Chocolate and Raspberry Cake with Fluffy Marshmallow Frosting

inspired by and adapted from this vegan cake and King Arthur’s 7-minute frosting
(serves 16-20)

Chocolate layers:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground kosher salt
• 2/3 cup melted unrefined coconut oil
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 3/4 cups rice milk, room temperature

Raspberry Puree:

• 20 oz fresh raspberries, rinsed and dried

Raspberry layers (dark and light):

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground kosher salt
• 2/3 cup melted unrefined coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cups rice milk, room temperature
• 1/2 cup raspberry puree
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 500mL seedless raspberry jam (will likely not need all of it)

Fluffy Marshmallow Frosting:

• 4 large egg whites
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 3/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp ground kosher salt
• a few tbsp raspberry puree (for colour, if desired)
• 3 tsp clear vanilla extract

Make the chocolate layers:

Lightly grease 2 8″ round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment. Grease the parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour and cornstarch. Mix in the sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Beat together the coconut oil, rice milk and vinegar and add to the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Divide evenly across the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean and the cake is beginning to  slightly pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool the layers in the pan for 10 minutes and then cool completely on racks before frosting.

Make the raspberry puree:

In a non-reactive saucepan, cook the raspberries over medium heat until they start to breakdown. Stir often.

Remove from heat and strain to remove the seeds. Wipe the saucepan to remove any stray seeds and heat the strained puree. Simmer over medium heat, stirring often to ensure it’s not burning/sticking to the sides of the pan, until it is reduced by half. Remove from heat and cool before using.

Make the raspberry layers:

Lightly grease 2 8″ round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment. Grease the parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350F.

Thoroughly whisk together the flour and cornstarch. Mix in the sugar, baking soda and salt. Half the mixture across two bowls and set them aside.

Beat together 1/3 cup coconut oil, 3/4 cup rice milk, 1/4 cup raspberry puree, and 1 tsp vinegar and add to one of the bowls of the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Pour into one of the prepared cake pans. Quickly beat together the remaining coconut oil, rice milk, 1/8 cup of raspberry puree and vinegar and add it to the other bowl of the flour mixture. Mix that until it is just combined.  Pour into the other prepared cake pan. Bake the layers for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean and the cake is beginning to slightly pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool the layers in the pan for 10 minutes and then cool completely on racks before frosting.

Assemble the cake:

Level the layers if required.

Place a chocolate layer on a cake plate and spread approximately 1/4 cup (or slightly more if desired) raspberry jam over the entire layer.

Take the darker raspberry layer and with a large knife parallel to the bottom of the cake, slice the layer in half horizontally. Place one of the halves on the chocolate layer with jam and spread another 1/4 cup or so of raspberry jam over top.

Next, place the light raspberry layer on top of the prepared layers and spread another 1/4 cup of jam on top. Add the other half of the dark raspberry cake layer on next, repeat the jam and finally top with the last chocolate layer.

Refrigerate the cake, wrapping it tightly if it won’t be frosted after 60 minutes.

Make the Fluffy Marshmallow Frosting:

In a large clean bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy and thick but not holding any peaks. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, water, cream of tartar and salt. Stirring often, bring to a boil and continue to cook and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Boil the sugar mixture without stirring for approximately 2 minutes or until the temperature reaches 240F on a candy thermometer.

Start beating the egg whites again and slowly pour the sugar syrup down the inside of the bowl into the egg whites. Continue beating as the mixture thickens.  Add the vanilla extract and a few tablespoons of raspberry puree (if desired) to flavour and colour the frosting.

Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Frost the cooled, assembled cake immediately.