There’s so much to love about this ultra-rich chocolate raspberry cake. Layers of moist dark chocolate sponge, silky chocolate buttercream, and homemade raspberry cake filling are enrobed in a luxurious chocolate raspberry ganache. This is an indulgent dessert for anyone who loves the flavor combination of raspberries paired with deep, dark chocolate.
Consider this the fruity sequel to chocolate peanut butter cake. 🙂
Here’s What You’ll Love About This Chocolate Raspberry Cake
- Cake crumb is fudge-like and moist, yet a little light and spongey, with extra texture from the mini chocolate chips
- Beautiful balance of rich flavors between the tart, juicy raspberry filling, sweet chocolate buttercream, and dark chocolate ganache
- Homemade raspberry filling uses frozen raspberries (very convenient!) and takes just 15 minutes to make (plus cooling)
- Enjoy extra-luxe raspberry flavor in the chocolate ganache topping by replacing some of the cream with raspberry liqueur (optional)
Just look at this beauty:
4 Parts to This Chocolate Raspberry Cake
There’s a lot going on today, so let’s break down each component of this unapologetically indulgent cake:
- Raspberry Filling: This sweet-tart jammy raspberry cake filling comes together quickly and easily on the stove. It needs to cool completely before spreading onto the cake layers, so my instructions direct you to make this first.
- Dark Chocolate Cake: We’re using the same deeply chocolate-y cake batter as this dark chocolate peanut butter cake. You’ll love the additional texture from mini chocolate chips in the batter—have you tried it before?
- Chocolate Frosting: Slather on a layer of chocolate buttercream frosting between each cake layer, and use it to apply a crumb coat to the exterior of the cake. You’ll also need a piping bag + large round tip to pipe a border around the edge of the layers. The chocolate buttercream is here not only for taste, but serves a pretty important function: a buttercream “dam” helps hold the raspberry filling in place.
- Chocolate Raspberry Ganache: Top the whole cake with dark chocolate ganache. If desired, you can replace some of the cream with raspberry liqueur (such as Chambord) to make a chocolate raspberry ganache (or keep it just chocolate). Taste testers loved it both ways.
Make the Raspberry Filling First
The filling takes about 15 minutes to prep, then needs to cool, chill, and thicken completely. I recommend making it in advance and storing it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the chocolate raspberry cake. I have a complete separate page dedicated to this wonderful raspberry cake filling if you want more ideas for its uses.
We’re using frozen raspberries for this filling (just like raspberry sweet rolls), which I love because it means this cake can be made year round! You can also use fresh berries. You need 12 ounces (about 340–375g). Here are the other ingredients you need to make it:
- Water & Cornstarch: Cornstarch is the magic thickener for this raspberry filling. You don’t need much, but you must dissolve it in a little water before using. This is called a “slurry”; see strawberry sauce as an example.
- Sugar: The raspberry filling should be a little tart, because you’ll pair it with sweet chocolate buttercream frosting.
- Lemon Juice: The filling needs *something* to balance the berry and sugar, and lemon juice provides that hint of freshness. Do not leave it out or the filling will taste pretty flat.
- Vanilla Extract: Add a little splash of vanilla extract to the filling once it comes off the heat. It tastes and smells incredible!
Make this first, so it has plenty of time to chill and thicken:
A Very Chocolate-y Chocolate Cake
You need a handful of basic baking ingredients for the cake batter. The acidity in both sour cream and buttermilk is a must to provide proper leavening. (If desired, see baking powder vs baking soda for more information.) A touch of espresso powder and hot coffee further enhances the chocolate flavor. The cake will not taste like coffee—rather, these add depth to the cake’s dark chocolate flavor. Feel free to skip the espresso powder and replace hot coffee with hot water or use decaf.
- Why hot liquid? The hot liquid encourages the cocoa powder to bloom and dissolve.
Chocolate chips take the chocolate flavor to the next level, and, as I mentioned above, they also supply phenomenal texture. I use mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, but regular size are fine too. Toss them in a little flour before folding into the batter, to help keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
Favorite Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
We’re using my favorite chocolate buttercream in this cake, so you know it’s going to be good! This creamy chocolate frosting is sweet, silky smooth, and easy to work with.
You need enough frosting to spread on the bottom 2 cake layers before topping with the raspberry filling, and to pipe a “dam” around the edges of those layers to keep the raspberry filling in place, as well as for a thin crumb coat on the exterior of the cake. The recipe below, also found on my chocolate buttercream page, makes just the amount we need for everything.
Is your chocolate buttercream lighter in color than you want? See my tried-and-true trick for darkening it above the chocolate buttercream recipe (heat some of it!).
