Chocolate Raspberry Cake w/ Raspberry Sauce

Yesterday was my husband's birthday.  One of my favorite things about my husband is that he likes chocolate as much as I do (maybe even more, if that's possible).  Having a chocolate chocolate chocolate cake at our wedding was a non-negotiable for both of us.  So what to make for his birthday but the best chocolate cake I could!?  The recipe is not mine (I found it on epicurious), but I did enhance it by making a raspberry sauce to both serve it with and use as a simple syrup to help keep the cake moist.  This was very rich, but VERY good, all the way around.  Worth the splurge for a special occassion, I would say.  I mean, who wouldn't want to eat this?

Chocolate Raspberry Cake w/ Raspberry Sauce

For the cake:

2 c. all purpose flour

1 and 3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 c. water

3/4 c. buttermilk

3/4 c. vegetable oil

3 large eggs

For the chocolate ganache and raspbery topping:
18 oz. bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

2 and 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream

6 Tbs raspberry jam, stirred to loosen, divided

12 oz fresh raspberries

For the raspberry sauce:

1 lb. raspberries

3/4 c. sugar

1 Tbs fresh lemon juice

(Tip!  For things such as a sauce like this where presentation of a whole raspberry for looks isn't necessary - use frozen.  Whole frozen berries are flash frozen with no additives and often cost less then half the amount of fresh.  Just be sure you let them thaw first!)

Special equipment: 2 9in. round cake pans, parchment paper, 1 9in. round cardboard cut out or bottom of a 9in. springform pan. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease cake pans.  Trace parchment paper rounds to fit.  Place rounds in the bottom of the cake pans.  Dust flour around sides of pans.  Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl; whisk to blend and form well in center. Whisk 1 c. water, buttermilk, oil, and eggs in medium bowl to blend. Pour wet ingredients into well in dry ingredients; whisk just to blend. Divide cake batter evenly between prepared pans.  Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 mins. (If cakes form domes, place kitchen towel atop hot cakes, then press gently with palm of hand to level.) Cool completely in pans on cooling racks.

For chocolate ganache and raspberry topping:
Place chopped chocolate in medium bowl. Bring cream just to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Pour over chocolate. Let stand 1 minute, then stir until ganache is melted and smooth. Transfer 1 and /4 c. ganache to small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ganache is thick enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Let remaining ganache stand at room temperature to cool until barely lukewarm.

For raspberry sauce:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm raspberries, sugar and lemon juice until raspberries have deconstructed and sugar has dissolved.  Strain into a small bowl through a fine mesh strainer.

Assemble:

Place cooling rack inside rimmed baking sheet.  Carefully run knife around pan edges to release cakes.  Invert 1 cake layer onto cardboard round or springform pan bottom.  Peel off parchment paper.  Place cake layer on round on prepared rack.  Brush top of cake with raspberry sauce.  Spread 3 Tbs jam over top. Spoon dollops of chilled ganache over, then spread evenly.  Invert second cake layer onto the frosted first layer.  Peel off the parchment paper.  Brush with raspberry sauce.  Spread remaining 3 Tbs raspberry jam over top of second cake layer.  Pour half of barely lukewarm ganache over cake, spreading over sides to cover.  Let stand until ganache sets, about an hour.  Pour remaining ganache over cake, allowing to drip down sides and spreading over sides if needed for even coverage and to smooth edges.  Let stand about another 30 mins.  Arrange raspberries in concentric circles (or as you wish) atop cake.  Serve on plate with additional raspberry sauce.  Refrigerate cake if you don't eat it within 1 day.