Black Forest Gateau

There is a show on Netflix called ‘The Great British Bake Off’. It features best amateur bakers from all over Britain and every week they are given a baking task. Debarshi and I are huge fans of this show. There are tons of new recipes and ideas with loads of helpful tips and tricks and if you love to bake, I would recommend to watch this show and try some recipes. You will be amazed what all you can do with a good recipe and step by step instructions. 

As you know, I love celebrating birthdays. Well, I don’t worry about mine because that is Debarshi’s department but when it comes to his birthday I try to do whatever I can to make it unique. Last month we were watching this baking show and it featured the Black Forest Gateau cake and immediately both of us said, “Oh! How I miss this cake”. Do you know why? Black Forest is one of the most common cakes sold in Indian bakeries! As I have told you before, you can see a lot of French and German inspired baked goods in any Indian bakery. Now if you are thinking, how is it possible because Black Forest is a boozy cake, then let me tell you, it is very common for the Indian bakeries to prepare and serve varieties of non alcoholic and even eggless cakes. This is done to cater all age groups and dietary preferences.

We also decided to go with a non alcoholic cake so that we can freely share the cake with whoever comes to our home to celebrate Debarshi’s birthday.

For a self taught baker trying new recipes is always fun however, this one turned out quite complicated. I actually had to throw away the first two sponges because they didn’t turn out right!  But I didn’t loose hope and I got it right the second time and I successfully baked the whole cake from scratch. If you have been following my blog, you know that I started this tradition of baking homemade cakes four years back when I baked my first cake from scratch - Pecan cake with Rum frosting for Debarshi’s birthday.

Next year I baked a delectable Chocolate Raspberry Cake with Chocolate Ganache. This is one of Debarshi’s all time favorite cakes and he loves eating the ganache so much that sometimes he asks me just to make some ganache as a dessert.

Last year Debarshi selected a delicious Chocolate Coconut Cake for his birthday. It was loaded with Coconut Pastry Cream and Chocolate Glaze. That cake was again a huge success and not only us but all of our friends absolutely loved it.

This Black Forest Gateau cake is actually the recipe of Mary Berry who is a British food writer. Now let me tell you, just copying the recipe was not enough because almost everything was different in the original recipe. Starting from the oven temperature to the quantity of ingredients to the ingredients themselves. Plus, I wasn’t making the original alcoholic cake so I had to make a lot of changes. I also tried to keep it budget friendly because I don’t like spending extra money for something which can be substituted. But I have to tell you, all that effort really paid off. The very first bite of the cake was so heavenly that I almost cried. I have baked a lot of different types of cakes in the last few years, but to recreate something which both Debarshi and I have had hundreds of times from our local Indian bakeries is sheer happiness. It brought back all those childhood memories and the joy was incomparable. Of course I have to thank all our friends who tasted the cake and liked it. Believe me I felt quite popular that day and above all Debarshi loved it! He loved having this decadent cake baked especially for him for his birthday.

Now whenever you are baking a complicated cake like this one, patience is the key. If you are planning to bake the entire cake in a single day, not only will you get immensely tired but also make silly mistakes. The key is to do one step at a time and that is done by approaching the goal in small steps.

For the convenience of everyone, I have uploaded the steps in separate links so that the images can easily load even on slower connections. I have uploaded photos so hopefully you will have loads of help if you do decide to try this amazing recipe.

Happy baking!

Whenever you decide to bake the cake, start with the Cherry Filling. I used dried cherries and you have to soak them for two days to obtain that delicious juice.

Make ahead:

• Dip 2 cups of Dried Cherries in equal amount of water (2 cups) in a medium bowl.
• Cover and refrigerate for 2 days. This will help the cherries to absorb water and they will become soft.
• Check the packet to see if the cherries have sugar, normally dried fruits have some sugar added in them.
• Make sure to complete this step before baking the cake layers. The dried fruits need time to soak properly.

Follow the below links to bake, fill and decorate the cake:

• Bake the Chocolate sponges and Vanilla Fruit cake layers
• Prepare the Cherry filling
• Whip the Cream
• Assemble the cake
• Chocolate work and piping

Tips:

• An offset spatula is one of the most useful tools in the kitchen. Use it to stir the melting chocolate and to apply filling and topping on the cake. 
• When working with Chocolate and whipped cream, work in a cool kitchen otherwise they will melt quickly.
• You can use Kirsch (the cherry liqueur) or prepare a non-alcoholic version of the cake like I did.
• Make sure everything is chilled before you start whipping the cream because it will whip better. I always keep my mixer bowl and whisk in the fridge beforehand to chill them before starting.
• Because of the whipped cream, this cake will not keep very long in the fridge. I would recommend to finish the cake within 2-3 days. Keep the cake inside the fridge at all times. 

