Death by Chocolate Cake

Death by Chocolate Cake has three layers of delicious chocolate cake that melts in your mouth. Each cake layer is further moistened by brushing on a raspberry jam & brandy sauce, then stacked between a chocolate filling, and surrounded and topped with a rich dark chocolate ganache. Don't forget the chocolate curls on top! Adapted from Martha Day’s cookbook “Glorious Desserts.”

📝 Ingredients

• 8 oz. dark chocolate chips
• 1 Tablespoon instant coffee
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. I prefer to use vanilla bean paste.
• 2 separated eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 Tablespoons raspberry seedless preserves
• 4 Tablespoons brandy
• 14 oz. dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 oz. dark chocolate chips
• 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 oz. white chocolate chips

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Preheat: the oven to 350 F.
2. 2Grease: and line the bottom of a deep 9-inch springform cake pan.
3. 3--- To make the cake batter: ---
4. 4Place: the chocolate chips, butter, and milk in a saucepan. Heat gently until smooth. Remove from the heat, beat in the sugar, instant coffee, and vanilla, then cool.
5. 5Beat: the egg yolks and cream in a bowl, then beat into the chocolate mixture.
6. 6Sift: the flour and baking powder into the chocolate mixture and fold in.
7. 7Whisk: the egg whites in a bowl until stiff; fold into the chocolate batter.
8. 8Scrape: into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. 9Cool: in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert to a wire rack to cool.
10. 10Carefully slice: the cold cake into thirds across the middle to make three even layers.
11. 11--- To make the filling & ensemble ---
12. 12Warm the raspberry jam: in a small saucepan, with 1 Tablespoon of brandy. Then brush all of it on two of the layers. Note: Brush into the side of the cake that is cut.
13. 13Heat the remaining brandy in a saucepan with the chocolate and butter, stirring, until smooth. Cool until it begins to thicken.
14. 14Spread: the bottom cake layer with half of the chocolate filling, taking care not to disturb the jam-brushed filling.
15. 15Top: the bottom cake layer with a second cake layer, jam side up, and spread with the remaining filling. Top with the final layer and press lightly. Let set.
16. 16--- Make and apply the ganache topping ---
17. 17Heat: the cream and chocolate together in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate has melted. Pour into a bowl, let cool, then whisk until mixture begins to hold its shape.
18. 18Spread: the top and sides of the cake with the chocolate ganache.
19. 19Decorate: with the semi-sweet chocolate curls and white chocolate shards.
20. 20--- How to make chocolate shards & curls. ---
21. 21Place: a small baking sheet in the refrigerator one hour before or in the freezer 15 minutes before.
22. 22Melt: the semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave, in a small bowl.
23. 23Pour: the melted chocolate onto the baking sheet. Spread the chocolate evenly and thinly until hardened. If needed, set it in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes.
24. 24For Curls: Starting from the edge and using a spatula, scrape chocolate into curls. If chocolate is too hard, let it sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 minutes. If it gets too soft, return it to the refrigerator for a few minutes.
25. 25For Shards: Allow to fully harden in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. Crack into shard pieces.