Chocolate Coffee & Raspberry Cake
This cake actually came about on that rare day when we somehow had leftover coffee sitting in the pot. Not wanting it to go to waste, I mixed it in with some chocolate cake batter, added a little raspberry liqueur, and voilá! Doesn’t get much better than that.
Moist, chocolatey, and infused with added raspberry jam, this cake is simple to make, and a delightful treat to have on any occasion.
Tips and Tricks
Can I switch up the flavors?
But of course! Raspberry and chocolate are one of my favorite combos, but not everyone will feel the same. If you want something simpler, you can swap the framboise for vanilla extract, add in espresso powder for a little more of a coffee flavor, or add another extract/liqueur of your choosing.
What about the frosting?
The frosting offered in this recipe is quite simple, and requires a great deal of powdered sugar. Admittedly, it’s very sweet. You can always adjust the amount to make it less sweet.
You can also add other flavorings. While the frosting calls for a ¼ cup of coffee, you could also add in some raspberry liqueur or another extract.
How many tiers?
This recipe makes only two tiers. Given how rich this cake is, that’s probably enough. But if you’re going for something a bit more elegant, you can always double the recipe and add a few more tiers to the cake.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups pure cane sugar
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
½ cup aquafaba
1 cup soy milk (or another alternative of your choosing)
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp framboise (raspberry liqueur)
1 cup hot coffee
For the icing:
2 1/3 cup powdered sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
¼ cup plant-based butter
¼ cup hot coffee
¼ cup of raspberry jam (or raspberry purée)
Chocolate shavings (optional), for garnish
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans and fully grease them. For added safety, you can cut out two parchment paper circles and line the bottom of the pans. Set aside.
Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir until everything is combined. Then add the aquafaba, soy milk, vegetable oil, and framboise. Stir slowly until everything is combined.
Add the coffee. This will make the batter look disconcertingly runny. Don’t worry! It’s supposed to look that way.
Divide the batter equally between the two cake pans.
Bake in the oven for 30 - 35 minutes, checking at the thirty minute mark with a toothpick to see if it comes out cleanly. If so, the cake is done. Take out of the oven and let sit in the pans for another 15 minutes. Then take out and let cool fully on a cooling rack (about an hour).
While the cake sponges are cooling, place your powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and plant-based butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if you’re using a hand mixer). Start on low and gradually add the coffee. Increase the speed to medium and stop when you have a spreadable icing. It should be just soft enough to be spreadable, but not runny.
To assemble the cake, place your bottom sponge on the platter you’ll serve your cake on. Spread a thin layer of the icing on the sponge. Taking a spatula, add the raspberry jam and spread evenly on top, being sure it reaches the edges.
Then place your second sponge on top and ice the cake with the remaining frosting.
Add whatever other decorations you like to the cake: chocolate shavings, raspberries, etc. Serve and enjoy!