Share and enjoy!

Recommended Reading:

• Basic Kitchen Measurements
• Remember the characteristics of a good quality Cake
• Chocolate Raspberry Cake with Chocolate Ganache
• Pecan Cake with Rum Frosting
• Chocolate Coconut Cake (with Coconut Pastry Cream filling and Buttercream Frosting, topped with Chocolate Glaze and Toasted Shredded Coconut)
• Make Homemade Butter from Spoiled Cream
• Boozy Christmas Fruitcake
• Mary Berry’s Chocolate Apricot Cake (Homemade Sacher Torte)
• Martha Stewart’s Classic Pound Cake

Pecan Cake with Rum Frosting

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

I first baked this amazing Pecan cake two years back on Debarshi’s birthday. Back then I didn’t have the stand mixer or the cooling racks so there was a lot of manual labor involved. However, all those efforts sure paid off and the cake turned out awesome! This time I baked it for our 4th marriage anniversary and I made a couple of changes. Needless to say that this time the cake tasted even better. 

This recipe will make a dense cake, dense but flavorful and absolutely delectable. The original recipe says to bake a single layer cake with frosting on top, but this time I baked two layers by dividing the batter into two baking pans. This baked two even thin layers thus reducing the density. I also doubled the amount of frosting and spread half of the frosting between the two layers and spread the remaining frosting all over the cake. This helped infuse moisture in the layers thus making the cake even softer. Once you spread the top layer with frosting go nuts with the remaining pecans and decorate the cake as you like.

My first attempt at the Pecan Cake with Rum Frosting on Debarshi’s birthday (Cake says ‘Happy Birthday Dr. Debarshi’).

I think this cake has a unique flavor because of the Pecan and butter with the hint of Rum. You can taste the Pecan in every bite and if that is not enough for you then eat some mouthwatering frosting. This homemade sweet and buttery frosting makes you take another slice of the cake!

We have also used buttermilk for this cake which will not only balance the overall sweetness but also add another flavor profile in it. Since the cake uses a lot of pecans I would suggest you to ensure before serving that no one is allergic to it. Also, please use good quality pecans. Believe me good quality ingredients greatly improve the taste of the cake.  Remember you will be putting your time and effort in this cake so don’t skimp on small things. 

Prepare the cake whenever you want and enjoy it with your loved ones like I did. 

Ingredients for the Cake:

• All Purpose Flour – 1 ½ cups
• Light Brown Sugar – ½ cup
• White or Granulated Sugar – ½ cup
• Baking Soda – ½ teaspoon
• Baking Powder – 1 teaspoon
• Kosher Salt – ½ teaspoon
• Buttermilk – ¾ cup
• Egg – 3, Large 
• Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon
• Pecan – 1 cup
• Butter – 1 stick, unsalted, plus more for greasing the pan

Ingredients for the frosting and decoration:

• Butter - 1 stick, unsalted
• Pecan – 1 ½ cups
• Confectioners’ Sugar – 4 cups 
• Heavy Cream – 4 tablespoons 
• Dark Rum – 2 teaspoons
• Vanilla Extract – 1 teaspoon 

Others:

• Cake Pan – 2 pans of 8 inches each, either square or round
• Vegetable Oil Spray –optional (for greasing the pan)
• Parchment Paper 
• Spatula
• Cake Stand or a Heavy Big Plate
• Cooling Racks

Let’s do some prep:

• First we should do some preparations. So, half an hour prior baking the cake, take out the butter and eggs from the fridge and keep them on your kitchen counter. We are doing this to bring them to the room temperature. This will help them to mix evenly with the other ingredients and also prevent any over mixing of the batter. 
• Let’s cut the Parchment Paper. Place the Pan on the Parchment paper and draw a circle or square on the outer edge of the pan.
• Coat the cake pan with the Vegetable Oil spray or butter.
• Line the bottom with the Parchment paper and spray it again. 

