Chocolate Raspberry Dessert

Last Friday we went over to Amy and Brennan's for dinner and I brought dessert.  I always let Denis go through my dessert book's and let him pick out what I should make.  I wanted to make something chocolate and from scratch, so I had him choose from my Hershey's Recipe Collection book.  He chose Chocolate Raspberry Dessert.  It's very good, but VERY rich.  A small square is all you really need.  I actually think this dessert would be great served at a bridal or baby shower, cut into small squares served in small candy cups (that is how rich this dessert is).  If it was a baby shower for a boy, you could substitute the raspberry liqueur (or preserves) for blueberry, making the center filling blue rather than pink. 

Here is the recipe:

The Cake

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 tsp baking powder
4 large eggs
16oz can HERSHEY'S Syrup

Raspberry Cream Center

Ingredients
2 cups powdered sugar
1 stick butter, softened
2 tbsp raspberry liqueur (or 1/4 cup raspberry preserves mixed with 1 tsp water)
Few drops red food coloring - optional

Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients
6 tbsp butter
1 cup HERSHEY'S Special Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions
1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 13x9x2 baking pan.
2.  Combine flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and eggs in a large bowl; beat until smooth.  Add syrup; blend thoroughly.  Pour batter into prepared pan.
3.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool Completely in pan on a wire rack.
4.  Combine powdered sugar, softened stick of butter and raspberry liqueur (or preserves) in a medium bowl; beat until smooth. 
5.  Spread Raspberry Cream Center on cake.
6.  Refrigerate and chill cake and center for at least 2 hours.
7.  Melt 6 tbsp of butter and 1 cup chocolate chips over very low heat.  Stir until smooth.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.
8.  Pour Chocolate Glaze over chilled dessert.
9.  Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.  Cover; refrigerate leftover dessert.

Side Notes:
1.  If you are a chocolate lover, this is a dessert for you. 
2.  I used the preserves, rather than the liqueur, because it was cheaper to buy raspberry preserves, rather than a $20 bottle of alcohol.  Although, I would imagine that the liqueur is quite tasty.
3.  You could substitute the raspberry for any flavor, boysenberry, orange, apricot, apple, strawberry.  I would think all would taste great.
4.  Making this dish is a little time consuming because it's a 3 step process and you need to include time to chill the dish in between steps, but it's worth it.

Hope you give this dessert a try, it's quite tasty! :-)