1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick baking spray. Line the bottoms with 8-inch parchment paper circles and spray again.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and white granulated sugar. Set aside.

3. In a small pan on the stove over high heat, heat the water until steaming. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, oil, pure vanilla extract, and buttermilk. Then, slowly mix in the hot water, pouring gradually to avoid overheating the eggs.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Pour the batter evenly between the three prepared cake pans.

5. Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Let the cakes sit for 10 minutes in their hot pans before carefully transferring them to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before decorating.

6. Using a blender, blend the raspberries (thawed if frozen) and water into a smooth puree. Pour the raspberry puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove all seeds. Discard the seeds.

7. Pour the seedless raspberry puree into a small frying pan. Over medium heat, simmer the puree for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and deepens in color. It should reduce to approximately 1/4 cup. Let it cool completely before using in the frosting.

8. In a large bowl, sift the powdered sugar. Add in the grounded freeze-dried raspberries and mix to combine.

9. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), beat the room temperature unsalted butter on high speed for 3 minutes until it is super fluffy and light in color.

10. Add half of the powdered sugar mixture to the butter and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining powdered sugar mixture and mix on low until fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl again to ensure everything is combined.

11. Add the cooled reduced raspberry puree, pure vanilla extract, and salt to the frosting mixture. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl halfway through to ensure a smooth, uniform frosting.

12. Start the ganache after you’ve frosted the cake. In a small, heatproof bowl, place the semi-sweet chocolate chips. In a small pan, heat the heavy cream over medium-low heat until it begins to steam (do not boil). Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes.

13. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir the chocolate and cream until smooth and completely melted. If any chocolate chunks remain, microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth.

14. Using a serrated knife, carefully level the tops of your completely cooled chocolate cake layers by cutting off any domes.

15. Place the first cake layer on your serving platter or cake stand. Spread about 1 cup of raspberry frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the second cake layer. Place the final cake layer on top, with the bottom of the cake facing upwards for a flat top.

16. Apply a very thin, light layer of raspberry frosting all over the entire cake. This is called a crumb coat and traps any loose crumbs. Freeze the cake for 15 minutes to allow the crumb coat to set firm.

17. Remove the cake from the freezer. Apply a second, light layer of frosting to the entire cake. For a ‘semi-naked’ cake look, smooth it out to reveal some of the cake layers underneath. Freeze for another 10 minutes while you prepare the chocolate ganache (if not already done).

18. Pour half of the prepared chocolate ganache into a piping bag (or a ziptop bag with a small corner snipped off). Pipe the ganache around the very edge of the top of the cake, allowing it to naturally drip down the sides for a beautiful effect.

19. Pour the remaining ganache over the top of the cake and spread it gently to fill the top surface within the piped drips. Freeze the cake for 10 minutes to set the ganache before decorating with fresh raspberries.