Let’s bake the Cake:

• Take your food processor or chopper and finely grind/ chop the Pecans (1 cup).
• Sift all the dry products (All Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt) in a large bowl and mix the Pecans in it.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• If using a stand mixer, attach the whisk and beat the Butter (1 stick) with the Light Brown Sugar and White or Granulated Sugar until its light and fluffy about 5-6 minutes. 
• Beat in the eggs one by one. 
• Gradually add the Pecan mixture in the bowl and mix until just combined.
• Add the Buttermilk and the Vanilla Extract (1 teaspoon) and stir.
• Transfer the batter into the prepared pans and place in the oven.
• Bake until golden brown, about 20-22 minutes. I use a tooth pick to check if the center has been cooked. Very carefully insert the toothpick into the center and pull it out. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready, otherwise, cook for a couple more minutes and don’t forget to use the timer every time.
• Now whenever the toothpick comes out clean, it’s time to take out the cakes from the oven. I recommend slightly pulling the rack outside the oven so that we can get a better grip while holding the hot pans. 
• I usually wait for about 5-10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan (I run a short knife around the edges to release the cake) and invert it on the cooling rack. This ensures the cake does not have a soggy bottom.
• Peel the parchment paper.

Time to assemble the yummy Cake and decorate it with Frosting and Pecans:

• All right, do you have a cake stand? If no, then use a heavy big plate. If yes! Awesome!
• Touch the cake with your finger. If it’s still warm then you will have to wait, if it has cooled down then you are ready. Remember the frosting will melt away if the cake is warm.
• If you want to trim the cake this is the perfect time to do it. I didn’t do anything special for this cake. I wanted it to look homemade.
• Wash the whisk and the bowl of the stand mixer. Use a paper towel to dry it completely. 
• Beat the Butter (1 stick), Confectioners’ Sugar and the Heavy Cream until fluffy.
• Add the Dark Rum and the Vanilla Extract (1 teaspoon) and mix everything together.
• Your Frosting is ready, now pour a little less than half of the Frosting over the cake and pay special attention to those areas where you want to have an even shape. Spread it evenly with a spatula.
• Sprinkle a couple of chopped Pecans on top of it.
• Very carefully place the second layer of the cake on top of this frosted layer.
• Pour the remaining Frosting on it. Spread it evenly with the spatula over top and sides for an even coverage and to smooth the edges. I used a fork to draw some lines all over the frosting. 
• You may chop all the remaining Pecans and sprinkle on top of the cake or you can decorate with a few full pieces and chop a few, whatever you feel like doing.
• Cover the cake with the cake dome and place it in the fridge till you are ready to serve. 

Tips:

• You can grease the pans either with butter or canola oil.
• You can of course use artificial rum flavoring for the frosting or skip it altogether and just use the vanilla extract. You can find Rum flavoring in the baking aisle of any grocery store.

• While baking the cake, do not forget to start a timer and keep an eye on it.
• It’s important to keep a space all cleared out for transferring the hot pans from the oven. I usually transfer them on the kitchen counter.
• Do not skip the cooling rack step otherwise the cake bottom will become soggy.
• Kids love to bake or help you in small things. You can ask them to help you mix or spread the Frosting. Afterwards they can have the spatula with the bowl to lick and enjoy. However, you may not want to hand them over the frosting mix (if you are using Rum).
• Cover the cake with the cake dome whenever you are keeping it in the fridge. The dome prevents any mishaps and also blocks any unwanted smells.
• Remember that the baking time will change if you are changing the pan size. So keep an eye on it.
• It’s always better to break the egg in another bowl before adding it to the batter. Egg shells don’t taste very good in a yummy cake.
• Keep paper towels handy for an easier clean up.

Recommended Reading:

• Remember the characteristics of a good quality Cake
• Food Chopper and its Importance in Our Kitchen
• Chocolate Raspberry Cake with Chocolate Ganache
• Basic Kitchen Measurements
• Chocolate Coconut Cake (with Coconut Pastry Cream filling and Buttercream Frosting, topped with Chocolate Glaze and Toasted Shredded Coconut)
• Yummy Brownies
• Easy Pecan Pie
• Chocolate Sponge Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream (decorated with shaved chocolate and Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting)
• Black Forest Gateau
• Boozy Christmas Fruitcake
• Martha Stewart’s Classic Pound Cake

Simple Chocolate Cake

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

A few days before Christmas, Debarshi started craving for some Chocolate cake and I thought, it will be so great if he comes home from office, opens the fridge and finds a yummy chocolaty cake waiting for him. I decided to surprise him by baking my special Chocolate Raspberry Cake. The only problem in my plan was, I had no buttermilk and raspberry jam. So I put my thinking cap on and started looking online for a simple chocolate cake recipe with different ingredients. 

