Chocolate Raspberry Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For the puree: Place the raspberries in a blender and blend until smooth (yields 1 1/4 cups of puree). Remove 1/4 cup of puree and reserve.
• For the cake: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of two 8- or 9-inch round nonstick baking pans. Set aside.
• Place 1 tablespoon of the cake mix and the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Toss until the chocolate chips are coated.
• In a large bowl, combine the remaining cake mix, 1 cup of the raspberry puree, vegetable oil, eggs and 1/4 cup water. Using an electric hand mixer, blend on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Mix in the chocolate chips. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
• For the frosting: In a large bowl, combine the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, butter, cream cheese and sour cream. Using an electric hand mixer, beat on low speed until smooth. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
• In a small bowl, mix together 3/4 cup of the frosting and the reserved 1/4 cup puree until smooth.
• To assemble the cake: Place one cake layer, flat side-up, on a cake stand. Using a spatula, spread the raspberry-chocolate frosting over the cake layer leaving a 1/2-inch border. Place the other cake layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining chocolate frosting. Decorate with fresh raspberries or chocolate curls. Using a damp knife cut the cake into wedges and serve.
• Cake can be made 1 day in advance. Refrigerate in an airtight plastic container. Allow the cake to stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line three greased 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper and grease paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine first six ingredients. Combine buttermilk, oil and vanilla; add to dry ingredients. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; beat 2 minutes. Gradually add coffee (batter will be thin)., Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes . Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For filling, in a small saucepan, whisk together flour and milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let stand until cool. , In a large bowl, cream shortening and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and mix well. Gradually add cooled milk mixture; beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in liqueur, salt and, if desired, food coloring., Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread half the filling to within 1/4 in. of edge. Drizzle half the jam over filling. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Refrigerate until filling is set, about 30 minutes. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in cocoa and liqueur. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Frost top and sides of cake. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In another large bowl, beat butter with sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in liqueur. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk in two batches. Beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in melted chocolate.
• Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, smoothing tops with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through front to back and top to bottom, until a tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a small sharp knife around edges, then invert onto rack. Remove parchment and let cool completely, about 25 minutes. With a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes so they're level.
• Filling: While cakes are baking, stir together 3 cups raspberries, sugar, salt, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Cook over high, stirring frequently and mashing with the back of a spoon, until mixture comes to a boil, 2 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring, until mixture thickens and clings to spoon, 7 to 8 minutes more. (You should have 1 1/3 cups.) Let cool 30 minutes. Stir in 2 cups raspberries, reserving remainder.
• Spread half of filling over one cake. Top with second layer; spread remaining filling over top. Top with final layer, cut-side down. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour and up to overnight. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with remaining raspberries.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• For the chocolate cake batter:
• Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (9-inch round by 2-inch deep cake pans), and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.
• Beat the 12 egg yolks with the sugar until thick and pale, about 3 minutes using a hand or stand mixer. Sift and fold in the cocoa using a spatula.
• Beat the egg whites until firm peaks form. Slowly add the egg whites to the chocolate mixture in 3 increments.
• Divide the batter evenly between the pans lined with parchment paper and bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes, or until it springs back with the touch of your fingers. Let cool slightly and unmold. Cool completely.
• For the raspberry filling:
• In a small saucepan, melt the raspberry jam, transfer to a bowl and add the fresh raspberries. Stir delicately to coat the raspberries with the jam. Keep aside.
• For the chocolate mousse:
• In a saucepan, bring the cream to a boil and remove from heat. Pour the hot cream on the chopped chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes. Whisk the ganache until smooth. Add the butter and let cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
• Beat the 5 egg whites to soft peaks. Add the sugar and continue beating until firm peaks form. Slowly add the meringue in 3 increments to the chocolate ganache. Keep the mixture in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• To assemble the cake:
• Remove the parchment paper from the cake and invert one layer onto a plate. Spread half of the chocolate mousse and garnish with the reserved raspberry mixture. Place the second cake layer on top. Spread the remaining mousse and garnish with fresh raspberries. Top with chocolate shavings and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350° F. Grease bottom and side of two 9-inch cake pans with shortening; lightly flour.
