Chocolate Raspberry Cake
This chocolate raspberry cake is a decadent dessert that is irresistible. The cake is made with moist and tender chocolate cake layers, filled with homemade raspberry filling, frosted in creamy chocolate buttercream frosting and topped with fresh raspberries. One slice of this cake will not be enough!
Ingredients for Chocolate Raspberry Cake
Chocolate Cake
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Dark cocoa powder – Use dark cocoa powder for the richest chocolate flavor and dark chocolate color.
- Baking powder + baking soda – Leavening agents to help the cake layers rise.
- Salt
- Milk – Room temperature. You can also use buttermilk.
- Eggs – Large eggs, room temperature.
- Vegetable oil – Use your favorite neutral baking oil.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Boiling water – You can also use hot coffee.
Creamy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Semisweet chocolate chips – Go with semi-sweet chocolate for the best chocolate flavor.
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Powdered sugar – Confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar.
- Dark cocoa powder – I prefer to use dark cocoa powder, but you can use any dutch-process cocoa powder.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla extract enhances the chocolate flavor of the frosting.
- Salt – A pinch of salt adds some contrast to the sweetness of the buttercream.
- Heavy cream – Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.
Raspberry Filling
- Raspberries – I recommend frozen raspberries for this recipe.
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon juice
- Cornstarch + water – To make a slurry to thicken the filling.
Tools & Supplies for Making the Chocolate Raspberry Cake
How to Make the Components for Chocolate Raspberry Cake
- Prep and preheat: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare three 7-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper circles.
- Make the cake batter: Whisk together the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, dark cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). Add in the milk, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and mix to combine. Pour in the boiling water and whisk until smooth.
- Bake the cake layers: Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake the cake layers for approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pan for 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the creamy chocolate buttercream frosting: Melt and cool the semisweet chocolate chips. Whip the butter until it is pale and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt and mix to combine. Pour in the heavy cream and whip for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Make the raspberry filling: Combine raspberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice over medium-low heat on the stove. Simmer until the raspberries have broken down and are bubbling. Mix together the cornstarch and water and add the slurry to the raspberry mixture, stirring well to combine. Remove from the heat. Run the filling through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Cool to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
How to Assemble the Chocolate Raspberry Cake
- Level the cooled chocolate cake layers with a serrated knife.
- Place one cake layer on a round cake board. Add a small amount of chocolate buttercream to the top of the layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
- Use a piping bag with the tip cut off filled with chocolate frosting to pipe a border of the frosting around the edge of the cake. Spread half of the raspberry filling onto the cake layer.
- Add the next cake layer and repeat the same process above with the second layer.
- Add the final cake layer to the top of the cake, bottom side facing up.
- With an offset spatula, add a crumb coat, a thin layer of frosting, to the top and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper to remove excess frosting to smooth the sides. Chill the cake for 20 minutes to firm the frosting.
- Spread a generous layer of the chocolate buttercream to the chilled cake with an offset spatula. Use a scalloped cake scraper to remove the excess frosting and create a pattern in the frosting. Chill for an additional 20 minutes.
- Use piping bags fitted with Ateco 869 and Wilton 4B piping tips to decorate the top of the cake with additional buttercream. Decorate with fresh raspberries.
Recipe Tips
- Check out my baking tips blog posts on 10 Tips for Baking Perfect Cakes and 10 Tips for Making Perfect Buttercream to learn easy tips and tricks that will help you make this cake recipe the best ever.
- Make the raspberry filling ahead of time to save yourself some time the day you are baking and assembling the cake. The raspberry filling can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week.
- Removing the seeds from the raspberry filling is optional, but recommended to make a smooth filling.
- Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cover any exposed cake with plastic wrap to prevent the cake from drying out. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
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Chocolate Raspberry Cake
Yield: 12 servings
This chocolate raspberry cake is a decadent dessert that is irresistible. The cake is made with moist and tender chocolate cake layers, filled with homemade raspberry filling, frosted in rich chocolate frosting and topped with fresh raspberries. One slice of this cake will not be enough!
