1. Raspberry Coulis: To make the Raspberry Coulis, mix together 1/4 cup sugar and 3 Tbsp lemon juice and microwave (in a microwave-safe bowl) for 2 minutes. Stir in 10-second increments. Now blend together 1 + 1/2 cups of raspberries and the hot syrup we just made. Blend until smooth. Now pour the puree through a fine-mesh strainer over another bowl. The mixture is thick, so it will take a few minutes. Discard the seeds, and store the coulis in the fridge until it’s ready to use!

2. Chocolate Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F, then grease and line two 8″ cake pans and two 6″ cake pans. To a large bowl, add in your dry ingredients and whisk until combined: 6 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup dutch process cocoa powder, 4 cups white sugar, 4 tsp. baking soda, and 2 tsp. salt.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together your wet ingredients: 4 cups warm coffee, 4 Tbsp. white vinegar, 2 Tbsp. vanilla extract, and 1 + 1/3 cup vegetable oil. Once combined, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix that until everything is completely combined. Now 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.

4. While the cakes are baking/cooling, we’re going to make the Chocolate Ganache: Place 2 cups of chocolate chips into a large heat-safe bowl. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm up 2 cups 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.

5. Now 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.

6. 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 should be lighter in color, and its consistency should look similar to buttercream frosting. Place the whipped ganache into a piping bag. Now it’s time to decorate the cake!

7. Mirror Glaze: Place 2 + 1/2 Tbsp. water into a bowl, then sprinkle 4 tsp. gelatin powder over the top. Mix it a bit, then leave it for 5 minutes to let it “bloom”. Now, add 2/3 cup water and 1 cup cocoa powder into a saucepan and mix it until combined. Now at first, just add a SPLASH of the heavy cream and mix it in with the cocoa and water. Add in the remaining heavy cream and 1 cup + 2 Tbsp. white sugar. Make sure to mix very gently, and do not use a whisk.

8. Turn the stove to medium high heet and once the mixture reaches a boil, remove it from heat. Add the gelatin mixture, and stir it gently until you have a fully combined mixture. Now strain the mixture, and cover it with plastic wrap (directly on the glaze) and let it cool at room temperature for 2 hours.

9. Assemble: To assemble your cake, place one of the 8″ layers onto a cake plate. Pipe 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 a generous layer of 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.

10. 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.

Enjoy!