Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling and Caramel Icing

This past weekend, I made a cake for a co-worker's husband's birthday.  (Interesting, her husband is also distantly related to hubby.)  This cake was somewhat of a practice run as she's asked me to make a cake for his coworker's birthday as well.  I cobbled together a few different recipes.  I wasn't able to taste the cake, but my coworker said it was delicious!

 Best-Ever Chocolate Cake 

(Better Homes and Gardens, Our Best Recipes, pg 280)

• 3/4 cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves or raspberry jam (for filling)
• 1 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted (for drizzle) 

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Lightly grease bottoms of three 8" round cake pans, two 9" round pans, or two 8x8" square pans.  Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper.  Grease and lightly flour waxed paper and sides of pans.  Set pans aside.

Preheat oven to 350F.  In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes or until well mixed.  Scrape side of bowl; continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition (about 1 minute total).  Beat in vanilla.  

Alternately add flour mixture and milk to beaten mixture, beating on low speed just until combined after each addition.  Beat on medium to high speed for 20 seconds more.  Spread evenly into the prepared pans. 

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes for round cake pans, 35 to 40 minutes for square pans, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean.  Cool cake layers in pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans.  Peel off waxed paper.  Cool completely on wire racks. 

Caramel Frosting

(recipe found here)

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in salt and brown sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, until sugar dissolves.  Stir in milk and return to a boil, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.  Cool to lukewarm, about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

Once lukewarm, transfer to a stand mixer.  Sift powdered sugar over it, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Assembly:

Using a bread knife or cake leveler, level the tops of each cake.  Pipe a border of caramel frosting around the top edge of one cake, creating a border or dam.  Spread a thin layer of frosting on top, within the dam, then spread the raspberry preserves on top.  Carefully place the second cake on top of the first.  Frost the cake and garnish with raspberries and drizzle with melted chocolate.