Every special occasion deserves a special cake, but a gourmet cake may not be an easy cake to make. Custom cakes often require hours of time in the kitchen, an expert pastry chef, or both. Presenting anniversary cakes, graduation cakes, or celebration cakes of all kinds, and taking the time to make them, shows special feelings as well as a little indulgence.
In Above and Beyond Parsley, a cookbook published in 1992 by the Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri, nearly 300 pages of delicious, easy to make recipes were compiled by the League’s cookbook committee. One recipe that stands out with Kansas City sparkle, and makes a great gourmet chocolate cake for special occasions, is the Chocolate Raspberry Cream Cake.
German Chocolate Raspberry Cream Cake
Although an easy cake to make, this German chocolate cake takes several steps, but the result is a special cake everyone will love. Start with the basic German chocolate cake recipe as found on the inside of the Baker’s German’s® Sweet Baking Chocolate package. Add spreadable raspberry fruit, a mountain of whipped cream frosting and six tablespoons of Chambord liquor.
Baker’s German’s® Sweet Chocolate Cake Recipe
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients
- 1 package (4 oz.) Baker’s German’s Sweet Baking Chocolate
- ½ cup water
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup buttermilk (or add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to milk if buttermilk is unavailable)
- 4 egg whites
Method
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line bottoms of 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with wax paper.
- Microwave chocolate and water in large microwavable bowl in High 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring halfway through heating time. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
- Mix flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
- Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition until smooth.
- Beat egg whites in another bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently stir into batter and pour into prepared pans.
- Bake 30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center. Cakes will be thin.
- Remove from oven and immediately run spatula between cakes and sides of pans. Cool 15 minutes before removing cakes from pans. Remove wax paper and cool completely on wire racks.
Gourmet Cake with a Custom Cakes Flair
Assembling the cake is as fun as it is easy.
Ingredients
- 3 German Chocolate Cake layers
- 6 tablespoons Chambord liquor
- 1-1/2 cups raspberry spreadable fruit
- 4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup sifted cocoa
- Dash of salt
For cream:
- In a mixing bowl, combine cream, sugar, cocoa and salt. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes. Beat until stiff. Do not overbeat.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Chambord and spread with half of the fruit. Frost with 1cup cream mixture.
- Repeat process with second layer.
- For top layer, sprinkle cake with liquor and frost top and sides with remaining cream mixture. Cake may also be decorated using the cream mixture in a pastry bag.
- Serve immediately and keep left over (if there is any) refrigerated.
Also try these recipes for quiche, pasta, or Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Visit these websites for more information about the Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri and more ideas for Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate®.
(The author has permission from the Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri to reprint this recipe.)
Pamela Watson - I first hit the road at the tender age of three weeks when my career-Army dad packed up my mom and me and moved us from Indiana to New ...
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