Chocolate Layer Cake

I know I haven't posted in ages.  And I have tons of recipes ready to go.  So I am making up for it with this recipe, which is the best chocolate cake ever.  Just look at all the chocolatey goodness, so rich and moist.  You're forgiving me already.

I feel like calling this a chocolate layer cake is like Bill Gates rich, while true, it doesn't quite do it justice.  This is a tower of rich moist chocolate with raspberry filling and white chocolate frosting.  This is your taste buds new best friend.

This recipe is a little more complicated than my usual recipes.  For example, it involves straining the raspberries through a sieve to get out the seeds.  Yes, it is a little tedious but it isn't hard and it is totally worth it.  I would eat this raspberry filling with a spoon.  Okay, lets be fair I did eat the leftover raspberry filling with a spoon.  And it was delicious.

I am still working on how much filling to put on each layer.  My first layer had too much and it squished out the edges.  Squish is one of my favorite words, by the way.  Isn't it great?  I have to smile every time I say it.  Squish.

Okay, yes, I am crazy.  But back to this cake.  My second layer didn't have quite enough raspberry filling.  I should have made four cake layers and would have gotten the third raspberry filling perfect.

It doesn't matter though, because you put some frosting on and no one knows.  This is the all important crumb coat, which helps when frosting to make the final layer smooth and crumb free. 

This frosting was one of the best buttercream frostings I've ever had.  I'm not a big fan of buttercream, I usually like my frosting to be lighter; cream cheese frosting is my favorite.  But I do love white chocolate so it evens out.  I think if I made it again I would use a chocolate ganache.  Yum!

Chocolate Layer Cake

CHOCOLATE CAKE
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
RASPBERRY FILLING
2 10-ounce bag frozen raspberries, thawed
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup butter, cut in pieces
1 cup powdered sugar
1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.
2. Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
3. Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well.
5. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
6. Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
7. For the raspberry filling: Puree the raspberries in a food processor, blender or immersion blender. Press the puree through a fine-mesh strainer with the back of a spoon, removing the seeds. Heat the puree in a small pot with the sugar and cornstarch until mixture boils, stirring constantly. As it boils, it should quickly thicken.
8. Let it cool complete before spreading it thinly over three layers.
9. For the frosting: Microwave white chocolate and cream in medium bowl on high for 1 1/2 minutes until chocolate is almost melted, stirring halfway through heating time. Stir until white chocolate is completely melted. Cool to room temperature. Beat butter and sugar gradually into cooled mixture on high speed until light and fluffy.
10. Assembling the cake: Spread raspberry filling between cake layers and spread the frosting over top and sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.

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Frosting from cdkitchen
Cake from Smitten Kitchen