Do you enjoy chocolate mousse instead? Swap the buttercream for the chocolate mousse filling from my dark chocolate mousse cake.
Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Topping
You can absolutely make a classic 2-ingredient chocolate ganache, or you can swap out some of the heavy cream for raspberry liqueur, which gives this sophisticated cake that *little something extra.*
Typically, for making chocolate ganache, you need 8 ounces (weight) chocolate and 8 ounces (volume) heavy cream. (Increase/decrease each for more/less.) For topping this chocolate raspberry cake, I used 2 baking bars (that’s 8 ounces/226g) of bittersweet chocolate (Ghirardelli brand 60% cacao), 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream, and 1/4 cup (60ml) Chambord raspberry liqueur.
So, I replaced some of the heavy cream with the raspberry liqueur. Again, you don’t have to do this. You can stick with 8 ounces chocolate + 8 ounces cream if desired.
Let it slightly cool in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to thicken up before spreading on the cake (which also needs some chill time after you apply the frosting crumb coat).
How to Assemble & Decorate This Chocolate Raspberry Cake
Admittedly, I’m not a professional cake decorator, so with all of my layer cakes, I prefer simplicity. Let me share how I stack and decorate this 3-layer chocolate raspberry cake.
Start by leveling your cakes, if needed, to create a flat surface for stacking and decorating.
Spoon about 1/2 cup of the chocolate buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip. I use Wilton 2A. (Or just use a disposable piping bag and cut about 3/4 inch (2cm) off the tip and use that without a piping tip.) Place the bottom cooled cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Using a large icing spatula or small offset spatula, evenly cover the top with about 1/4 cup of chocolate buttercream frosting (a thin layer).
Then, pipe a thick border of frosting around the edge of the cake to create a “dam” for the raspberry filling. Spread half of the raspberry filling (heaping 1/2 cup) on top of the frosted cake layer, staying within the buttercream border:
Repeat the same exact process with the second cake layer.
Place the third cake layer on top, and then spread a thin layer (whatever you have left) of the chocolate buttercream on top and around the sides as a crumb coat. Run a bench scraper around the cake to smooth it out:
Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours to set the crumb coat. During this time, I usually make and chill the ganache.
Pour cooled chocolate ganache on top and spread all over the cake. Look how much this ganache thickens! It’s liquid at first, and 30 minutes in the refrigerator works magic. I use a large icing spatula to spread it all over the cake.
A cluster of fresh raspberries is the perfect finishing touch on top of this cake. A masterpiece for a special occasion like Valentine’s Day, this chocolate raspberry cake is the perfect marriage of chocolate and berry. See even more Valentine’s Day dessert recipes.
So many components! So many layers! I hope you enjoy. And if you do love these flavors together, be sure to try my raspberry chocolate chip layer cake and chocolate cupcakes with raspberry frosting next.
Are you new to layer cakes? Don’t miss these complete lists of cake success tips and cake decorating tools.
Recommended Tools
- Stand Mixer or Handheld Mixer
- 3 9-inch Cake Pans (8-inch also work, but I recommend 9-inch for this cake)
- Parchment Paper Rounds
- Large Icing Spatula (for frosting and ganache) and Small Offset Spatula (for raspberry filling)
- Cake Turntable (optional, I don’t use one for this)
- Bench Scraper for crumb coat
- Piping Bag (disposable or reusable) & Wilton 2A for buttercream dam
- Cake Carrier for storing and transporting
Chocolate Raspberry Cake
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes (includes chilling)
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: serves 12-14
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Enjoy layers of moist dark chocolate cake, sweet creamy chocolate buttercream, and homemade raspberry filling, all covered with a luxurious chocolate raspberry ganache.
Ingredients
Raspberry Filling
- 1.5 Tablespoons (22ml) water
- 1.5 Tablespoons (4.5 teaspoons or 12g) cornstarch
- 3 cups (12 ounces/about 340–375g) fresh or frozen raspberries (do not thaw)*
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cake
- 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 cup (62g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder* (see Note)
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional)*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (180g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) hot water or black coffee*
- 1 cup (170g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (tossed in 1 Tablespoon flour)
Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup (41g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream or milk
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Raspberry Ganache
- 8 ounces (226g) quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup (60ml) raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord (or replace with more heavy cream)
- optional garnish: fresh raspberries & fresh mint
Instructions
- Make the raspberry filling: Whisk the cornstarch and water together until all the cornstarch has dissolved. (I just use a fork to mix—very easy.) Combine cornstarch mixture, raspberries (no need to thaw if using frozen), granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Using a silicone spatula, stir the mixture, mashing the raspberries as they begin to thaw and soften. Bring to a boil and let it boil for 5 full minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Allow the raspberry filling to cool at room temperature for 10–15 minutes, then transfer it to a bowl or container and place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 1 week (the longer, the better). No need to cover it, but if refrigerating for longer than 4 hours, cover tightly. It will continue to thicken up as it chills. Raspberry filling must be completely chilled before using in your cake. If freezing, see Note below for instructions.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder (if using) together in a large bowl. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or you can use a whisk), mix the oil, eggs, and sour cream together on medium-high speed until combined. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and beat until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot water/coffee, and whisk or beat on low speed until the batter is completely combined. Fold in the flour-coated chocolate chips. Batter is thin and you may see some air bubbles on the surface—that’s normal. You should have about 6–6.5 cups of batter, or around 1400g.
