Sometimes only chocolate will do. And as long as you’ve committed yourself to chocolate, you may as well go all the way with a decadent show-stopper, such as this chocolate raspberry torte.
For the cake’s base, I turn for inspiration to my favorite, famous foodie, Ina Garton, for an adaptation of her chocolate cake recipe. (My version adds orange zest and uses less hot coffee and more vanilla. If you want to do it exactly like Garton’s use 1 cup hot coffee, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and ditch the orange zest.)
I always double this recipe, and tightly wrap and freeze the extra cakes for another day. I use just one layer for this raspberry cake, but of course, you could use both layers.
One of the things I like about this cake is that it’s not frosted – well, not technically – but instead is dusted with powdered sugar, topped with raspberries and finished with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Of course, you could frost this cake with your favorite icing, and you can top with ice cream instead of berries, or try other kinds of berries.
Almost Ina’s Chocolate Cake
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups granulated sugar Zest of one small orange (between 1 – 2 teaspoons) 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup freshly brewed hot coffee 1/2 hot water Topping Powdered sugar Raspberries Chocolate shavingsButter two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the paper, dust the pans with flour, tapping out excess.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the flour with the sugar, orange zest, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt at low speed.
In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the oil, eggs and vanilla.
Slowly beat the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until just incorporated, then slowly beat in the hot coffee and water until fully blended.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a rack to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper.
Dust with powdered sugar. Top with berries and chocolate shavings.
Independent online journalist Doni Greenberg founded what’s now known as anewscafe.com in 2007 with her son, Joe Domke of the Czech Republic. Prior to 2007 Greenberg was an award-winning newspaper opinion columnist, feature and food writer recognized by the Associated Press, the California Newspaper Publishers Association and E.W. Scripps. She lives in Redding, CA.
