Growing up in Maine, my family frequented a popular Dairy Bar in Ellsworth called Blueberry Hill. A local favorite and family-owned business serving a variety of hard and soft frozen delights, we would stop almost every time we returned to Bar Harbor from a day trip or vacation. My mom and I both loved to get their soft serve Black Raspberry Coffee Twist on a cake cone. Unusual combo? Yes. Delicious? YES! This layer cake is aimed at bringing back a nostalgic childhood memory by turning it into a delightful treat for coffee and fruit lovers alike. Just like that first sip of morning coffee, the moist and flavorful combination of this unique pair will leave you wanting more!
This cake does require some specialty ingredients you may not have on hand, as well as some advanced/additional steps in the process of preparation. If you can pack your patience, the cake is totally worth every dollar and every minute invested!
Before starting the cake, you will make a quick chocolate ganache and a raspberry puree from fresh raspberries. For anyone who's a baker, this cake follows typical cake science. Prep dry ingredients. Prep wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, alternating with buttermilk. Fold in sour cream and raspberry puree.
Black Raspberry Velvet Cake
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. LorAnn Raspberry Emulsion
3 eggs, room temperature
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 6-ounce carton of fresh raspberries
1 tsp. Fuchsia or Burgundy gel food coloring (I used Americolor Fuchsia)
Espresso Buttercream
5 sticks salted butter, softened
7 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2-3 tsp. espresso powder (I used King Arthur)
Chocolate Ganache
1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (I like Ghirardelli)
3/4 cup heavy cream
Top with Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans if desired. I found mine at Kroger.
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray two 9" cake pans or four 6" cake pans with nonstick spray and line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Raspberry Puree: Place raspberries in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir/mash for 3-5 minutes until berries reach a simmer. Turn heat down to low. Stir every minute or so for 5 more minutes until raspberries reach a liquid form. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Chocolate Ganache: Place 1 cup of chocolate chips in a medium sized glass/heatproof bowl. Pour 3/4 heavy cream into a glass measuring cup and microwave for 1 minutes or until bubbling. Immediately pour over chocolate chips, ensuring chips are immersed. Let sit for 5 minutes. Then stir until smooth and set aside to cool.
Black Raspberry Velvet Cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer, beat butter, brown and white sugars, and Raspberry Emulsion for 2-3 minutes on medium-high until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides. Then add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition until smooth.
With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternating in the following order: 1/3 dry ingredients, 1/2 buttermilk, 1/3 dry ingredients, 1/2 buttermilk, 1/3 dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure all ingredients are fully incorporated. Add food coloring and mix no more than 30 seconds or so until desired color is reached. Fold in sour cream and raspberry puree.
Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let the layers cool for 10-15 minutes before removing to cooling racks.
Espresso Buttercream: Using a stand mixer, beat 5 sticks of butter on medium-high until smooth and light in color - about 3 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition. Add heavy cream and beat one more minute. Add 2-3 teaspoons. of espresso powder and mix on high speed for one more minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and use a wooden spoon or spatula to aerate the buttercream by hand for another minute.
To Assemble:
Place the first cake layer on your cake board or plate. I like to assemble my cakes from a cold or partially frozen state to help with the setting process. Evenly spread a thin layer of the buttercream over the layer. Use a piping bag to pipe a ring around the outer edge of your cake. Fill with a few tablespoons cooled chocolate ganache (do not overfill or ganache will ooze out the sides). Repeat with the remaining layers, buttercream, and ganache, placing the final layer bottom side up.
Spread a thin layer of buttercream around the entire cake to serve as a crumb coat. Place in fridge for 10-15 minutes. Use remaining buttercream to frost the rest of the cake. Freeze for 20 minutes.
Ganache Drip: If needed, reheat the remaining ganache mixture in the microwave for 20 seconds and then stir. If drip is too thick, add a small amount (1 teaspoon at a time) of hot heavy cream. Use a spoon or drip bottle to dispense ganache onto cake. Top with chocolate covered espresso beans if desired.
Serve cold or at room temperature. This is totally personal preference! Certain cakes taste better at room temperature. Denser cakes like chocolate, Red Velvet, and this one actually taste amazing slightly cold!
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