Since I was planning to bake a candied fruitcake for Christmas, I decided to bake a single layer chocolate cake with ganache. I tried a new recipe and it worked great. The cake was soft, moist and delicious.  I baked the cake in a round foil baking pan which as you know does not brings that perfect round shape so I decided to apply a layer of Ganache on it. The Ganache added an additional creamy taste to the cake and also helped hide the imperfections in shape. I then decorated the cake with some chocolate chips. This is a simple recipe and yet has an exquisite taste. In fact, it tastes even better the next day. Try it.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

Dry Products:

• All Purpose Flour - ¾ cup and 2 tablespoons 
• Sugar - ¾ cup
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – ¼ cup and 2 tablespoons 
• Baking Soda - ¾ teaspoon
• Baking Powder - ¾ teaspoon
• Salt – ½ teaspoon

Wet Products:

• Water - ½ cup 
• Milk – ½ cup
• Vegetable Oil – ¼ cup 
• Egg - 1 Large 
• Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon

For the Chocolate Ganache and decorations:

• Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (60% Cacao) – 1 cup
• Heavy Whipping Cream – 1 cup
• Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips – 1 cup

Others:

• Cake Pan – 9 inches
• Vegetable Oil Spray – 1
• Parchment Paper – 1
• Wisk – 1
• Spatula – 1
• Cake Stand or a Heavy Big Plate
• Piece of cardboard or a thick paper plate

Let’s do some prep:

• First we should do some preparations. So, half an hour prior baking the cake, take out the egg from the fridge and keep it on your kitchen counter. We are doing this to bring the egg to the room temperature. This helps it to mix evenly with the other ingredients and also prevents any over mixing of the batter. 
• For this cake you can use either a Springform cake pan or a round aluminum cake pan. I always place a metal cookie sheet below the aluminum pan. This helps me to have a better grip while taking the hot cake out of the oven.
• Let’s cut the Parchment Paper. Place the Pan on the Parchment paper and draw a circle on the outer edge of the pan.
• Coat the cake pan with the nonstick spray. 
• Line the bottom with the Parchment paper round and spray it again. 
• Take a little flour and sprinkle it all over the greased pan.

Let’s bake the Cake:

• Take a large bowl and sift all the dry products (All Purpose Flour, Sugar, Cocoa Powder, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt).
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• If using a stand mixer, attach the beater, add all the dry products in the bowl and start the mixer on the lowest speed.
• Now we will start adding the wet products one by one. Add the Egg, Milk, Vegetable Oil and the Vanilla Extract. Mix for about two minutes on medium speed. 
• Lower the speed and heat the half cup of water in the microwave on high for one minute. It should be boiling.
• Add the boiling water into the prepared batter, make sure the speed is at its lowest.
• The resultant batter will be thin, pour it into the prepared pan.
• Place the pan on the bottom rack of the oven.
• Bake the cake for about 35-40 minutes. I use a tooth pick to check if the center has been cooked. Very carefully insert the toothpick into the center and pull it out. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready, otherwise, cook for a couple more minutes and don’t forget to use the timer every time.
• Now whenever the toothpick comes out clean, its time to take out the cakes from the oven. I recommend slightly pulling the rack outside the oven so that we can get a better grip while holding the hot pan/ baking sheet. Place it on a cooling rack.
• I usually wait for about 5-10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan (I run a short knife around the edges to release the cake) and invert it on the cooling rack. This ensures the cake does not have a soggy bottom.
• Peel the parchment paper.

Let’s make the Chocolate Ganache:

• Take a microwave safe medium bowl.
• Add the Bittersweet Chocolate Chips in it along with the Heavy Cream and place it inside the microwave.
• Bring the cream to a boil (about 2 minutes). 
• Take the bowl out from the microwave (careful its hot!)
• Let it stand for a minute
• Now let’s start the stirring and remember this is important. We need to stir it slowly, gently and continuously so that the chocolate mixes well with the cream. Believe me this makes a shiny and smooth ganache. Keep stirring until the chips are all melted and the ganache looks smooth.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 15-20 minutes, this makes the Ganache thick enough to spread. If the Ganache gets too firm in the fridge, heat it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. It should be thick enough to easily spread on the cake with a spatula.

