Chocolate Chambord Cake

Source: ivillage.com

2 cups cake flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
5 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup milk
4 eggs
1 tablespoon Chambord or raspberry-flavored liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup seedless raspberry preserves

Chocolate-Chambord Frosting
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate squares
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 egg yolks
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon Chambord or other raspberry liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 4 (9-inch) round cake pans.

In large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and baking powder; add sugar, butter, milk, eggs, Chambord and vanilla extract. Beat at medium speed 3 to 4 minutes or until batter is smooth (do not over-beat). Pour batter into pans.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out barely clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; invert from pans, and cool completely on racks.

Place 1 cake layer on serving plate; spread with 1/4 cup raspberry preserves. Repeat with two more layers. Top with remaining layer. Spread side and top of cake with Chocolate-Chambord Frosting.

To make the frosting: In a heavy saucepan, stir together the egg yolks and heavy cream. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the yolk mixture coats a metal spoon with a thin film, bubbles at the edges or reaches 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. This cooks the raw yolks for use in recipes. Immediately place the saucepan in ice water and stir until the yolk mixture is cool. In 2-quart saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat; remove from heat. Cool to tepid.

Add a spoonful of the chocolate/butter mixture to the egg yolk mixture and combine. Then add the remainder of the egg yolk mixture back into the chocolate/butter mixture and combine. Add in the Chambord and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Beat in confectioner's sugar. If desired, add more sugar for thicker consistency.