- Divide batter evenly between 3 pans. Bake for approximately 24–26 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the pan. The cakes may slightly sink in the middle as they cool—that’s expected.
- As the cakes cool, make the chocolate buttercream: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Taste. Beat in another pinch of salt if desired. (Do you want your buttercream darker in color? I have a trick detailed on the full chocolate buttercream page.) You’re going to use this buttercream for a thin layer under the raspberry filling, a piped “dam” around 2 of the cake layers, and for the crumb coat. Makes about 2.5 cups total.
- Begin layering with raspberry filling and buttercream: Place 1 cooled cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Using a large icing spatula or small offset spatula, evenly cover the top with about 1/4 cup of chocolate buttercream frosting (a thin layer). Spoon about 1/2 cup of the chocolate buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip. I use Wilton 2A. (Or just use a disposable piping bag and cut about 3/4 inch off the tip and use that without a piping tip.) Pipe a thick border of buttercream around the edge of the frosted cake layer, using about half of the buttercream in the piping bag. Then, using a small offset spatula, spread half of the thickened and chilled raspberry filling (about 1/2 cup) inside the buttercream border. Place second cake layer on top and then repeat the filling process: spread frosting, pipe border with remaining frosting in piping bag (if you ran out, just use more from the big bowl of buttercream), then spread on remaining raspberry filling. Top with third cake layer.
- Apply crumb coat: Using the remaining chocolate buttercream, spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top and around the sides as a crumb coat. Run a bench scraper around the cake to smooth out crumb coat. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours to set the crumb coat.
- As your crumb coat sets, make and chill the chocolate ganache: Place finely chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream and raspberry liqueur, if using, in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to gently simmer. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil—that’s too hot!) Pour over chocolate, then let it sit for 2–3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. With a metal spoon or small rubber spatula, very slowly stir until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Ganache is thin. The finer you chopped the chocolate, the quicker it will melt with the cream. If it’s not melting, do not microwave it. If needed, see Troubleshooting Chocolate Ganache. Once ganache mixture is smooth, let it chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator to thicken before spreading on chilled crumb-coated cake.
- Pour/spoon thickened ganache on chilled cake, and spread all over cake with an icing spatula. Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired. Serve cake immediately or chill, uncovered, for up to 4–6 hours before serving. Cake can be served at room temperature or chilled.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days. I like using a cake carrier for storing and transporting.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions for Cake: Prepare cake through step 6. Wrap the individual baked and cooled cake layers tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature, then continue with step 7. You can prepare the raspberry filling and chocolate buttercream in advance. See step 2 for raspberry sauce details. For the buttercream, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using and beat in a little more room-temperature heavy cream to thin out if necessary. You can also prepare the chocolate ganache ahead of time. Refrigerate prepared ganache for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before spreading onto cake. Frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or serve cold.
- Freezing Instructions for Raspberry Filling: After the raspberry filling cools completely, freeze in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3–6 months. Thaw on the counter or in the refrigerator before using. It will be very thick.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Saucepan | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Glass Mixing Bowls | 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Cooling Rack | Large Icing Spatula | Small Offset Spatula | Bench Scraper | Piping Bag (Disposable or Reusable) and Large Round Piping Tip for buttercream “dam” | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Cocoa Powder: This recipe requires natural cocoa powder for its acidity, so do not use dutch-process.
- Espresso Powder/Coffee: Espresso powder and coffee will not make the cake taste like coffee. Rather, they deepen the chocolate flavor. I highly recommend them both. If coffee isn’t your thing, you can leave out the espresso powder and use extra hot water instead of the hot coffee.
- Sour Cream: Instead of sour cream, you can use plain yogurt. The cake won’t taste as rich, but it’s a fine substitute.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY version of buttermilk if needed. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1/2 cup (120ml). (In a pinch, lower-fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cake won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Why Room Temperature? All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter and frosting mix together easily and evenly. Read more about why room temperature ingredients are important.