Time to assemble the yummy Cake:

• All right, do you have a cake stand? If no, then use a heavy big plate. If yes! Awesome!
• Take a piece of cardboard and cut it in a round shape (of cake’s size). I didn’t have a cardboard so I used a thick paper plate. Cut it to fit the bottom of the cake. Place it on the cake stand or the plate.
• Take a spoonful of Ganache and apply it on the paper plate then very carefully slide the cake on the plate. The Ganache will stick with the cake thus ensuring that the paper does not slide off while decorating or cutting the cake.
• If you want to trim the cake this is the perfect time to do it. I didn’t do anything special for this cake. I wanted it to look homemade.
• Now pour about 3 tablespoons of chilled Ganache over the cake and pay special attention to those areas where you want to have an even shape. 
• Place the Cake inside the fridge for at least 15 minutes so that the ganache layer sets. 
• Pour half of the remaining ganache on it allowing to drip down sides. Spread it evenly with the spatula over top and sides for an even coverage and to smooth the edges. 
• Place the cake back in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
• Now let’s spread the remaining ganache on the cake and make sure you are covering the entire cake. If it is too thick to spread, melt it a bit in the microwave (15-30 seconds). Spread it over the sides to cover.
• Arrange the Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips in circles on top of the cake. 
• Place the cake back in the fridge till you are ready to serve. 

Tips:

• While baking the cake, do not forget to start a timer and keep an eye on it.
• One of the best things I like about this cake is the time. Chocolate cake tastes even better the next day. So, you can easily bake this in advance.
• Its important to keep a space all cleared out for transferring the hot pan from the oven. I usually transfer them on a cooling rack on the kitchen counter.
• Do not skip the cooling rack step otherwise the cake bottom will become soggy.
• If you are using an aluminum pan, you may want to cut the sides of the cake for an even round shape.
• Kids love to bake or help you in small things. You can ask them to help you mix or spread the Ganache. Afterwards they can have the spatula with the bowl to lick and enjoy.
• Cover the cake with the cake dome whenever you are keeping it the fridge. The dome prevents any mishaps and also blocks any unwanted smells.
• Remember that the baking time will change if you are changing the pan size. So keep an eye on it.
• Its important to use slightly lukewarm Ganache otherwise you will have difficulty spreading it. It melts quickly so do not set any long microwave timers.
• The thick paper plate on the bottom of the plate comes very handy. It prevents any scratches on the serving platter and the cake holds beautifully on it.
• A new baker may feel tempted to apply the second layer of Ganache too soon. Have patience and let the ganache chill properly.
• If the room temperature is too warm the ganache will start to melt so keep it a bit cool and as soon as you have finished spreading the Ganache, transfer the cake to the fridge without any delay.
• If you want to sift some powdered sugar over the cake, use a salt shaker or a tea strainer.
• I substituted the sugar with a zero calorie sweetener (Truvia) to cut down let’s say a few hundred calories.
• This recipe makes a single layered cake. To make two layers double the amounts in a rough draft first to prevent any miscalculations.
• It’s always better to break the egg in another bowl before adding it to the batter. Egg shells don’t taste very good in a yummy cake.
• Keep paper towels handy for an easier clean up.
• I find chocolate stains hard to remove so I always wear something old and comfortable while baking chocolate cakes.
• This cake asks for quite a few ¾ measurements. So how much is ¾? To put it simply, ¾ means ¼ * 3 or three times of ¼. Now this ¼ can be a measurement of cup or teaspoon and you got to measure it three times to get ¾ of the amount.
• I recently got two 6 inches round baking pans, Yay! Debarshi gave them to me as an early birthday present. This recipe works perfectly for those cute small baking pans. You can use them to bake a small cake for a date night or for a small gathering. Just divide the batter equally between the two cake pans and bake for 28-30 minutes at the same temperature. Everything else remains the same. Decorate the cake layers with ganache as well.
• If you have some nuts or dried fruits, then you can can use them to decorate the cake. I chopped a handful of walnuts and dried apricots then I melted a little ganache and spread it on the top of the cake and sprinkled the nuts and fruits all over it, pressing down just a bit so that they stick on the ganache. Looked beautiful and tasted amazing.
• You can also use brown sugar to bake this cake, just make sure to mix it properly with the dry products so that there are no sugary lumps in the batter.
• This time I forgot to add boiling water in the batter and added normal tap water instead, surprisingly it didn’t make any difference.

Recommended Reading:

• Chocolate Raspberry Cake with Chocolate Ganache
• Remember the characteristics of a good quality Cake
• Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake
• Basic Kitchen Measurements
• Yummy Brownies
• Chocolate Sponge Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream (decorated with shaved chocolate and Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting)
• Make Homemade Butter from Spoiled Cream
• Boozy Christmas Fruitcake
• Mary Berry’s Chocolate Apricot Cake (Homemade Sacher Torte)
• Mary Berry’s Victoria Sandwich Cake

