Valentine's Day: Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Wether you celebrate Valentine's Day, loathe this day or simply you are not in the mood for love (wait, wasn't that the name of a movie?!...oh yes! Google says it's a movie directed by Wong Kar-Wai back in the year 2000) you should treat yourself with this luscious, rich and decadent cake!

Because we chocoholics don't need to find an excuse to eat this always-tempting bean, but sharing a few slices with that special someone, our loved ones or the cute neighbor that just moved next door might makes us feel less guilty; don't you agree with me?

Okay, reasons apart. I madly fell in love with this Chocolate Raspberry Cake right after the first forkful; boy I do love the chocolate-fruity combination but if you give a scent of raspberry to the frosting then you take the whole cake experience to the next level.

I made my go-to chocolate cake recipe, divided in three layers and filled with raspberry jam and raspberry cream cheese frosting. This time I went for the naked cake style, something a bit more rustic yet elegant and super luscious. To make the top layer frosting more beautiful I dusted it with lyophilized raspberry powder which also was the natural coloring of the frosting.

You can find 100 % natural raspberry powder at almost every cooking supply stores or also you can buy a bag of whole lyophilized raspberries and crush them with your food processor to a fine powder (which is what I did this time, since I had an already open bag from making breakfast oatmeal).

Do you like the heart shaped balloons I bought specially for the photoshoot? They're now running around the house and probably will stay here until V-Day, then I will grab my cake tester and pop them like there's no tomorrow while yelling "I will be a crazy cat lady for the rest of my life!".

For the love of cake, please try this recipe at home and let yourself go. ;-)

Receta en español aquí!

Chocolate Raspberry Cake
(makes one 4-inch/10 cm diameter cake)

Ingredients
- For the chocolate cake:
One recipe of my go-to chocolate cake, or your favorite chocolate cake recipe.
- Filling:
24 ounces (680 g) cream cheese* frosting, cold.
1 cup powdered sugar.
6 teaspoons (approximately) powdered lyophilized raspberries.
Raspberry jam, to taste.
- Decoration:
Fresh raspberries (optional).
Raspberry powder.

* If you want to make your cake 100 % vegan use the same amount of vegan cream cheese.

Directions

I suggest to make the chocolate cake and the frosting one day before assembling and store both in the fridge, this way the cake will firm up and it will be easier to cut it into layers and frost it. The cream cheese frosting will also firm up nicely in the fridge, thus more pipeable and easier to work with the offset spatula.

- To make the chocolate cake:

Make one recipe of my chocolate cake here, follow the same directions and once it's completely cool wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge until the next day. Remember that you will have to make just one recipe, so you will need one 6 in x 4 in (15 x 10 cm) round pan.

- To make the raspberry cream cheese frosting:

Place a big handful of lyophilized raspberries inside your food processor and crush them until they are finely powdered. Set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer beat together the cream cheese with the icing sugar at low speed until the sugar is incorporated. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and paddle. Add in around 6 teaspoons of the powdered raspberry to give a pale pink tone and increase the speed to high and continue beating for 3 to 4 minutes, until fluffy and smooth. Store in the fridge until ready to use. Note: It can be stored in the fridge for up to one week.
- To assemble the cake:
Divide the cake in three layers and generously coat with raspberry jam and cream cheese frosting each one.
Finally cover the top of the cake with double the amount of frosting used in the lower layers and dust with leftover raspberry powder on top. Garnish with fresh raspberries if desired.