Almond Poppy Seed Cake

1. Cream the sugar and the shortening.
2. Add the sour cream, eggs, almond extract and dry ingredients.
3. Stir in the poppy seeds.
4. Pour the smooth batter into lined cupcake pans {or a greased and floured bundt or tube pan.}
5. Bake the cupcakes for 40 minutes at 325 degrees or until a toothpick comes out clean. {A bundt cake will cook for about 60 minutes.}
6. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then let them cool completely on a wire rack. {Let the bundt cake cool for fifteen minutes before removing it from the pan. To remove the cake, gently slide a sharp knife around all of the edges to loosen it from the pan. Then place a plate over the top of the pan and flip it over to allow the cake to slide out of the pan. Let it cool completely.}

Chocolate Ganache

1. Bring the cream {and corn syrup if desired} to a simmer over low heat.
2. Place the chocolate chips or shavings in a heat-proof bowl.
3. Pour the steamed cream mixture over the chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes.
4. Gently stir the chocolate until a smooth, creamy mixture forms.
5. Place it in the refrigerator for 5 minute intervals, stirring it in between, to allow the ganache to thicken.

Raspberry Filling

1. Dissolve the flour and sugar into the water in a small saucepan over low heat.
2. Stir in the raspberries and let the berries simmer, stirring constantly for 5-10 minutes until the raspberries break down and the mixture thickens.
3. Remove the raspberry filling from the heat and let it cool.

Almond Buttercream Frosting

1. Mix the ingredients and beat them for several minutes until a smooth, creamy frosting forms.
2. Adjust the consistency by adding more milk or powdered sugar.

Cupcakes

1. Working with cooled cupcakes, remove the paper liners and slice the cupcakes in half.
2. Spread a thin layer of almond buttercream on the bottom half of the cupcake, top with a small amount of raspberry filling and then chocolate ganache.
3. Spread a thin layer of almond buttercream on the underside of the top half of the cupcake and sandwich the to halves together.
4. If necessary, freeze for 5 minutes to allow the filling to set and not run out the sides.
5. Spread a thin layer of buttercream frosting on top of the cupcake.
6. Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl and microwave them in 30 second intervals, stirring them after each interval, until they are melted {being careful not to over-heat them}.
7. Dip the raspberries in the chocolate to almost completely coat them.
8. Place the dipped raspberries on a pan lined with waxed paper and allow the chocolate to harden. {If using frozen raspberries, place the raspberries back in the freezer so that the berries don’t thaw and melt.}
9. Roll out the marzipan as thinly as possible on a clean, smooth surface that has been dusted with powdered sugar.
10. Cut circles from the marzipan and either cover just the top of each cupcake or the entire cupcake.
11. Smooth the marzipan gently with a rolling pin.
12. Sprinkle the cupcakes with powdered sugar and garnish with a chocolate-dipped raspberry.
13. Serve the cupcakes immediately. The chocolate ganache and buttercream frosting should be fine left unrefrigerated in a cool environment for a couple of days but to be on the safe side, I store leftovers in the refrigerator and then bring them to room temperature for 10-15 minutes prior to serving them.