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. 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 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 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.
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.