Chocolate Cassis Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE GANACHE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Don't overbeat, or the cake will be tough.
• Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Don't overbake! Let cool thoroughly in the pan.
• For the ganache, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.
• Place the cake upside down on a wire rack and pour the glaze evenly over the top, making sure to cover the entire cake and sides. You can tilt the rack to smooth the glaze. Decorate with candied violets, if desired, or gently crumble the gold leaf and place it on the center of the cake. Do not refrigerate.

BEATTY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.
• Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

CLASSIC MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CASSIS BERRIES

Steps:

• For the cassis berries: Put the cassis in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Put the berries in a bowl and toss with the reduced cassis. Let stand, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter four 4-ounce ramekins and dust with the cocoa powder.
• Put the butter in a small saucepan and heat over low until melted. Add the chocolate, espresso powder, vanilla and salt and stir until thoroughly melted and combined. Stir in the flour.
• Combine the sugar, whole eggs and yolks in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Add the chocolate mixture to the beaten eggs and beat to combine. Divide the mixture among the ramekins (at this point, the cakes can be refrigerated up to 4 hours and then brought to room temperature before baking).
• Put the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until the tops and edges are set but about an inch in the center is still wobbly, about 12 minutes. Let the cakes stand for 1 minute. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cakes. Cover a ramekin with a small plate and invert the ramekin (using an oven mitt or towel) onto the plate. Remove the ramekin, leaving the cake on the plate. Repeat with the remaining cakes.
• For the berry mascarpone: Transfer 3 tablespoons of the berry juices from the cassis berries to a bowl. Add the mascarpone, sugar and vanilla and mix to combine.
• Dollop the berry mascarpone on the cakes and top with a spoonful of the cassis berries. Garnish with mint sprigs.

MOCHA CHOCOLATE ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, mascarpone, sugar, coffee liqueur, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and vanilla. Mix on low speed to combine and then slowly raise the speed, until it forms firm peaks.
• To assemble the cake, arrange chocolate chip cookies flat in an 8-inch springform pan, covering the bottom as much as possible. (I break some cookies to fill in the spaces.) Spread a fifth of the mocha whipped cream evenly over the cookies. Place another layer of cookies on top, lying flat and touching, followed by another fifth of the cream. Continue layering cookies and cream until there are 5 layers of each, ending with a layer of cream. Smooth the top, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
• Run a small sharp knife around the outside of the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the top with the chocolate, cut in wedges, and serve cold.

CLASSIC CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating until smooth after each addition. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9-in. baking pan. , Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. When cake is cool, dust with confectioners' sugar or top with your favorite frosting.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY MOUSSE TRUFFLE CAKE, RASPBERRY-CASSIS SAUCE

Steps:

