 2 days, or frozen for a month.]

Prepare the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment (or any large mixing bowl, if using hand-held beaters), 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. [Note: You can make this a day in advance, just be sure to cover it well and to keep it refrigerated.]

Prepare the frosting:In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment (or any large mixing bowl, if using hand-held beaters), 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 the speed to medium-high and beat until the smooth and fluffy. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. [Note: The frosting can also be made a day in advance, just be sure to keep it well covered and chilled until ready to use.]

Assemble the cake: If the cakes have domed tops, use a serrated knife to gently slice off a thin layer...just enough to give them an even surface. If the raspberry cream filling has been in the refrigerator, give it a good stir to soften it up a bit. (If it's too stiff, leave it covered at room temperature until spreadable.) Spread the raspberry cream over one of the cake layer. Place the other layer on top of the filling. Frost the rest of the cake (top and sides) with the chocolate buttercream.

Serve the cake at room temperature with a cup of espresso.

23 comments:

  1. Wow, stunning cake! It looks absolutely incredible, that raspberry filling and thick frosting really got to me :) I pinned this recipe and it is now on my to-make list!

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  2. A splendid cake! So tempting. It's funny, I've made a cake lately with the same Hershey's recipe.... I will post it very soon (over next Friday). ;-P

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  3. I'm one of those fair-weather chocolate fans. But I love a good chocolate and raspberry combination. This looks terrific!

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  4. Like you, I'm a fair weather chocolate person. But this cake has all the right ingredients-- from sour cream to vinegar to coffee. That spells MOIST. I've been wanting to make a cake, and I'm pinning this one to make for a dinner part. This cake could be very dangerous if I'm left alone with it.

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  5. ahahaha u are too funny! by the way, in my books, not being a chocoholic IS a crime :P

    oh and i totally know what you mean with the whole chocolate combination thing. chocolate and pb are a great couple and plus pb is a classic. but the raspberry is like a mistress because it's so fun and different but it also tastes great.

    wow, can't believe i just said that, now you probably think that i'm weird LOL

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  6. I'm not a chocoaholic either, but this would tempt me. Raspberries are a natural with chocolate. This looks like a divine company cake!

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  7. I love chocolate, but I love raspberries just as much - this looks amazing! My husband's birthday is coming up and next month and I think I may have just found the winning cake for the occasion :) Thank you!

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  8. Chocolate and raspberry is so wonderful. Wow, what a gorgeous cake! A work of art, and I can only imagine how good it tasted!

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  9. I went out on a limb and further adapted this recipe to gluten free for a dinner party. Fingers crossed this works!

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  10. Laura, I would love to hear how your GF version turned out! (A lot of times gluten free desserts taste even better than regular.) :)

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  11. The GF version turned out beautifully and to rave reviews! I changed the flour to 1 cup white rice flour, 1/2 cup sweet rice flour and 1/2 cup cornstarch. I then added 1 tsp xanthan gum and increased both the baking powder and the baking soda to 1 1/2 tsp. each. I used Ghirardelli Bittersweet Baking Chocolate for the icing. Thanks for the great recipe!

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  12. Laura, I'm glad to hear that the recipe was a success! (Thanks for the ingredients and measurements.) :D

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  13. I made this cake for my husbnad's birthday and it turned out fabulous! It looked awesome and tasted simply scrumptious! Thank you for the recipe! :)

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  14. Hi Catherine,
    I was hoping that someone would use this for a birthday cake. I'm so happy that you (and your husband,) enjoyed it! :D

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  15. I just read Beth's post about this cake on her site and have printed it to try myself. Fabulous combination of flavors and love that it has sour cream in it. Sour cream always makes a cake so moist. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

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  16. I am gonna make your filling in BC's chocolate cake! Kepp you posted.

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  17. Making this cake and it looks and smells AMAZING!!!! Thank you for the recipe!!!!!!

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  18. @Anon, Thanks for letting me know! (I think you will love the taste even more than the aroma!) :D

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  19. Hello! I'm thinking of making this cake for my mother's birthday and was wondering if the raspberry filling would hold up as a frosting instead? I'm not too confident in cutting and filling a cake and thought the pink frosting would look adorable on top of the dark cake...

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  20. @Gertrude: The raspberry filling could definitely pass as a frosting - but bear in mind that it's super-sweet. The chocolate frosting kind of mellows out all the sugar. (Should still be good though!) :)

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  21. You know I love this cake; it's truly my most favorite EVER.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Rachel! The photos make me cringe (it's an old post). I'll have to revisit this cake...just to make it look better, of course. :-)

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Thanks for visiting, and for taking the time to read through my ramblings!
If you have a recipe comment or question, I'd love to hear from you.

Happy Baking!
♥ Valerie

 

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