Cake: 

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare two 8 ” round cake pans with parchment paper and cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes to blend.
3. Divide batter in half about 2 cups per cake pan.  Pour into prepared cake pans.
4. Bake cake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool, remove from pans, wrap and freeze 60 minutes or overnight.

Raspberry Filling

In small saucepan, add sugar and cornstarch, water, lemon juice and berries. Stir until berries are cooked, slightly smash berries to help thicken filling. Put filling in small bowl and chill until ready to assemble cake.

Frosting: In large mixing bowl using a stand mixer with beater attachment, whip softened butter until fluffy.   Add melted chocolate and cocoa mix until combined with butter on medium speed.  Add vanilla and salt, with one cup of confectioners sugar. Whip to blend, continue adding confectioner’s sugar along with cream.  Beat on medium high speed to create a smooth spreadable frosting. Set aside til ready to frost cakes. Fill pastry bag fitted with wide round tip # 808 with frosting, set aside.  You will also want to fill another pastry bag fitted with Tip # 1 M for piping the dollops on top of finished cake.

Ganache-  In microwaveable safe bowl add heavy cream, heat for 50 seconds or until cream is very warm but not boiling.  In medium mixing bowl, add chocolate chips and pour warmed cream over the chips. Stir with spatula until chocolate is melted and smooth.  Ganache will set up as it sits. Set aside til ready to assemble cake.

Assemble the Cake

1. Remove frozen cake from freezer, slice both cakes in half horizontally. Place one cake layer on serving platter/cake stand.
2. Pipe frosting creating a dam around inside outer edge of cake layer.  Fill inside the wall of frosting 2-3 tablespoons of ganache, smooth across cake top.  Spoon raspberry filling over the top of ganache in a thin layer, dividing the filling so you have enough for two additional layers.
3. Add another cake layer over the top of raspberry filled bottom cake.  Repeat process with ganache and filling, two more times leaving the top cake layer.
4. Cake is stacked.  Place in freezer if you can to firm up the cake for 30 minutes.  If this is not possible. Chill in refrigerator to firm up stacked cake.
5. Frost entire cake with chocolate frosting.  You may need to rewhip the frosting to a creamy state, add additional cream if necessary for smoothness. Using an off set spatula smooth top and sides of cake.  Create a crisp edge at the top of cake to help hold the ganache drips.
6. Place ganache in squeeze bottle or use a spoon and spoon ganache on top edge of cake and allow it drip down the sides.  Ganache needs to be slightly thickened but not too runny.  Rewarm in microwave a few seconds to get the right consistency.
7. Once drips are all around cakes edge, fill in the top center of cake, use off set spatula to smooth.
8. Pipe frosting swirls using tip # 1 M on top of ganache covered cake, about 7.  Add fresh raspberry to each swirl, sprinkle cake with chocolate chips if desired.
9. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve, slice into small pieces or as you wish.