Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Wishing You all Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays...

Baked this cake today on Christmas eve and the kids loved it. They are eagerly waiting for the magic of Christmas to unfold when they wake up tomorrow . They can't wait for morning when their dear Santa would have left them presents...The excitement of it all..My 7 year old has been asking me a whole bunch of questions..about Santa and his reindeer and kids have such vivid imagination..My 3 year old is just Beginning to know about Santa and has been singing ' Santa Claus is coming to Town...' and 'Jingle Bells..Jingle Bells'...

So how about You.. Have you been Naughty Or Nice !!!!

Ingredients:

For the cake

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup raspberry juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 2-3 tbsp raspberry preserve for the filling
• 2 eggs

For the Chocolate Icing/Frosting

• 2 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp butter
• 5 tbsp evaporated milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation :

• Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9" round cake pan.
• In a large bowl sieve together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Add sugar and vanilla essence. Mix well.
• Add the oil, raspberry juice and eggs. Mix until all the ingredients are blended, either by hand or an electric mixer at low speed.
• Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• In the meanwhile prepare the Icing/Frosting: In a bowl sieve together sugar and cocoa and keep aside. In another bowl cream butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk . Add the vanilla. Whisk till light and fluffy.
• Now allow your chocolate cake to cool before you apply the frosting or the filling.
• Once its cooled slice the cake through the middle to make 2 layers. Add the raspberry preserve as a filling between the 2 layers.
• Apply the chocolate frosting and decorate with fresh raspberries.

Icing/Frosting Recipe from here.