Buttermilk Chocolate Raspberry Torte
Bake in heart-shaped pans for a special treat.

Cake:
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup boiling water
2/3 cup shortening
1-3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 cups buttermilk

Stir together cocoa and boiling water in a small bowl until smooth; set aside. Cream shortening, sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Blend in cocoa mixture. Pour into three greased and floured 8-inch layer pans. Bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes then remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

Filling:
1/2 pint cold whipping cream
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
several drops red food coloring
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

In small bowl, combine whipping cream, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and food coloring, and beat until stiff.

To assemble cake: Spread a thin layer of jam, then a third of the cream filling between each layer, reserving one third of the cream for the top. Spread a thick layer of jam on the very top. Using a pastry bag, decoratively pipe the remaining cream around the top of the cake.

Mary in Va

* Powdered buttermilk does not have to be mixed separately. I just add the powder with my flour and the water with the my other liquids and let it mix in the batter.
Nancy Rogers

http://www.nancyskitchen.com