Chocolate-Raspberry Meringue Cake

45 minutes preparation plus cooling, 40 minutes baking

Makes 12 servings

2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
3 large eggs
1-1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling, Topping, and Garnish
1 cup seedless raspberry jam
5 large egg whites
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Semisweet chocolate shavings
Confectioners'sugar

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour; tap out excess.

2 Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.

3 Beat together sugar and shortening at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, alternately beat flour mixture and milk into egg mixture until blended. Beat in vanilla. Pour batter into prepared pans.

4 Bake cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks to cool slightly. Turn cakes out onto racks to cool completely.

5 Slice each cake layer in half horizontally. Place 1 layer on an ovenproof plate. Spread one-third of jam over top. Repeat with 2 more layers, stacking layers. Top with remaining layer.

6 Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

7 To prepare topping, using clean beaters, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, and cream of tartar, beating until stiff, but not dry, peaks form.

8 Spread topping over top and sides of cake. Using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, pipe small dollops of topping around cake.

9 Bake cake until topping is set, 10 minutes. (Watch carefully to prevent burning.) Transfer plate to a wire rack to cool completely. To garnish, sprinkle chocolate shavings in center of cake. Dust with confectioners' sugar.