• In large bowl, mix flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Stir in oil, vinegar and vanilla. Vigorously stir oil mixture and water into flour mixture with spoon about 1 minute or until well blended. Immediately pour into pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Place 1 cake layer, top side down, on serving platter; spread with 1/4 cup of the jam. Top with second layer, top side up; dust with powdered sugar. Garnish with raspberries.

MODERN CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Generously grease 9-inch springform pan with shortening and lightly flour, or spray with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs, sour cream and pudding mix with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally (or mix with spoon until well blended). Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Pour into pan.
• Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 2 hours.
• Carefully remove side of springform pan. Place cake on serving plate. In small microwavable bowl, microwave 3/4 cup chocolate chips, the butter, corn syrup and raspberry extract uncovered on High 30 seconds. Stir; microwave 10 to 20 seconds longer or until smooth. Slowly pour glaze over top of cake; spread to edge with offset spatula (some glaze may drip down side). Let stand 1 hour for glaze to harden.
• Place cake stencil on top of cake and sift cocoa powder over top. Carefully remove stencil.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH RASPBERRY FILLING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Combine chopped chocolate and hot coffee in a bowl. Stir occasionally until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside.
• Sift sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
• Beat eggs in a bowl using an electric mixer until slightly thickened and lemon-colored. Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and melted chocolate mixture. Beat until well combined. Add sugar-flour mixture; beat on medium speed until just combined. Divide batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cool completely in pans on wire racks, about 30 minutes. Invert layers onto racks.
• While cakes are cooling, bring heavy cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over low heat in a small saucepan. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Add chocolate; whisk until melted. Add butter; whisk until smooth. Let ganache frosting cool until spreadable, about 10 minutes.
• While frosting and cakes continue to cool, puree raspberries in a food processor. Press through a fine mesh strainer with the back of a spoon into a saucepan. Pour in sugar and cornstarch; bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Cook until thickened and reduced, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in lemon zest. Remove raspberry filling from heat.
• Cut each cake layer in 1/2 horizontally to produce 4 equal layers. Spread 1/3 raspberry filling onto each of 3 layers and stack. Place top layer onto cake. Spread ganache frosting evenly from center of top layer down the sides of the cake.

DARK CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a fluted tube pan (such as Bundt®).
• Combine cake mix, water, oil, eggs, and almond extract in a large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly by hand, then fold in pie filling; batter will be thick. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before inverting carefully onto a cake platter or cake stand, about 30 minutes.
• For glaze, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add chocolate chips and stir constantly with a whisk until melted, then quickly stir in milk.
• Remove from heat and pour to drizzle evenly over cake. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH RASPBERRY FILLING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the sugar, milk, coffee, oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, coffee granules, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended., Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. baking pans. Bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For filling, in a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners' sugar. Add jam; beat until blended., For frosting, melt chocolate in a microwave; stir until smooth. In a large bowl, beat butter and chocolate until fluffy. Add marshmallow creme, confectioners' sugar and extract; beat until smooth., Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with filling. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with raspberries and chocolate curls. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare cake mix as directed in 9" round cake pans.
• Prepare mousse mix as directed except use the milk and liqueur for the liquid.
• Split each cake layer in half horizontally with a serrated knife.
• Place bottom of one layer on a cake plate.
• spread with 1/3 cup of the fudge topping.
• Spread 1/2 cup of the mousse over the fudge topping.
• Repeat layers two more times.
• Top with last cake layer.
• Finish frosting the cake with the remaining mousse.
• Cover and chill throughly.
• Garnish with fresh raspberries before serving.

CHOCOLATE & RASPBERRY BIRTHDAY LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line two round 20cm springform cake tins with baking parchment. Whisk the oil, sugar, eggs and milk in a bowl until smooth. Sieve the flour, cocoa and bicarb into another large bowl, then gradually mix in the wet ingredients.
• Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 35-40 mins until the cakes are risen and spring back when pressed. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the raspberry layer, stir the jam and the defrosted raspberries together. Once the cakes are cool, whip the cream with the sugar to soft peaks, then gently fold half the raspberry mixture through the cream to create a ripple effect.
• Spoon most of the reserved raspberry mixture over one of the cakes, then dollop on half of the cream. Smooth over with a palette knife, then place the other sponge on top. Swirl over the remaining cream and swirl the last of the raspberry mixture through it. Will keep in the fridge for two days.

WHITE CHOCOLATE & RASPBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base of 2 x 20cm round, loose-bottomed cake tins. Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof mixing bowl, set over a pan of barely simmering water and allow to melt slowly, stirring occasionally.
• When the butter and chocolate have melted, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 1-2 mins, then beat in the eggs and sugar with an electric whisk. Fold in the flour and raspberries.
• Gently pour the mixture into the tins and bake for 20-25 mins or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (the raspberries may leave a residue on the skewer, so don't be fooled by their juiciness). Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool in the tins for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack.
• To make the ganache, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl with 100ml of the cream, set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted into the cream and you are left with a smooth, glossy ganache. Leave the ganache to cool to room temperature, then beat in the rest of the cream.
• When the cakes have cooled, sandwich them together with the chocolate ganache. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY RUFFLE CAKE

Steps:

• First of all: these are not typical directions, but you need to know about needed equipment before attempting this cake. Here it is:.
• 8-inch round cake pan, at least 2 inches high.
• 8-inch round cake pan with removable bottom or 8-inch springform pan.
• untreated heavy-duty jelly-roll pans.
• rubber spatula, offset spatula, and flexible 8-inch metal icing spatula.
• decorating turntable, lazy Susan, or inverted round cake pan.
• ridged plastic shelf liner, freezer paper, or 055 Mylar (I used the plastic shelf liner).
• parchment paper and waxed paper.
• MAKING THE CAKE:.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven or just below the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F Fit the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan, one at least 2 inches high, with parchment paper and set aside.
• Pour the clarified butter into a 1-quart bowl and stir in the vanilla extract, if you're using it. The butter must be hot when added to the batter, so either keep the bowl in a skillet of hot water or reheat at the last minute.
• Although the flour and cocoa were sifted before they were measured, they need to be triple-sifted together. Sift or sieve the flour and cocoa together 3 times, then set sifter on a plate or piece of waxed paper and return the dry ingredients to the sifter. Keep close at hand.
• Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large heatproof bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Set the bowl over direct heat or in a pan of barely simmering water and heat the eggs, whisking constantly, until they are warm to the touch. Remove the bowl from the heat and, working with a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a hand-held mixer), beat the eggs at high speed until they are cool, have tripled in volume, and hold a ribbon when the whisk is lifted.
• Sift one third of the dry ingredients over the eggs and, using a large rubber spatula, fold in gently but thoroughly. When the color of the batter is almost uniform, fold in the rest of the flour-cocoa mixture.
• Spoon about 1 cup of the batter into the hot clarified butter add fold together until well blended. Spoon this over the batter and, using the large rubber spatula, gently fold into the batter.
• Spoon the batter into the pan: there's no need to smooth the top or rap the pan on the counter, as is sometimes done with foam-based cakes. Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes, or until top of the cake springs back when pressed gently. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the cake cool in the pan.
• When the cake is completely cool, run a small knife around the sides of the pan to release the cake and unmold onto a rack; invert right side up onto a piece of parchment paper. (The cake can be made ahead to this point, wrapped well, and kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw, still wrapped, at room temperature.).
• PREPARING THE CHOCOLATE:.
• The chocolate is going to be spread and then scraped into ruffles from four baking pans; if you don't have enough pans, you can make the ruffles in 2 batches. Choose heavy-duty jelly-roll pans that are neither warped nor dented, neither nonstick non treated with special coatings. Keep them close at hand.
• Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water, in the top of a double boiler over an inch of simmering water, or in a microwave oven sat at medium power. Stir the chocolate regularly until it is fully melted. Smooth, and 115F to 120F (You can test the temperature with an instant-read thermometer or by putting a drop on your top lip - it should feel warm.).
• Hold the bottom of one of the baking sheets over a burner (either gas or electric) and, moving it back and forth, heat it until it is warm but not hot enough to burn your fingers. Put the baking pan upside down on a flat surface and pour on about 1/3 cup of the chocolate. Use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate thinly and evenly over the bottom of the baking pan: the chocolate will only be about 1/16 inch thick. Refrigerate the pan for at least 30 minutes, or for as long as several hours, depending on your schedule. (It is better to chill the pans for a long time and let them come up to ruffling temperature - in which case they'll stay at temperature longer - than to catch them the moment they turn cool enough to ruffle.) Repeat with rest of the chocolate and the other baking pans.
• MAKING THE RUFFLES:.
• To shape the ruffles, work with one baking pan of chocolate at a time. Remove a pan of chocolate from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature to warm gradually until it is pliable enough to be scraped.
• Place the baking pan on a counter in front of you, a short side braced against your body. Hold the end of the blade of a then, flexible 8-inch metal icing spatula in your left hand (reverse procedures if left-handed) and, with your right hand, grab the blade close to the handle. You should have 4 to 5 inches of blade exposed and available for ruffling.
• Using the top left corner of the pan as your staring point and imagining that corner of the pan as 12 o'clock, position your left hand in that corner, and your right at 2 o'clock. Press the edge of the blade against the chocolate at a very shallow angle, as if you were going to slide the spatula blade under the chocolate. Now slide the blade forward, moving your right hand down to 5 o'clock and then pivoting the blade to the left, all the way to the edge of the pan. As your right hand is moving down, so is your left, although not as far - your left hand will move down 4 to 5 inches. This is an important point - if you don't move your left hand down, you'll end up with tight curls of chocolate rather than ruffles. As you scrape and ruffle the chocolate against the blade and then make the pivot, the chocolate will gather against the blade -- use your left hand to pinch the chocolate so that the ruffles form a fan and the pinched part is a little handle. You've completed one ruffle.
• As you make each ruffle, place it on a parchment or waxed paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate. When the ruffles harden, you can layer them between sheets of waxed paper. (Store them in a container in the refrigerator; they'll keep for a few days.).
• Make 2 more ruffles across the top of the pan, using the previously Scraped area as your guide -- the left-hand corner of chocolate will be your 12 o'clock point and the cleaned-off section of the pan your edge, or end point. Make the next three ruffles just below; then turn the pan around to get to the chocolate on the bottom and make three more. With practice -- and ruffling takes lots of practice -- you'll get 9 ruffles from each pan. Don't worry if you get fewer at the start.
• If, as sometimes happens, your ruffles crack or you get rolls of chocolate, not ruffles, it might be because the chocolate is too cold -- give it a few more minutes at room temperature before you try again. If the chocolate melts and gets gooey next to the spatula, it's too soft and needs a minute or two more in the refrigerator. When the temperature is just right -- smooth and pliable -- but you still can't get a nicely fanned ruffle, angle the blade differently as you scrape.
• FOR THE SYRUP:.
• Bring the water and sugar to the boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Add 1/4 cup of the eau-de-vie. Taste the syrup and decide if you'd like a little more of the liqueur; set aside.
• FOR FILLING AND WRAP.
• Beat the creme fraiche with the vanilla extract to soft peaks, then add 2 Tbsp of the sugar, beating until thickened. Taste and add more sugar if you want it, then continue to beat until the cream just begins to stiffen. Cover and keep refrigerated until needed.
• Assembling the Cake -- Cut the cooled genoise into 3 even layers with a long serrated knife. Fit one layer into the bottom of a high-sided 8-inch round cake pan with a removable bottom or an 8-inch springform pan and brush the layer with syrup.
