Chocolate Chambord Cake

Preheat oven to 350F, and butter and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.






Cake:

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 cup milk

1/2 cup Canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

small jar of black seedless raspberry preserves

Chambord

Mix dry ingredients together until free of all lumps. Add eggs, milk and cream, oil and vanilla. Beat for a couple of minutes, then slowly add boiling water.

Pour into pans and bake for 35 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cool on rack, then wrap in Saran Wrap and freeze for an hour or two.


Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 Tbsp Chambord

Melt the butter and stir in cocoa. Add milk and, slowly, the powdered sugar. Stir in Chambord.


Slice the cakes in half horizontally. Spread raspberry preserves in the middle of each.
Place one such prepared cake on a platter and spread frosting on top. Then place the next cake on top, creating a four layer cake.
Spread frosting onto top and sides. I like to create swirls with a knife.

To decorate the top, choose good quality truffles, cut in halves or quarters, depending on size. The truffles are not a necessity, the cake is great even without them, but they do add elegance.

This has been a favorite birthday cake of ours.
You can substitute brandy or rum for the chambord and/or add your favorite fruit preserve.

If you abhor alcohol, you can make the cake without it. Just add a little more milk or vanilla instead.