Equipment
- Stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or electric hand mixer
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (65 g) dark cocoa powder
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) baking soda
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) baking powder
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) salt
- 1 cup (237 ml) milk room temperature
- ½ cup (109 g) vegetable oil
- 2 (2) large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (237 g) boiling water or hot coffee
Creamy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup (90 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar
- ½ cup (43 g) dark cocoa powder
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- ¼ cup (59 ml) heavy cream
Raspberry Filling
- 12 oz (340 g) frozen raspberries
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
- 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) water
Additional Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 g) fresh raspberries
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Prepare three 7-inch round cake pans with nonstick cookie spray and parchment paper circles.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, dark cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Pour in the milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Add in the boiling water or hot coffee and whisk the cake batter until is is combined and smooth.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake the cake layers for 25-30 minutes, until the cake springs back when gently touched. Remove the cake pans from the oven. Cool the cake layers in the pans for about 15 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Creamy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the semisweet chocolate chips in 15 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the room temperature butter for 5 minutes until it is pale and creamy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Add the remaining half of the powdered sugar and mix well. Add the melted chocolate, dark cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt and continue to mix on low until combined.
- Drizzle in the heavy cream. Turn the mixer to medium speed and whip the chocolate buttercream frosting for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy.
Raspberry Filling (Make Ahead)
- In a medium saucepan, combine the frozen raspberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until the raspberries are broken down and the mixture is bubbling.
- In a small separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the cornstarch slurry. Mix well until the raspberry filling is thickened.
- Run the raspberry filling through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Press the filling through the strainer with a rubber spatula. Cool the raspberry filling to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to thicken.
Assembling the Chocolate Raspberry Cake
- Level the cooled chocolate cake layers with a serrated knife.
- Place one cake layer on a round cake board. Add a small amount of chocolate buttercream to the top of the layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Use a piping bag with the tip cut off filled with chocolate frosting to pipe a border of the frosting around the edge of the cake. Spread half of the raspberry filling onto the cake layer.
- Add the next cake layer and repeat the same process above with the second layer. Then, add the final cake layer to the top of the cake, bottom side facing up.
- With an offset spatula, add a crumb coat, a thin layer of frosting, to the top and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper to remove excess frosting to smooth the sides. Chill the cake for 20 minutes to firm the frosting.
- Spread a generous layer of the chocolate buttercream onto the chilled cake with an offset spatula. Use a scalloped cake scraper to remove the excess frosting and create a pattern in the buttercream. Chill for an additional 20 minutes.
- Use piping bags fitted with Ateco 869 and Wilton 4B piping tips to decorate the top of the cake with additional buttercream. Decorate with fresh raspberries.
Notes
Store the chocolate raspberry cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cover any exposed cake with plastic wrap.
Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
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About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
My husband really wants me to make this cake for his birthday, but he requested I make it as a 9×13 instead. Since it’d only be one layer, how would you suggest incorporating the raspberry filling? Would you just spread right on top of the cake followed by the frosting? Should I freeze it after putting the filling on before the frosting so I can spread the frosting more easily? Thank you in advance!
Hi Jen! For the raspberry, I would actually recommend piping it into the cake, almost like a “poke cake”. You could take the handle-end of a wooden spoon and poke holes throughout the cake and fill it with the raspberry filling. The frosting would probably slide all over the raspberry filling if you spread it on top. And if you went with this option, you would not need to freeze the cake. Let me know how it comes out!
Is it okay to make the cake the night before ? Or will that affect taste?
Absolutely! It will not change the taste at all. I recommend chilling the cake to ensure that it remains stable.
This recipe looks so good – I love chocolate and raspberry together. But I have Wilton 8″ and 6″ pans. Could I do this cake with either of those?
Hi Brenda! Absolutely you can! You could do either 3 8-inch pans which would make thinner cake layers or 2 8-inch pans with thick layers. For the 6-inch size, you could do 3 thicker layers. The baking times will vary so keep your eyes on the oven.
Hello! If I use 8” pans, how long should I cook at what temp?
Hi Kim! 350 F for about 25 minutes should do the trick! All ovens bake a bit different though, so you can check to see if the cake is done by gently touching the top. If it springs back, it’s done baking.
7×2?
Yes, that is the size I use for my recipes.