French Vanilla Butter Cake with Raspberry Filling Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and Bittersweet Ganache

Cake
3 cups flour
¼ cup rice flour (or cornstarch)
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
¾ cup cultured unsalted butter
1 ½ cups vanilla sugar
4 large eggs, separated
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp vanilla
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
3 tbsp nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt
---
Vanilla-Raspberry Filling
1/3 cup granulated or super-fine sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ cup boiling water
¼ cup meringue powder
1 tbsp vanilla
4 cups sifted icing sugar
2 cups shortening, softened
2 tbsp raspberry puree or seedless raspberry jam
½ tsp lemon juice
---
Very Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
1/3 cup vanilla sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ cup boiling water
1/3 cup meringue powder
1 tbsp vanilla
4 cups sifted icing sugar
1 cup cultured unsalted butter, softened
1 cup shortening, softened
---
Ganache
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
¾ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp shortening

Cake
Preheat oven to 350F, grease a 10" springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and vanilla sugar until fluffy.
Add egg yolks, honey and vanilla, beating well.
In a cup or small bowl, stir together buttermilk and yogurt until smooth.
Beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, alternate additions of flour and buttermilk mixtures, beating well after each one.
With clean beaters, whip egg whites until soft peaks, fold into the batter.
Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake on the lowest rack of the oven, covering with foil halfway through, 55-60 minutes, until it tests done.
Cool in the pan 1 hour, then refrigerate a minimum of 1 hour before unmoulding.
---
Filling
Dissolve the sugar and salt in the boiling water. Cool to room temperature.
Add the meringue powder and use a mixer to beat on slow speed until the powder is dissolved and the mixture is foamy.
Increase the speed and beat 3-4 minutes longer.
Beat in the vanilla followed by the icing sugar.
Add the butter and shortening a few tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the puree and lemon juice.
Chill 30 minutes before use.
---
Buttercream Frosting
Dissolve the sugar and salt in the boiling water. Cool to room temperature.
Add the meringue powder and use a mixer to beat on slow speed until the powder is dissolved and the mixture is foamy.
Increase the speed and beat 3-4 minutes longer.
Beat in the vanilla followed by the icing sugar.
Add the butter and shortening a few tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is thick, creamy and fluffy.
Chill 30 minutes before use.
---
Ganache
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, melt together chocolate, cream and shortening until smooth.
Remove from heat and allow to cool 10 minutes. Gently re-warm if necessary for even spreading.
---
Assembly
Level the top of the well-chilled cake and slice horizontally into three even layers.
Place bottom layer on a cake round.
With an offset spatula or palette knife, spread ½ of the Vanilla-Raspberry Filling in an even layer over the bottom round and top with the second layer.
Spread second layer with remaining ½ of the filling and place the final layer on top.
Using some of the remaining frosting, apply a thin “crumb coat” over the entire outside of the cake.
Refrigerate 1 hour.
Finish covering the top and sides of cake with the remaining frosting, making it as smooth as possible.
Freeze 30 minutes.
Pour ganache gently onto the centre of the top of the cake and spread to form “drips” or a “shadow” effect down the sides.
Allow cake to set at room temperature, then keep in the refrigerator until serving.

Number of Servings: 20

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user JO_JO_BA.