Chocolate-Raspberry Polka Dot Cake

Directions

• 1. Line three 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper; grease and flour the pans and paper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350°.
• 2. Dissolve cocoa in boiling water; cool. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 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 flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition.
• 3. Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• 4. For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. Bring cream just to a boil; pour over chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Stir in extract. Chill. Beat chocolate mixture until soft peaks form, about 15 seconds.
• 5. 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.
• 6. Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup raspberry cream. Top with another cake layer; spread with half 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.
• 7. For glaze, in a microwave, melt chocolate, butter and corn syrup; stir until smooth. Stir in extract. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Pour over cake.
• 8. 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 cake. Refrigerate cake until serving.