Our oldest daughter just turned 12 and this cake was her request for her birthday dessert. She couldn’t have picked a better one! I have made this chocolate raspberry cake many times over the years by combining my favorite chocolate cake recipe with my raspberry cake filling. I finally decided to memorialize this combo for the blog because it’s such a good one and I always get requests for the recipe! The main changes are baking the cake layers in three 8-inch pans instead of two 9-inch pans so there are more layers of raspberry filling throughout. I also doubled the amount of frosting to account for the extra layers as well as having enough to pipe swirls of frosting for decoration around the top. If you don’t need all the frosting, you can freeze it for a future use or just frost some graham crackers with it for a delicious little treat! Or we will even pipe a dollop of frosting on fresh raspberries and enjoy them that way as well.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Raspberry Filling
Raspberries – Fresh or frozen, it really doesn’t matter! Frozen raspberries work great since they are picked at the peak of freshness and are often less expensive than the fresh ones, which you can save for decorating the top of the cake. Granulated sugar – One of the main reasons for making raspberry filling instead of just using raspberry jam is that it uses less sugar so the raspberry flavor comes through even more. My recipe has just the right amount to sweeten things up without being overpowering. Lemon juice – Keeps the flavor bright and just a little tart. Cornstarch – The thickening agent that helps get that thick, silky texture that is sturdy enough to be sandwiched between cake layers. Water – Just a little bit to help the berries and sugar combine and start to break down on the stove.
Chocolate Cake Layers
All-purpose flour – For a lighter crumb you can use cake flour, but for a slightly sturdier crumb that holds up better to the weight of the raspberry filling I recommend using unbleached all-purpose flour instead. Cocoa powder and bittersweet or semisweet chocolate – Many chocolate cake recipes only call for cocoa powder, but adding some chopped bittersweet chocolate creates an even deeper, more wonderful chocolate flavor. Sugar – A combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar adds depth and richness as well as sweetness to the cake. Eggs – These are an important ingredient in most cake recipes. I recommend using room temperature eggs for best results. Oil and butter – Butter adds flavor while oil adds moisture. A combination of the two is the best of both worlds and leads to a supremely flavorful, moist cake. Baking powder – This leavening agent provides just the right amount of lift for a light crumb. Salt – Another unsung hero of baking, a little salt keeps things from being bland or too sweet. Vanilla extract – I like using my homemade vanilla extract to add depth, complexity, and warmth to this chocolate raspberry cake recipe.
How to Make Raspberry Chocolate Cake
Make the filling
This step can be done 2-3 days ahead and the filling can be stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the cake. I have an entire post on how to make raspberry cake filling if you want even more guidance.
Make the chocolate cake layers
This can also be done a day or two ahead, if needed. Just wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap once they have cooled and they will be fine sitting on the counter at room temperature. Or you can even wrap and freeze the cooled chocolate cake layers for up to 3 months!
Make the chocolate frosting
Assemble the cake
Tips for Success
Clear out some freezer space. It is so much easier to assemble and frost this cake if you can do a crumb coat and let the cake freeze for a good 30 minutes before adding the final layer of frosting. It not only prevents crumbs in the frosting, but it also stabilizes the cake so it is less likely to slide. Pipe a barrier around each layer before filling. Skipping this step will result in the raspberry filling smooshing out the sides and making a mess. Creating that dam will save a lot of frustration in the long run. Don’t overbake the cake layers. Overbaking can result in a dry, stale-tasting cake even when it is fresh. The raspberry filling helps keep the cake moist, but for best results take the cake out of the oven when a tester comes out with just a few crumbs sticking to it, rather than waiting until the tester comes out perfectly clean.
Storage & Freezing
Store any uneaten cake on a cake stand with a domed glass covering, in an airtight container, or on a plate covered carefully with plastic wrap to prevent it from going stale or drying out. You can store leftovers at room temperature on the counter for 3 days or in the fridge for up to about 5-6 days. If refrigerating, I recommend letting the cake come to room temperature before enjoying it because cold cake sometimes tastes stale when it really isn’t. Flavor the frosting: You could even add some raspberry jam or raspberry extract to the chocolate frosting to take the raspberry element to the next level. Use raspberry frosting instead of chocolate: Simply swap out the chocolate buttercream for a raspberry frosting by replacing the cocoa powder in the chocolate frosting below with ⅓ to ½ cup reduced raspberry puree made by simmering 2 cups of raspberries on the stove over medium heat, mashing them periodically, until they break down, thicken and reduce quite a bit. Press them through a fine mesh sieve, then cool completely before adding to the butter and powdered sugar. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. My favorite way to do this is to freeze individual slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
More Cake Recipes
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Cherry Crisp Cake
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