Raspberry Birthday Cake

Every year, I have to make myself a Birthday cake.  I suppose I could relax and just let someone else make me one or buy me one, but then I wouldn't be getting exactly the cake I wanted.  I waited pretty much until the last minute this year to decide on my cake, and ended up picking red velvet raspberry.  But the red velvet part was not meant to be I guess.  I mixed up my red velvet batter, which actually contains red beets because they keep the cake wonderfully moist and in the past have added a lot of lovely red color, but this time for some reason when I baked the cakes up they emerged from the oven brown!  They smelled wonderful, but had you not known they contained beets you would have guessed vanilla cake.  I was bummed at first, but then I decided that it was ok to not have a red velvet cake. 

A lovely raspberry cake would do just fine!  I filled the layers with raspberry laced cream cheese and home made vanilla scented raspberry jam, and decorated the cake with pink cream cheese frosting.  I always feel like a little kid at play when decorating cakes, and every time I do, I am reminded of why I enjoy making my own instead of buying them.  The best part of decorating afterall is eating the extra frosting!  The cake was delicious, the layers of creamy raspberry and sweet tart jam complimenting the vanilla cake so well, with the sweet smooth frosting to top it off! 

It turned out pretty delicious for something that was a bit of a mistake to begin with!  Nobody else noticed that it was supposed to be red velvet, and as I was enjoying it on Saturday night with Scott, I was reminded that Birthday's aren't just about cake, but celebrating with those that you enjoy most!  I think we both ate way too much because it was pretty hard not to eat a huge piece, but hey Birthday's are for indulging right?  I think I will have to make it again before another birthday rolls around!  I have included the recipe if you would like to try some! 

Raspberry Birthday Cake

Makes 1 6 inch 4 layer cake

Cake:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup maple sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup cooked red beet puree*
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp raspberry juice
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Filling:
1 8 oz pkg vegan cream cheese (such as tofutti)
1/2 cup vanilla scented raspberry jam*
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
a pinch of sea salt

Frosting:
2 8 oz pkgs vegan cream cheese (such as Tofutti)
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp agave nectar

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
a large pinch of sea salt
natural red food coloring

fresh raspberries for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper and pan sides with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk beet puree, oil, vanilla extract, and raspberry  juice together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in lemon juice and stir quickly (pale swirls will be in the batter, which is the baking soda reacting with the vinegar, which allows the cake to rise since there are no eggs). Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour. Cut around sides of pan to loosen. Turn cake out onto platter; peel off parchment paper. Let cool completely, then place in the fridge to chill until very cold to make slicing easier (since cakes with no eggs crumble easier). When chilled, slice cakes horizontally in half so that you have 4 layers.

To make filling, beat together cream cheese and jam with vanilla and sea salt until smooth.  Place in the fridge to stay cool. 
To make frosting, beat cream cheese in a large bowl until very fluffy and smooth, Then beat in remaining ingredients until well blended, and add red food coloring to tint to desired shade of pink. To assemble cake, place a layer of cake on a plate, and spoon 2 Tbsp raspberry jam over, spreading almost to sides.  Then spoon a heaping 1/2 cup filling over, almost to the sides, then top with another cake layer and repeat. Top with another cake layer, another jam and fillling layer, then the top cake layer. Spread the frosting over the top and the sides of the cake, and pipe some of it decoratively on top of the cake and at the base, using a pastry bag.  Decorate the cake with fresh berries.  Chill the cake at least a few hours to set filling before serving.

*if you would like a 4 layer 9 inch cake, double this entire recipe and bake in two 9 inch cake pans.

Vanilla Scented Raspberry Agave Jam
Makes 2 cups

2 bags frozen raspberries 12 oz each
3/4 cups agave nectar
Juice of one large lemon
a pinch of sea salt
1 vanilla bean

Lightly blend strawberries, agave nectar, and lemon juice in blender (you want to keep it chunky). Pour mixture into a pot and add salt.  Slit the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife, and scrape the seeds out.  Throw the seeds and bean into the pot.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Let simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour jam into an air tight container. Jam will store in your refrigerator for several months.