Remember the characteristics of a good quality Cake

• A good quality cake should be moist but not too wet so make sure your layers are not dry by over baking and not under cooked. Use a tooth pick to check if the center has been cooked thoroughly.
• Maintain a good texture. If you want to trim the sides do it with a sharp knife, else the smooth Ganache should be able to cover all the sides and bring a nice smooth texture.
• If the cake batter has been mixed perfectly it should bring a consistent color all through the cake.
• Smell the cake. If you feel it has a slight burning odor, then I am sorry you will have to bake it again. It is a bit difficult to judge the baking time as Chocolate has a dark color so keep checking and use short timers.
• Place the flat bottom sides in the middle on top of each other to have the perfect balance between the layers.
• Make a huge cake so that you can share it with everyone you love.
• Make it look attractive, do not be afraid of improvising. Add fruits, Chocolate, edible decorations etc.
• Read through the entire recipe and all the tips. Keep all the ingredients and tools at hand.
• Pre-heat the oven before you start mixing the wet and dry ingredients together. Do not let the batter sit at room temperature for too long. Prepare the pans in advance.
• Do not skip the step where you need to cool the cake layers on a cooling rack. This will make the bottoms soggy.
• Use fresh eggs. 
• Cool the layers thoroughly before adding the Ganache on it.
• If the recipe calls for butter do not substitute it with oil or any other form of butter (example: Spreadable butter).

Recommended Reading:

• Chocolate Raspberry Cake with Chocolate Ganache
• Pecan Cake with Rum Frosting
• Chocolate Coconut Cake (with Coconut Pastry Cream filling and Buttercream Frosting, topped with Chocolate Glaze and Toasted Shredded Coconut)
• Chocolate Sponge Cake
• Black Forest Gateau
• Boozy Christmas Fruitcake
• Mary Berry’s Chocolate Apricot Cake (Homemade Sacher Torte)

Chocolate Raspberry Cake with Chocolate Ganache

For this week, I bring to you my special sweet treat - Chocolate Raspberry Cake with Chocolate Ganache. This cake is sure to win the hearts of everyone - its rich, has lots of Chocolate and is super soft. Although this looks like a huge cake, believe me the knife runs through it like butter. Smooth and creamy, it is everything you love in a cake, together. The best part is, this cake can be baked in advance, like I did this time, and it just gets better every day. Keep it in the fridge and eat the leftovers for a week.

If you have already read my article - A Special Day, you know how much I love planning and celebrating birthdays. So obviously I started bugging Debarshi about two months prior to his birthday to make plans. I love to bake and his birthday was the perfect opportunity for me to try a new recipe. Last year I tried baking a Pecan Cake with Rum Frosting on his birthday which turned out to be pretty good so this year I was really excited and feeling confident. I decided to step up my baking game and told Debarshi that he can choose any cake and I will bake it for him on his special day.

(Happy Birthday Dr. Debarshi on a Pecan Cake with Rum Frosting)

Finally, Debarshi told me his wish for this year’s birthday cake which was Chocolate Raspberry. Now, Raspberry is not an Indian fruit and although I won’t be surprised to see it in the grocery shops in metropolitan cities these days, I would like to describe its taste and appearance to all my readers who have never actually tasted or seen a Raspberry.

Raspberry is a berry just like blueberry or blackberry. It has a delicate sweet taste and a subtle tart undertone. I love the texture of Raspberries; they are so tender, just a little pressure is enough to crush them and let me tell you something interesting, Raspberry is actually a member of the Rose family which may be the reason for its fragrance. Raspberries are easily perishable so do not buy them in advance. Wash them before using and do not keep them at room temperature for too long.

I used fresh red raspberries for decorating the cake and I am mentioning the color because they come in different colors like black, purple and gold. You can use whatever color you like best. Do not get this confused with Blueberries or Blackberries as they have a slightly different taste.

Let’s talk about the flavor blend - Raspberry and Chocolate, this combination is almost a match made in heaven. I have had Chocolate Covered Strawberries quite a few times but the flavor of Raspberry with Chocolate is so unique, it just touches your soul. Debarshi loves this combination and it is almost an unsaid rule that whenever we are buying ice creams we get a pack of Magnum Raspberry Chocolate Ice Cream Bars. So when Debarshi asked for a Chocolate Raspberry cake, I said, “Challenge Accepted!”

Now my favorite method to look for a recipe is browsing online. I find it fun and quick. Isn’t it wonderful to have the whole world to help you find that unique recipe you are pining to cook and eat? So I did some research and finally settled on this recipe.

