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–+ servings
Brain Cake

Delicious Vanilla Raspberry Brain Cake

This Vanilla Raspberry Brain Cake is a fun and visually striking dessert, perfect for any celebration.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Dessert Recipes
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup butter room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 pcs eggs room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 drops red or pink food dye
Raspberry Filling
  • 1 cup frozen raspberries
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 pcs lemon juiced
  • 1 tbsp cold water
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
Buttercream Frosting
  • 2 cups butter softened
  • 4 cups icing sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 2-3 drops pink food dye

Equipment

  • oven
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Saucepan
  • Cake Pans
  • whisk
  • Electric Mixer
  • parchment paper
  • wire rack

Method
 

Cake Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 350?F (175?C). Grease and flour three 6-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add canola oil and mix until combined.
  5. Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
  6. Mix in vanilla extract and food dye until desired color is achieved.
  7. Gradually add dry ingredient mixture to wet ingredients, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
  8. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans.
  9. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  10. Cool cakes in pans for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Raspberry Filling Preparation
  1. For the raspberry jam filling, combine frozen raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until raspberries break down.
  2. Strain the mixture into a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup of juice, then return the mixture to the pan.
  3. Stir continuously as the mixture thickens, about 5-7 minutes.
  4. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry.
  5. Add cornstarch slurry to the raspberry mixture and stir to combine. Cook until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
  6. For the reduction, bring reserved raspberry juice to a low boil and reduce until sticky. Set aside to cool.
Assembly
  1. Prepare the buttercream with pink food dye to achieve desired color.
  2. Stack the first cooled cake layer on a surface and spread buttercream on top. Create a dam of buttercream around the edge.
  3. Fill the center with raspberry jam filling. Place the second cake layer on top and repeat with buttercream and jam.
  4. Top with the final cake layer.
  5. Apply a crumb coat of buttercream to the entire cake. Chill for about 30 minutes.
  6. After chilling, carve the cake into a brain shape and apply a second crumb coat. Chill again until firm.
  7. Pipe a squiggly brain pattern onto the cake with pink buttercream.
  8. Gently brush the entire cake with raspberry jam reduction to create a 'blood' effect. Allow to set in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice

Notes

Feel free to customize the fruit filliing and frosting to your taste.

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