• MAKE THE CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM CAKE:.
• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Lightly butter the bottom and sides of two 9x2" round cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Dust the sides of the pans with flour and tap out the excess.
• Sift together flour, baking soda and salt onto a piece of waxed paper.
• Place chocolate in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium(50%power)1 minute. Stir. Microwave 1 minute more or until chocolate softens.
• Stir until smooth. Let cool.
• Beat butter and shortening in mixing bowl until creamy, using electric mixer at medium speed.
• Add brown sugar.
• Continuing to beat, gradually add granulated sugar over a 4 minute period.
• Continue beating for another 1-2 minutes or until mixture is a light texture and off-white in color. Beat in vanilla.
• Beat eggs with fork until frothy. At medium speed while continuing to beat, slowly add beaten eggs to batter.
• Add sour cream aand beat until smooth. Beat in melted chocolate until blended. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula.
• At low speed, beat in flour mixture alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour, mixing until just blended. Mix batter for 10 more seconds.
• Divide batter between prepared pans and smooth top.
• Bake 35-40 minutes or until center springs back when gently pressed with a finger.
• Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes.
• Run a thin-bladed knife around the edges of layers to loosen. Invert the cake layers onto wire racks.
• Peel off the paper circles and leave them loosely attached to the bottom of the cake layers. Reinvert the layers onto other racks so that they are right side up.
• Cool cake layers completely.
• MAKE THE RASPBERRY SYRUP:.
• Combine water and sugar in small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Raise heat to medium-high and bring syrup to boil. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the raspberry brandy and Grand Marnier.
• Keep syrup covered until ready to assemble the cake.
• MAKE THE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY MOUSSE:.
• Put chocolate in food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Cover and process 30-45 second or until finely ground.
• Combine frozen raspberries and 1/3 cup sugar in a noncorrosive medium saucepan. Cook over medium-heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and raspberries soften.
• Press raspberry mixture through a fine meshed sieve into noncorrosive saucepan. Discard seeds. Cook raspberry pureé over medium-high heat until it reduces to 1/3 cup.
• Pour hot pureé over ground chocolate.
• Combine egg yolks, 3 tablespoons sugar and salt in small bowl. Whisk vigorously until well blended.
• Scald 3/4 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. While whisking constantly, temper egg yolk mixture into saucepan of hot cream.(To temper eggs; stir a little of the hot cream into eggs to warm "temper" them. The warmed eggs are then stirred into the remaining hot mixture. Tempering helps to prevent eggs from curdling).
• Continue to cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to thicken. (Do not allow the custard to overcook or the custard will be grainy.).
• With the motor of the food processor running immediately pour the hot custard through the feed tube. Process for 15-25 seconds or until chocolate is completely melted.
• With a spatula, scrape down the side of bowl.
• Add raspberry brandy, Grand Marnier and vanilla. Process briefly until blended.
• Turn chocolate/raspberry mixture into large bowl.
• Whip remaining heavy cream in chilled bowl just until it starts to thicken and barely forms soft peaks, using electric mixer at high speed.(Do not overwhip cream or mousse will be grainy.).
• Using a rubber spatula gently fold one-third of whipped cream into chocolate/raspberry mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining whipped cream.(Do not OVERFOLD the mousse.) Keep the mousse at room temperature while preparing cake layers.
• ASSEMBLE THE TRUFFLE CAKE:.
• Line the inside of 2 quart round glass bowl with plastic wrap. Remove paper circles from bottoms of cake layers. Using a long serrated knife, slice each cake layer in half horizantally.
• Trim one cake layer into 6-1/4" circle. Generously brush with some of the raspberry soaking syrup. Place the cake circle into the bottom of the prepared bowl. Spoon slightly less than half of the chocolate raspberry mousse over the cake and spread it evenly with a spatula.
• Trim a second cake layer into 7-1/2" circle and generously brush with soaking syrup. Place cake circle on top of the mousse and press it down gently. Cover with remaining mousse.
• Brush a third layer cake with remaining syrup and press it gently on top of the mousse.
• Wrap the bowl in plastic-wrap and chill the truffle cake overnight.(Reserve the leftover cake layer for another use. It may be frozen for up to 1 month.).
• MAKE THE RAPBERRY-CASSIS SAUCE:.
• Combine frozen raspberries, red currant jelly and sugar in noncorrosive medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is completely dissolved and the berries are soft. Do not let mixture boil.
• Strain raspberry mixture a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. Discard seeds. Pour raspberry pureé back into noncorrosive medium saucepan.
• Put arrowroot in small cup. Slowly stir in water until mixture is smooth. Stir arrowroot paste into raspberry mixture.
• Cook raspberry mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a gentle boil. Continue to boil for 30-60 seconds or until sauce is translucent.
• Do not boil more than 1 minute or the sauce will become watery. Remove pan from heat. Cool sauce to room temperature and stir in Crème de Cassis, to taste. Transfer sauce to a bowl; cover and refrigerate.
• MAKE THE TRUFFLE FROSTING:.
• Put chocolate in food processor fitted with metal chopping blade. Process for 30-45 seconds or until finely ground.
• Heat cream, corn syrup and salt in small saucepan over medium heat to a gentle boil.
• Pour cream mixture over chocolate in food processor. Add vanilla. Let the mixture stand for 30 seconds to melt chocolate. Process briefly until mixture is smooth. Turn into a small bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap.
• Let mixture stand at room temperature for about 1 hour or until stiff enough to frost truffle cake.
• ASSEMBLE THE TRUFFLE CAKE:.
• Remove the plastic from the top of the truffle cake bowl. Invert bowl onto cake plate and remove bowl and plastic wrap from the top of the cake.
• Using a small metal cake spatula, cover the cake with an even layer of truffle frosting.
• Create decorative swirls in the frosting using the back of a soup spoon.
• Lightly dust the cake with cocoa powder.
• Store the truffle cake in refrigerator under a cake dome for up to 4 days.
• TO SERVE:.
• Spoon a pool of raspberry-cassis sauce onto a dessert plate. Lay a slice of cake on top of sauce. Garnish with fresh raspberries.