Posted by: Spice 08-28-99 10:33 AM
Black Satin Chocolate Raspberry Cake
Cake:
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1/3 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cups granulated sugar, used in two separate measurements
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large whole eggs plus 2 large eggs, separated (at room temperature)
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup milk, at room temperature
Raspberry sauce:
1 12-ounce bag frozen unsweetened raspberries
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons arrowroot
1 tablespoon water
1 to 2 tablespoons black raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord
Dark chocolate shavings:
6-ounce chunk dark chocolate, about 3/4-inch thick
Black satin raspberry frosting:
20 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups evaporated milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup black raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves
Fresh raspberries, for garnish
Prepare cake:
Position a rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Lightly butter bottom and sides of three 9-by-2-inch cake pans.
Line bottoms of pans with baking parchment or waxed paper and tap out excess.
Melt chocolate. Let chocolate cool for 10 to 15 minutes, until tepid.
In a medium bowl, using a wire whisk, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly blended.
Sift flour mixture onto a piece of waxed paper.
In a 4 1/2-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer using paddle attachment, beat butter and shortening at medium speed for 45 to 60 seconds, until mixture is creamy.
Add brown sugar and while continuing to beat, gradually add 1 cup of granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time over a 6 minute period.
Using a rubber spatula, scrape down side of bowl and continue beating for 1 to 2 minutes longer, until mixture is light in texture and off-white in color; beat in vanilla.
Break 2 whole eggs into a measuring cup and add two separated egg yolks and beat with a fork until frothy.
At medium speed while continuing to beat, slowly add beaten eggs to batter.
Add sour cream and beat until smooth.
Beat in melted chocolate until blended.
At low speed, one-third at a time, beat in flour mixture alternating it with half of milk.
Mix briefly, just until each addition is barely incorporated into batter.
Scrape down side and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula and mix batter for 10 more seconds.
In a grease-free 4 1/2-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer, using wire whip attachment, beat egg whites at low speed until frothy.
Gradually increase speed to medium-high and beat whites until soft peaks start to form.
One teaspoon at a time, add remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and continue beating whites until stiff, shiny peaks form.
Using a large rubber spatula, fold beaten whites into batter to lighten it.
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth it with back of a soup spoon.
Bake cake layers for 15 minutes.
Reposition cake pans so that pans at back of oven rack are placed in front.
Continue to bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer, until edge of each cake layer has pulled away slightly from
side of pan and center springs back when gently pressed with a finger.
Cool cake layers in pans set on wire racks for 5 minutes.
Run a thin-bladed knife around edges of cake layers to loosen them.
Invert cake layers onto wire racks.
Peel off paper circles and leave them loosely attached to bottom of cake layers.
Reinvert layers onto other racks so that they are right side up.
Cool cake layers completely.
Prepare raspberry sauce:
In a non-corrosive medium saucepan, combine frozen raspberries and sugar.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves and raspberries start to soften.
Continue to cook at a gentle simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until raspberries are completely softened.
Press raspberry mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into a 1-quart measuring cup, reserving 1 cup of puree.
Discard seeds.
Pour raspberry puree into a clean noncorrosive medium saucepan.
Put arrowroot in a small cup and slowly stir in water until mixture is completely smooth.
Scrape arrowroot mixture into raspberry puree and stir until blended.
Cook raspberry puree over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture comes to a boil.
Boil for 30 to 60 seconds, until sauce is transluscent.
Do not boil for longer than 1 minute, or sauce will become watery; remove pan from heat.
Cool sauce to room temperature and stir in liqueur to taste.
Transfer sauce to a bowl; cover and refrigerate.
Prepare dark chocolate shavings:
Warm 6-ounce chunk of dark chocolate by placing it on a piece of waxed paper.
Microwave on medium (50 percent) power for 10 second intervals, until chocolate starts to soften slightly.
This can take three to six tries, depending on wattage of microwave, type and brand of chocolate and
temperature of kitchen. chocolate should soften slightly, not melt.
Alternatively, soften chocolate by heating it with a portable blow dryer.
Turn chocolate chunk every few seconds, until it begins to soften.
Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
Grip chocolate chunk with a folded paper towel so that your hand does not melt chocolate.
Using a sharp vegetable peeler, scrape one of edges of chocolate chunk in a downward motion, forming loose shavings.
As you form shavings, let them fall onto waxed paper.
Continue making shavings until most of chocolate has been used.
Refrigerate dark chocolate shavings on baking sheet until ready to decorate cake.
Prepare black satin fudge frosting:
Melt chocolate according to instructions in Chocolate Melting Tips.
Put milk, butter, black raspberry liqueur and vanilla in a food processor fitted with metal chopping blade.
Add melted chocolate.
Cover for 20 to 30 seconds, until frosting is thick and creamy.
Use frosting immediately.
Reserve 1 cup of frosting for piping on top of cake.
Use remaining frosting to fill and frost cake.
Assemble and frost cake:
Remove paper circles from bottoms of cake layers.
If necessary, trim tops of cake layers so that they are level with a long serrated knife.
Place one of cake layers on an 9-inch cardboard cake circle.
Using a small offset metal cake spatula, spread 3 tablespoons of raspberry jam over top of cake layer.
Spread 3/4-cup of black satin fudge frosting in an even layer over raspberry jam.
Put second cake layer on top of frosting.
Spread remaining 2 tablespoons of raspberry jam over cake layer.
Cover raspberry jam with 2/3-cup of frosting.
Put third cake layer on top of frosting.
Lift up cake, supporting bottom in one hand.
With other hand, using a metal cake spatula, frost top of cake with some of fudge frosting.
Spread more of frosting around side of cake, filling in space between edge of cardboard and side of cake.
Finish top by holding metal cake spatula at a slight angle and with several strokes, smooth raised lip of frosting around upper edge toward center of cake until cake is smooth.
Decorate cake:
Remove tray of dark chocolate shavings from refrigerator.
Lift up cake on cardboard, supporting bottom of cake with one hand.
Hold cake over tray of chocolate shavings.
Using a baker's scraper or metal spatula, scoop up some of shavings and gently press them against side cake.
Continue until side of cake is evenly covered with shavings.
Set cake down onto a work surface.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large closed star tip (such as Ateco #5) with reserved frosting.
Pipe a reverse shell border around top edge of cake.
Store cake under a cake dome at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To serve, decorate a dessert plate with some of raspberry sauce.
Lay a slice of cake on top of sauce and garnish with fresh raspberries.