- Chocolate Raspberry Ganache: Feel free to replace the raspberry liqueur with 1/4 cup (60ml) more heavy cream to make a plain chocolate ganache instead. When melting chocolate, I recommend using pure chocolate baking bars (chocolate chips have stabilizers). You can find them right next to the chocolate chips in the baking aisle. I like Bakers or Ghirardelli brands, the ones labeled bittersweet (60% cacao) or semi-sweet (56% cacao), which come in 4-ounce (113g) bars.
- 6-Inch Cake: To make a scaled-down 3-layer 6-inch version of this cake, use this batter for chocolate cupcakes and follow my 6-inch cake baking instructions and details. I recommend using the same amount of raspberry filling, and having some left over. Use about 1/3 cup between the layers. You can halve the buttercream and ganache recipes.
- Cupcakes: For raspberry-filled chocolate cupcakes, make these very similar cream-filled chocolate cupcakes, but swap the cream filling for the raspberry filling.
- Helpful Tutorials: 10 Tips for Baking Perfect Cakes | How to Make Parchment Paper Rounds for Cakes | Raspberry Cake Filling | Chocolate Buttercream | Chocolate Ganache | 10 Essential Cake Baking & Decorating Tools
I don’t have enough cake pans! Can I bake one tall cake (with increased baking time) and slice it down? Looking forward to trying this out for Easter this weekend!
Hi Sarah, we don’t recommend it as that could cause the batter to overflow and the cake to bake unevenly. You can bake the layers in batches, and leave the leftover batter covered at room temperature while waiting for the cake(s) to bake. Then, once the baked cake is done and completely cooled, remove it from the pan and bake the remaining batter. Hope this helps and that the cake is a hit!
Your chocolate raspberry cake recipe does not tell the temperature of the oven for baking. I will assume 350. Where did I miss it?
Hi Sue, see step 3! Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
I made this cake for a friend’s birthday, and it was fabulous! I’d like to make it again for my husband’s birthday, but he loves frosting! Could I just double the frosting and skip the ganache? Any tips to get a nice frosting coat?
Hi Olivia, that should work just fine! You can alway crumb coat the cake with a thin layer of frosting first, to set the crumbs in place, before adding another, smoother layer (this is detailed in the recipe and post above, but will work great with two layers of frosting as well!).
Hi Sally!
Do you know if the alcohol will cook off in the process of making the ganache? I want to add that extra raspberry flavor, but I’ll be serving it to some pregnant ladies 🙂
Thank you!
Hi Shawn, alcohol evaporates at 172°F (78°C), and the heavy cream/liqueur mixture does come to a simmer, which is hotter. However, I would do what you and others feel comfortable with.
I made this for my son’s birthday, and he said it was exactly what he wanted! The raspberry filling was amazing. Next time I think I will increase the amount of buttercream. Also, I didn’t really get any raspberry flavor in the ganache with 1/4 c. Chambord, not sure why.
Can I just cut up regular sized chocolate chips? I can’t find and mini chocolate chips?
Hi Miche! We’ve never tried cutting up chocolate chips, it may be a little tricky! You can certainly try that, or just leave the chocolate chips out of the cake. Let us know how it goes!
I baked with chopped up regular chips, worked great!
This is my new favorite chocolate cake recipe, and I’ve made many. The raspberry filling is just the perfect touch and the cake is so moist! Will be making this one for years to come.
This cake was wonderful. I had extra raspberry so I used some extra buttercream in the shape of a heart on the top and filled it with the raspberry. Also put two layers of the ganache. Absolutely perfect.
This cake was a hit. I even converted some cake-haters into cake-lovers. The tartness of the raspberries was in balance with the sweetness of the frosting. Highly recommend the raspberry liqueur–it elevated the ganache to another level.
Made this for my mom’s birthday and it was scumptious!!!
Hi Sally, just about to make this delicious-looking cake. Could I use flour instead of cornstarch to thicken the raspberry filling?
Hi Ellie, It would take more flour than cornstarch to thicken the filling the same amount. The best substitute here would be tapioca or arrowroot powder, but we have not tested either. Let us know if you try anything.
all the mini chips stuck to the parchment paper and came off completely when peeled. Yes, i tossed them in flour. :/
I’m going to do a 6in version with the recipe linked in that note section. It doesn’t have espresso powder listed, but this cake batter recipe does. Can I/should I add espresso to the 6in version? If so, how much?
Hi Ashley! 1 tsp espresso powder would be a great addition to that recipe for added flavor. Let us know if you give it a try!
