CHOCOLATE CAKE w/RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE FILLING

 How exciting it was for the Tasty Bunch minus the Tates to be able to gather earlier this month at Friends Carol and Keith's house! We were all able to celebrate being vaccinated for the virus and gather without our masks. We were also celebrating Friends Janice and Leon's 61st anniversary (They were children when they married. Wayne and I are celebrating our 49th anniversary today.). It was just so good to be together. I had Wayne take a picture of us ladies. Don't miss it at the bottom.

Once again Carol outdid herself with dessert. We didn't go out for dinner but had dessert at their house. It was so pretty and delicious! Carol always uses either a stevia blend or just stevia for the sugar in her recipes.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

1      cup buttermilk or 1 tablespoon lemon juice stirred together with 1 cup milk - let set for 5 minutes

1      cup water

2/3   cup oil

2      cups sugar or 1 cup stevia blend

2      eggs

1      teaspoon baking soda

1/2   teaspoon salt

2      cups flour

3/4   cup unsweetened cocoa powder

RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE FILLING

8      ounces cream cheese

1/2   cup raspberry preserves

1/4   cup sugar or 2 tablespoon stevia blend

GANACHE

1/2    cup whipping cream

4       ounces semi-sweet  chocolate chips

8       ounces fresh raspberries for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 9 - inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and lightly dust with flour making sure you tap off excess. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, add buttermilk, water, oil, sugar, eggs, baking soda, and salt. Stir together til it is well mixed. Add in flour and cocoa  powder and whisk until smooth with no lumps. The batter will be thin.

Pour batter evenly between the two pans.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until the center springs back when you touch lightly in the center with your fingertips. Cool pans on a wire rack for 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from pas and allow to completely cool on wire rack.

Once cooled prepare the filling:

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese raspberry preserves, and the sugar until well combined and thick.

Place one of the cake layers on a platter and then spread the filling on top. Then add the other layer on top.

Make the ganache.

In a small saucepan add the whipping cream and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips. Do not stir but just let the chips sit for 5 minutes. Then stir til smooth. Let it cool for 15 minutes and then pour over the cake allowing it to slowly drip down the sides.

You can garnish the cake serving with the fresh raspberries and drizzle with a little caramel sauce.

Keith cut the cake before I could get my picture.

Carol, Janice, and me.