This recipe overall seems quite complex to start with. There are two layers of cakes and homemade Chocolate Ganache with a Raspberry topping. You must be thinking this sure looks yummy but can I get it readymade somewhere? Worry not, all you need to do is get all the required ingredients and tools and follow the recipe step by step. Do not get overwhelmed and give it a casual try first time. That is exactly what I did a month back when we had another reason to celebrate. I don’t know how but Debarshi knew that I have already found a recipe for his birthday cake and he told me to give it a try. I was happy like a kid with an ice cream, we got everything and I started baking the cake. After 4 hours of working on it, we finally had our first bite of this beautiful cake and I cannot describe it in words how mesmerizing that moment felt to us. Truly decadent!

This cake is perfect for big celebrations. The warmness of the Chocolate with the fruitiness of the Raspberries slowly melts in your mouth, your tongue feels that silky touch, your eyes and hands focus on cutting your next bite. It’s like every sense of the body only feels one thing – “This is so good!” So believe me when I say, it is worth putting those few hours of your precious time for this cake because what we get in return is truly out of this world and the happiness that we prepared it ourselves from scratch is truly incomparable.

“Happiness is knowing there is Cake in the oven”.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

Dry Products:

• All Purpose Flour - 2 Cups
• Sugar - 1 and ¾ Cups 
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – ¾ Cup 
• Baking Soda - 2 Teaspoons 
• Salt – ¼ Teaspoon 

Wet Products:

• Water - 1 Cup 
• Buttermilk – ¾ Cup 
• Vegetable Oil – ¾ Cup 
• Eggs - 3 Large 

Others:

• Cake Pans - 2 of 8.5* 1.5 Inches 
• Vegetable Oil Spray – 1
• Parchment Paper – 1
• Wisk – 1
• Spatula – 1
• Cake Stand or a Heavy Big Plate
• Piece of cardboard or a thick paper plate

For the Chocolate Ganache and Raspberry topping:

• Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (60% Cacao) - 18 Ounces
• Heavy Whipping Cream – 2 and ¼ Cups 
• Seedless Raspberry Jam or Preserve – 3 + 3 Tablespoons 
• Fresh Red Raspberries – 1 Box
• Powdered Sugar – ¼ cup 

Let’s bake the Cakes:

For this cake we will be baking two layers which means we will be using two cake pans. Now you can get two Springform cake pans. I prefer to use two round aluminum cake pans. 

• Let’s cut the Parchment Paper. Place the Pan on the Parchment paper and draw a circle on the outer edge of the pan.
• Coat the cake pans with the nonstick spray. 
• Line the bottoms with the Parchment paper rounds and spray the rounds. 
• Take a large bowl and sift all the dry products (All Purpose Flour, Sugar, Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, Baking Soda, Salt) into it.

• Whisk to blend and form a well in center. 
• Take a medium sized bowl and whisk all the wet ingredients together (Water, Buttermilk, Vegetable Oil, Eggs).
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients (the well ensures the wet ingredients do not flow all over the bowl but just inside). 
• Whisk just to blend (this is important do not over mix). 
• Divide the cake batter between the two prepared pans (about 3 cups each).
• If you are using the aluminum pans, its best to put them on metal pans first then slide in the oven. This ensures a better grip when removing from the oven. Use a big cookie or pizza pan. Place the pans on the bottom rack of the oven.
• Bake the cakes for about 30 minutes. I use a tooth pick to check if the center has been cooked. Very carefully insert the toothpick into the center and pull it out. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready. Otherwise, cook for a couple more minutes and don’t forget to use the timer every time.
• After 30-35 minutes (or whenever the toothpick comes out clean), its time to take out the cakes from the oven. I recommend slightly pulling the rack outside the oven so that we can get a better grip while holding the hot pans. Place them on cooling racks.
• I usually wait for about 5-10 minutes then remove the cakes from the pans (run a short knife around the edges to release the cakes) and invert them on the cooling racks. This ensures the cakes do not have a soggy bottom.
• Peel the parchment paper.

Let’s make the Chocolate Ganache:

• Take a microwave safe medium bowl.
• Add the Chocolate Chips in it.
• Add Heavy Cream in it and place it inside the microwave.
• Bring the cream to a boil about 3-4 minutes. 
• Take the bowl out from the microwave (careful its hot!)
• Let it stand for a minute
• Now let’s start the stirring and remember this is important. We need to stir it slowly, gently and continuously so that the chocolate mixes well with the cream. Believe me this makes a shiny ganache. Keep stirring until the Ganache is all melted and smooth. 
• Cover and refrigerate for about an hour until the Ganache is thick enough to spread. Stir occasionally. If the Ganache gets too firm in the fridge, heat it in the microwave for about 30 – 40 seconds. It should be thick enough to easily spread on the cake with a spatula.

Tip: Use a whisk to mix the chocolate chips and Heavy Cream smoothly and quickly.

