Made with Framboise

Ingredients
Raspberry Chocolate Cake
1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cups all purpose flour
1¾ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
½ cup canola oil
⅔ cup applesauce (unsweetened)
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup Framboise (heated to simmer, but not boiled)

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
1 cup cocoa powder
1½ cups of butter
5 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp Framboise

Raspberry Filling
4 cups of frozen raspberries
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup Framboise
2 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp corn starch

Preparation
Raspberry Filling
In a small pot over high heat, bring raspberries, sugar, half of the Framboise, and lemon juice to boil. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer until reduced (approx 15-20 mins). Remove from heat and using a sieve, strain out seeds. Return syrup to pot. In a separate bowl, whisk together corn starch and remaining Framboise. Whisk mixture into raspberry syrup and return pot to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened (approx 5 mins). Cool in fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Cake
Preheat oven to 350F and prepare two 9-inch cake pans with parchment rounds and cooking spray. Combine almond milk and vinegar – set aside. Using a stand mixer, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add oil, applesauce, vanilla and almond milk/vinegar mixture and beat on medium until well combined. Lower the speed and add heated-to-a-simmer Framboise until well combined. – batter will be soupy. Divide batter evenly between cake pans. Bake for 30-35 mins, until top bounces back to a finger touch. Cool in the pan for 10 mins before flipping to a cooling rack.

Frosting
Prepare while cake cools. Sift the cocoa powder into a stand mixer. Cream cocoa and butter together until smooth and fluffy. Gradually whip in powdered sugar until well combined. Add Framboise and continue to mix until smooth.

Once cake is completely cooled, apply a layer of raspberry filling to the top of one cake round, leaving a little for garnish. Top filling with frosting before placing second round on top. Cover the outside of the cake in buttercream. Garnish with remaining raspberry filling and fresh raspberries.