Ritner Family Mayonnaise Cake with Raspberries

• 3 cups flour
• 1-1/2 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2-1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1-1/2 cup mayonnaise (we always use Hellman's/Best Foods)
• 2 tsp. instant coffee *, dissolved in
• 1-1/2 cup water
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 pint raspberries
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease and flour two 8 inch cake pans or one 9X13 cake pan.
3. Set cake pans aside.
4. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda.
5. Add the water/instant coffee mixture, and stir until moistened.
6. Add the mayonnaise and the vanilla, and mix well.
7. Mixture will be thick and "goopy".
8. Pour into prepared cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes.
9. A toothpick inserted into the cake should come out with no raw batter on it, but with some moist crumbs when the cake is done.
10. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before topping.
11. Raspberry Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water.
12. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
13. Reduce heat.
14. Add 1/8 cup of the raspberries, well mashed, to the sugar/water mixture.
15. Simmer over medium-low heat until mixture has reduced by 2/3.
16. The finished syrup will easily coat the back of a spoon, and be very sticky when it cools.
17. Remove syrup from stove and allow to cool slightly.
18. Strain through a seive to remove the seeds.
19. Assembling the Cake: Using a pastry brush or a spoon, brush the bottom of each layer of the cooled cake with the raspberry syrup.
20. Place the bottom layer upside down on a plate.
21. For a two layer cake, crush half the remaining raspberries and spoon over the bottom layer of the cake.
22. Top with the remaining layer of the cake, placing it upside down.
23. For the top layer, or a single layer cake, follow the directions from this point: On the side of the cake coated with raspberry syrup, arrange the remaining whole raspberries in a pleasing pattern.
24. Brush or spoon each whole raspberry with some of the raspberry syrup.
25. Allow the cake to sit for 30 minutes before serving.

flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, mayonnaise, instant coffee, water, vanilla, raspberries, water, sugar

Taken from www.foodgeeks.com/recipes/19348 (may not work)