• Place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl and whisk in the boiling water until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Switch to a rubber spatula and folds 1/4 cup of the creme fraiche into the chocolate. Fold in another cup of the creme fraiche and then quickly, before it hardens, spread the chocolate creme fraiche evenly over the genoise layer in the pan.
• Moisten the second layer of genoise with syrup and set it, moistened side down, in the pan, pressing gently to level it on the chocolate creme fraiche. Moisten the top of the layer with some of the syrup and top with an even layer of fresh raspberries, leaving just a bit of space between each berry. Keep 1 perfect berry in reserve.
• Beat the remaining creme fraiche until it holds its shape. Spoon 1 to 2 cups of the creme fraiche over the berries and, using an offset spatula, delicately smooth the creme fraiche over and between the berries.
• Moisten the remaining layer of genoise with syrup and set it, moistened side down, into the pan, again pressing lightly to set it in place.
• Chilling the Cake -- Cover the cake and the remaining creme fraiche with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours, or up to 24 hours.
• Run a knife around the sides of the cake, then release and remove the pan or the ring of the springform pan. Put the cake, still on its pan bottom, on a large piece of parchment paper and set the cake on a decorating turntable, a lazy Susan, or a large inverted cake pan.
• Making the Wrap -- Using ridged plastic shelf liner (available in hardware and housewares stores), freezer paper, or 500 Mylar (from an art supply store), cut a strip 26 inches long and 3/8 inch wider than the height of the finished cake, about 3 inches. Place a larger piece of waxed paper on the counter in front of you --this is your drip sheet -- and put the strip on the waxed paper. (If you're using ridged plastic or Mylar, put the smooth glossy side face up.).
• Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over an inch of barely simmering water or in a microwave oven set at medium power, stirring chocolate once or twice until melted and smooth. The chocolate should be between 115F to 120°F Pour the chocolate down the center of the strip, spreading it with an offset spatula across the entire strip and beyond -- let it run over a bit onto the waxed paper. (You can scrape up the chocolate from the waxed paper later and remelt it when you need a dollop of chocolate to finish the cake.).
• Slip the point of a small knife under one edge of the chocolate-coated strip and grab the edges of the strip with your fingers.
• Slide your free hand under the strip and grab the other end. Lift the strip and fit it neatly around the cake, positioning it so that the chocolate side is against the cake. Press one end against the cake and leave the other end standing away from the cake at the point where it would overlap if you pressed it closed. Slip a small piece of waxed paper into this spot, just to hold your place.
• ASSEMBLY AND FINISHING.
• Chilling the Wrapped Cake -- Refrigerate the cake of at least 1 hour, until the chocolate hardens.
• Finishing the Wrapped Cake -- Place the cake on the decorating turntable and spread the remained creme fraiche over the top, spreading it out to the edge of the band.
• Remove the chocolate ruffles from the refrigerator and, beginning at the outside edge, arrange the ruffles in a circle, planting them gently in the creme fraiche and allowing their frilly edges to extend beyond the cake's rim. Continue to arrange the ruffles in slightly overlapping concentric circles until the creme fraiche is covered. Put the reserved perfect raspberry in the center of the cake and chill the cake for about 15 minutes, until firm (or up to 6 hours, if necessary), before removing the plastic and serving.
• To remove the plastic on the chocolate band, discard the waxed paper "place keeper" and peel away an inch of the plastic from the end of the band attached to the cake. Put a dollop of melted chocolate on that end to act as glue and overlap the other end of the band, pressing lightly to seal it. Carefully remove the plastic. If the plastic sticks, put the cake back in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, then try again.
• To cut the cake, dip a long sharp serrated knife into hot water, wipe it dry, and cut straight down. Since the first piece is often difficult to remove, it's best to make it a generous, easier-to-remove slice.
• Storing -- Although the parts of the cake can be made well in advance, the assembled cake should be served the day it is made.