Chocolate Raspberry Buttercream Bars 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:

• In a small bowl, combine flour and confectioners' sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into an ungreased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until browned. Spread jam over warm crust. , In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add white chips; beat until smooth. Spread carefully over jam layer. Cool completely. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set. , For glaze, melt chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave; stir until smooth. Spread over filling. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Cut into bars; chill 1 hour longer or until set. Store in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9 x13" pan. Bottom Layer: In small saucepan over low heat, melt 4 ounces chocolate and 1/2 cup butter, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Cool. In large bowl, beat 2 cups sugar, vanilla and 4 eggs. Stir in melted chocolate mixture just until blended. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir in flour just until blended. Spread mixture evenly in pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool.
• Filling: Spread raspberry preserves over base. In small saucepan over low heat, melt 2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate and 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. In another small saucepan, bring 1/3 cup sugar and water to boil. Boil 1 min. In large bowl, beat 2 eggs until frothy. Gradually add sugar water mixture; beat on highest speed 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Gradually add butter a small piece at a time. Beat well after each addition. Add melted chocolate and beat until smooth. Spread over preserves.
• Glaze: In small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and butter, stirring constantly. Drizzle over filling. Chill 1 hr. Cut into bars.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Grease 24 muffin cups or line with paper liners.
• Mix together vanilla cake mix, 1 cup water, vegetable oil, and eggs in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until cake mix is moist. Raise mixer speed to medium and beat until batter is smooth, 2 minutes.
• Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling them about 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cupcakes are very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 23 minutes.
• Cool cupcakes in the pans for 5 minutes; transfer cupcakes to cooling rack to finish cooling.
• Place raspberries, 1 tablespoon water, and white sugar in a blender and pulse several times to chop raspberries; blend until pureed, about 30 seconds.
• Whisk cornstarch with 1/4 cup water until thoroughly combined; pour mixture into the raspberry mixture in the blender and blend again until smooth.
• Pour raspberry mixture into a saucepan and simmer over low heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Let the raspberry filling cool.
• Cut a core out of each cupcake about 1 1/2 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.
• Spoon about 2 teaspoons raspberry filling into each cupcake.
• Place white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals until chips begin to melt, about 1 minute. Stir and repeat, heating chips about 10 seconds at a time, until thoroughly melted. Stir until chocolate is smooth and no more lumps remain.
• Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed in a mixing bowl until fluffy. Beat in half the confectioners' sugar, melted white chocolate chips, and milk until mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Slowly beat in remaining confectioners' sugar until smooth; if frosting is too stiff, beat in more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.
• Spread or pipe the white chocolate frosting over the cupcakes to cover the raspberry filling; drizzle or pipe any remaining raspberry filling over cupcakes.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Lightly grease parchment.
• Make the brownies: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; once melted, stir in the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth; set aside and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
• Whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder together in a medium mixing bowl; set aside.
• Combine sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl; beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in vanilla. Mix in the cooled, melted chocolate, adding it to the bowl in a slow, steady stream. Mix in the dry ingredients in increments, at low speed, until just combined. Finish incorporating the batter by hand with a rubber spatula if necessary. Scrape the batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of pan and a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies tests clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow brownies to cool completely, 30 to 40 minutes.
• To prepare the topping, spread the raspberry jam evenly over the brownies in the pan, spreading right to the edge. Arrange the whole raspberries in a single layer over the jam.
• Place the chocolate chips in a medium, heat-proof mixing bowl. Warm heavy cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the butter melts and the cream begins steaming and bubbling at the edges, pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes to allow chocolate to melt; add salt and whisk until completely smooth. Pour the chocolate ganache over the raspberries. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.
• Carefully pull the brownies from the pan using parchment paper overhang; place on a cutting board and carefully peel the parchment paper from the sides. Slice into 9 squares and serve.