Directions

• Line three 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper; grease and flour
• the pans and paper. Set aside.
• Dissolve cocoa in boiling water; cool. In a large bowl, cream the
• butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time,
• beating well after each addition. Beat in cocoa mixture and vanilla.
• In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and water; set aside. Combine
• the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed
• mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beating well after each
• addition.
• Transfer to prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or
• until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for
• 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool
• completely.
• For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan,
• bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth.
• Stir in extract. Refrigerate until chilled. In a small bowl, beat
• chocolate mixture until soft peaks form, about 15 seconds.
• For raspberry cream, place raspberries in a food processor, cover and
• process until blended. Strain raspberries, reserving juice. Discard
• seeds. Gently fold juice into whipped cream.
• Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place one cake layer on a
• serving plate; spread with 1 cup raspberry cream. Top with another
• cake layer; spread with half of the ganache. Repeat raspberry and
• ganache layers. Top with another cake layer; spread with remaining
• raspberry cream. Top with remaining cake layer. Refrigerate for 1
• hour or until set.
• For glaze, in a microwave, melt the chocolate, butter and corn syrup;
• stir until smooth. Stir in extract. Cool slightly, stirring
• occasionally. Pour over cake.
• For garnish, in a microwave, melt candy coating in separate bowls;
• stir until smooth. Tint half of the white coating using blue
• coloring if desired. Pipe or spoon melted coating onto waxed paper
• in different sized circles; let stand until set. Press circles onto