Chocolate Raspberry Birthday Cake

CAKE:
6 (1 ounce) semi-sweet chocolate squares
6 (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate squares {I used the extra-dark PC chocolate for this part}
7 eggs, separated
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 F. Line 2 9" round cake pans with parchment paper.
Melt chocolate on stove in double boiler, or in the microwave. Let cool and then beat in the egg yolks.
In a large bowl cream together the butter, 1 1/2 cups of sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
Beat in the chocolate mixture until smooth
Stir in flour until just combined.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy, gradually add 1/2 a cup of sugar and continue beating until the whites hold a soft peak.
Fold the egg whites into the chocolate batter.
Pour into prepared pans and smooth out the top.
Bake approx 45 min, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans.

FILLING:
8 ounces of frozen raspberries, thawed and drained
4-5 tablespoons of seedless raspberry jam.

Mix together and place between the two layers of chocolate cake.

ICING:
6 (1 ounce) semi-sweet chocolate squares
3/4 cup heavy cream.

Warm the cream to just barely boiling, then remove from heat add chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted.
Pour frosting into bowl, and press sheet of plastic wrap directly against surface of chocolate to prevent formation of a skin. Refrigerate until thick enough to spread.
(and if you refrigerate too long, just stick it in the micro for 10 sec. at a time to soften it up again so you can spread)
Spread over the top and sides of the cake.


This cake was a bit of work, but definitely worth it! It was delicious. I think I folded the egg whites in a little too vigorously because the cake didn't rise as much as I thought it would, but it didn't affect the taste. I will definitely use this icing recipe on other cakes, super simple and produced an easy to spread, glossy icing.

Originally found here