Chocolate Cake With Raspberry Meringue Buttercream Recipes

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; dust the pans with flour, and knock out excess.
• In a large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, coffee, vanilla and 1 1/2 cups water. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed. Mix in the butter and eggs, and then slowly add the buttermilk mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake until the cake layers begin to pull away from sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 22 to 25 minutes.
• For the Swiss meringue buttercream: Add the sugar and egg whites to a heatproof stand mixer bowl, and set over a pan of simmering water. Whisking constantly, heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture registers 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and cooled, about 10 minutes. Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla. (Makes 7 cups. See Cook's Note.)
• For the raspberry buttercream: In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat 800 grams of the Swiss meringue buttercream together with the raspberry puree until fully incorporated. (Makes 4 cups.)
• To assemble: Level and tort both cakes--you will end up with 4 layers of cake. Place one cake layer on a serving platter; add about a 1/2-inch layer of the raspberry buttercream. Repeat until you have 4 stacked layers of cake and 3 layers of filling. Frost the cake with the remaining Swiss meringue buttercream.

Steps:

• For the chocolate cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
• Stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, oil, vanilla and eggs, and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
• Stir in 1 cup boiling water (the batter will be thin), then pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then transfer from the pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• For the raspberry meringue buttercream: Heat the egg whites, granulated sugar and salt over a double boiler, whisking constantly, until the sugar dissolves.
• Using an electric mixer, whip the egg white mixture on high speed until peaks form and the mixture cools, about 5 minutes.
• Turn the mixer to medium speed and add the butter, a little at a time. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla, and mix.
• Fold in the raspberry paste extract right before icing the cake.
• To assemble the cake: Once the cakes are completely cooled, cut each into two layers (you will have 4 layers total). Fill the first layer with a cup of buttercream and repeat each layer until all layers are assembled and stacked.