Valentine’s Day is defined as a global holiday dedicated to expressing love, affection, and friendship. It is so much more than a holiday just for your significant other. In my family, we celebrate this day together as a reminder of how much we love and appreciate each other. One way I show my family love is by baking their favorite treats.
Being the first child and grandchild, I was showered with love from my entire family. The attention was always on me, and yet I still must have been lonely. While my grandparents and I were home baking cupcakes, my parents had been at the hospital, getting ready to welcome my little sister, Kelsey, into the world.
I was probably too young to fully understand what being an older sibling meant, but I held my newborn sister like she was the greatest gift from God. Kelsey had always been headstrong, pushing the limits, while I was a little miss perfect and did what I was told. Now that I am older, I can confirm my Nonna was right when she told us how lucky we were to have a sister. Sure, we still get into fights, but she is the one person I can always count on to never stop being my best friend. Although I may have taken it for granted when I was younger, I can’t imagine growing up with anyone else.
With this being my last year before I move five hours away, the little things make me tear up knowing I have to leave her behind. She won’t be right across the hall from me anymore, always there when I want to do something. I will miss the nights we spent just chatting in the bathroom as we got ready for bed, and the late nights she stayed up doing my nails. Soon, I won’t be there for a lot of those big moments in her life, and I’ll be watching her grow up through pictures on a screen. I used to wish I had an older sibling, but being the oldest allowed me to watch a goofy little toddler grow into a young woman just starting to face the world.
This past year, Kelsey and I have spent a lot more time together. We watched the final season of The Summer I Turned Pretty, so I decided to surprise her by making Jeremiah’s famous two-tier mirror glaze chocolate cake with raspberry coulis. Not only did it turn out amazing, but it is a dessert I will be remaking for Valentine’s Day. This is a rich cake, but the raspberry coulis adds a sweetness that makes the combination perfect.
Because the upcoming holiday celebrates the love we have for others, baking this cake is an amazing way to show someone just how much you love them. What Valentine’s Day treat is better than something chocolatey and sweet?
Jeremiah’s Two-Tier Mirror Glaze Chocolate Cake With Raspberry Coulis
Ingredients:
Raspberry Coulis:
¼ cup sugar
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ cups frozen raspberries
Chocolate Cake:
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup dutch process cocoa powder
4 cups white sugar
4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
4 cups warm coffee
4 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 + ⅓ cup vegetable oil
Chocolate Ganache:
Two 4-ounce quality semi-sweet chocolate bars, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
Mirror Glaze:
⅔ cup water
⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup + 2 tbsp white sugar
4 tsp gelatin powder
- Raspberry Coulis: To make the raspberry coulis, mix together the sugar and lemon juice, and microwave for 2 minutes. Stir in 10-second increments. Afterward, blend together the raspberries and the hot syrup we just made. Blend until smooth. Then, pour the puree through a fine-mesh strainer over another bowl. The mixture is thick, so leave it out for a few minutes. Discard the seeds, and store the coulis in the fridge until it’s ready to use!
- Chocolate Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F, then grease and line two 8″ cake pans and two 6″ cake pans. In a large bowl, add in your dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together your wet ingredients. Once combined, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix that until everything is combined thoroughly. Evenly distribute the batter into the 4 cake pans. Bake at 350°F for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set them out to cool.
- While the cakes cool, make the chocolate ganache: Place the chocolate chips into a large heat-safe bowl. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm up the heavy whipping cream until it starts to simmer. Once it starts simmering, pour the hot cream into the chocolate. Cover that with a plate and let it sit for about 2 minutes.
- Whisk together the cream and chocolate until they’re combined. Cover the ganache with plastic wrap and chill it until it’s room temperature. It should take about an hour. Meanwhile, once the cakes are out of the oven, let them cool COMPLETELY.
- Once the ganache is at room temperature, whip it with an electric hand mixer. This should take a couple of minutes. Once it’s done, it will be lighter in color, and its consistency should look similar to buttercream frosting.
- Mirror Glaze: Place 2 + 1/2 Tbsp. water into a bowl, then sprinkle gelatin powder over the top. Mix it a bit, then leave it for 5 minutes to let it “bloom”. Add 2/3 cup of water and cocoa powder into a saucepan and mix it until combined. Into the mixture, add a SPLASH of the heavy cream and mix it in with the cocoa and water. Add in the remaining heavy cream and white sugar. Mix VERY GENTLY. Do not use a whisk.
- Place the mixture on the stove at medium-high heat, and remove it from the heat once it reaches a boil. Add the gelatin mixture, and stir it gently until you have a fully combined mixture. Then, strain the mixture, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it cool at room temperature for 2 hours.
- Assemble: To assemble your cake, place one of the 8″ layers onto a cake plate. Lather on a generous amount of the whipped ganache and spread it evenly. Pipe a border of whipped ganache around the edge to create a dam that will hold in the raspberry coulis. Spoon the raspberry coulis (about two-thirds of the mixture) inside the border. Place the second 8″ cake layer on top and repeat the process with your 6″ cake layers. Once all tiers are stacked and filled, cover the entire cake with a thin crumb coat of whipped ganache to seal in any loose crumbs. Chill the cake for about an hour, then smooth out the surface as much as possible before glazing.
- Glaze the Cake: Once your cake is fully chilled and smooth, place it on a wire rack set over a large tray or baking sheet to catch any excess glaze. Make sure your mirror glaze has cooled to room temperature; it should be pourable but not hot. Slowly pour the glaze over the top center of the cake, letting it flow evenly down the sides until the entire surface is coated in a smooth, glossy layer. If you see any air bubbles, gently pop them with a toothpick. Let the glaze set for about 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake to your serving plate or stand. Once it’s set, top with fresh raspberries for a simple and elegant finish.