Time to assemble the yummy Cake:

All right, do you have a cake stand? If no, then use a heavy big plate. If yes! Awesome!

• Take a piece of cardboard and cut it in a round shape (of cake’s size). I didn’t have a cardboard so I used a thick paper plate. Cut it to fit the bottom of the cake. Place it on the cake stand or the plate.
• Place the first layer of cake onto the cardboard round or paper plate. I ensure the bottom part of the cake (the part with the parchment) is now on top. I carefully trim the dome shape formed on the top of the cake and turn it upside down so that the perfect flat shape is in the middle. This ensures the Ganache and the Jam are perfectly spooned over the layer. This also ensures a firmer stability between the two layers.
• Now let’s spread 3 tablespoons of Raspberry jam over this layer. Using a spatula spread the jam evenly all over the top of the layer. Now pour about ½ cup of chilled Ganache over the layer and spread evenly.
• Place the Cake inside the fridge for at least 15-20 minutes so that the ganache layer sets. I did this twice because this layer should have 1 and ¼ cups of ganache on it. 
• The second time I poured the remaining ganache on it and after spreading it evenly, I placed the second layer of the cake onto this frosted cake layer. Keep in mind that the bottom part of the second cake layer (the part with the parchment) is now in the middle. If the cake top has a dome shape, you may trim it a little. 

• Place the cake back in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• Now let’s spread the remaining 3 tablespoons of Raspberry Jam over the top of the second cake layer. If the ganache is too thick to spread, melt it a bit in the microwave. Pour about ½ cup of barely lukewarm Ganache over the cake, spreading over the sides to cover. Place the cake back in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• Now pour the remaining Ganache over the cake, allowing to drip down sides. Keep spreading it evenly with the spatula over top and sides for an even coverage and to smooth the edges. 
• Arrange the Raspberries in circles on top of the cake. 
• Sift Powdered Sugar lightly over Raspberries and place the cake back in the fridge till you are ready to serve.

Tips:

• I created a molten wax effect on Debarshi’s birthday cake by using White Chocolate Chips. I mixed a 16-ounce packet of White Chocolate Chips with about a cup of Heavy Cream and heated them in the microwave till the cream was boiling hot. Then I gently stirred it till the chocolate melted and poured it over the cake using a fork. Try it, its fun.
• While baking the cake, do not forget to start a timer for 30 minutes. Keep an eye on the timer.
• If you do not have Buttermilk, mix Yogurt with some Heavy Cream and mix well, its consistency should be like the Buttermilk. Usually ½ cup of Yogurt with ½ cup of Heavy Cream does the work.
• One of the best things I like about this cake is the time. For Debarshi’s birthday, I baked the cake in the morning and placed them on the cooling racks. When they got completely cooled, I started the Ganache. Remember the more time you put in the cake, the more delicious it will be. One step at a time.
• Its important to keep a space all cleared out for transferring the hot pans from the oven. I usually transfer them on a cooling rack on the kitchen counters.
• Do not skip the cooling rack stage otherwise the cake bottoms will become soggy.
• If you are using aluminum pans, you may want to cut the sides of the cake for an even round shape.
• The bottoms of the cakes will be in the middle on top of each other this ensures a better balance and you can easily put Jam and Ganache on it.
• Use a cake stand with cover. This is a really handy thing, makes it easy to pour the Ganache and assemble the cake and looks great while serving.
• If you have a kid interested in baking, ask them to help you out to spread the Ganache. Afterwards they can have the spatula and the bowl to lick and enjoy.
• Cover the cake with the cake dome whenever you are keeping it the fridge. This is a beautiful cake and the dome prevents any mishaps.
• Remember that the baking time will change if you are changing the pan size. So keep an eye on it.
• Its important to use slightly lukewarm Ganache otherwise you will have difficulty spreading it. it melts quickly so do not set any long microwave timers.
• The thick paper plate on the bottom of the plate comes very handy. It prevents any scratches on the serving platter and the cake holds beautifully on it.
• A new baker may feel tempted to apply the second layer of Ganache too soon. Have patience and let the ganache chill properly.
• If the room temperature is too warm the ganache will start to melt so keep it a bit cool and as soon as you are finished spreading the Ganache, transfer the cake to the fridge without any delay.
• To sift the powdered sugar over the raspberries, use a salt shaker or a tea strainer.
• I substituted the sugar with zero calorie sugar (Truvia) to cut down let’s say a few hundred calories.

Debarshi is happily cutting his birthday cake – Chocolate Raspberry Chocolate Ganache cake with molten wax effect (made with White Chocolate)

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