Thanks, Trina! I did do the 6inch cake with a tsp of espresso powder-it turned out great! It was perfect for the 3 of us celebrating my mom’s birthday! My first layered cake and SBA made it much easier than I thought it would be. As always, it was delicious!
I really like this recipe, seems like there are a lot of steps though. My main question is I didn’t see a note of straining the raspberry filling. Wouldn’t there be a lot of seeds?
Hi Debbie, you can strain the seeds, but the raspberry filling doesn’t stay as thick. You’ll need to add at least 1 more teaspoon cornstarch. And you’ll have a lot less filling. We strongly recommend keeping the seeds in the filling.
My cake batter was thicker than i expected given the note that it should be thin. Secondly there didnt seem to be enough batter for the 3 pans the cake was very thin. I went back made sure i didn’t forget anything and i believe i followed the recipe. Could I add 1/4c more hot water or buttermilk? (My house is probably very dry due to the wood heat)
Everyone I served said it was the best cake ever
Made this cake this past weekend. Followed directions exactly. my cake looked like all your pics. I was disappointed in the texture of the cake. It seemed a little grainy or spongy. Did I do something wrong?
Hi Heleen, this is a spongey chocolate cake. But it shouldn’t be grainy. Was it the chocolate chips?
Reply: It wasn’t the choc. chips. It was just not a texture I like.
My batter looked just like the photos, the baked cake looked the same, The mini choc.chips were not visible. I like a softer cake like a german choc. Next time I make this I will use a German Chocolate cake with Choc. buttercream and the raspberry filling.
This sounds delicious! Have you tried with gluten free flour?
Hi Janet, we have not tried this recipe with gluten free flour. Your best bet would be a 1:1 all purpose gluten free flour, like Cup 4 Cup. If you try it, please let us know how it goes!
This looks delicious! Instead of using raspberry liquer, can raspberry flavoring be used? If so how much? Also, can you taste the coffee and espresso in the cake?
Hi Rachel, You can use a raspberry extract or flavor instead but we are unsure of exactly how much. If you leave the liqueur out, add 1/4 cup (60ml) more heavy cream. The cake will not taste like coffee—rather, the espresso adds depth to the cake’s dark chocolate flavor.
I made this cake for my daughter’s birthday and it was a hit! I made it exactly as the recipe states. For the ganache I chose to use all heavy cream. If I chose to freeze the cake, frosted, would it be ok to freeze it completely made, with the ganache? Would love to make this ahead and freeze it.
Hi Ellen, we’re so glad this cake was a hit at your daughter’s birthday! You can freeze the frosted and ganache-covered cake, but we typically recommend that for leftover pieces as the frosting/ganache can sometimes lose their “design” (however you decided to pipe or spread it on the outside of the cake) when defrosting. If looks are not a concern, then feel free to freeze the completed cake ahead of time!
Could you turn this in to cupcakes? I’m thinking just putting some of the raspberry after doing half the batter in the pan. Then maybe using the ganache as frosting? Is this crazy? We like to do cupcakes for birthday parties because it’s so much easier than doing a cake and dealing with cutting and utensils. Thanks!
Hi Jessica, for cupcakes, we’d recommend baking the cupcakes through and then cutting a small hole to fill with raspberry filling—just like we do with these cream-filled cupcakes. Or you can see how we do it in this raspberry cake filling post, too. Topping with ganache would be delicious! Let us know how it goes for you.
Would 3 8 inch pans work okay for this recipe? It sounds delicious!!
Hi Liz, You can use this recipe exactly with no changes in 3, 8 inch pans. Your layers will be slightly thicker so it may take an extra minute or two of bake time but keep your eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Just made this for a girls night dinner party and it was a hit!! Everyone loved it.
Hi sally I was wondering if this would work as a 2 layer cake since I don’t have 3 cake pans. thanks so much
Hi Irma, There is too much batter for one or even two pans. Overfilling your cake pan will lead to the cake not baking properly, it will be too heavy to rise and will likely overflow. You can bake two layers and leave the batter for the third layer covered at room temperature to bake when the first two are finished.
Made this the other day and boy was it delicious. My cakes were lopsided and I was surprised about that, not having read the notes that it might happen. Because of that, I didn’t use as much frosting and filling. I just kind of eye-balled it and used the amounts that looked right to me. I really, really loved the flavor of the crumb, it was so rich and chocolatey. The raspberry filling was not overly sweet and added just the right note of tartness to the crumb and frosting. Beautiful balance of flavors. Thank you, Sally, for another exceptional recipe.
I made three six-inch cakes from this recipe. I put two cups of batter in each 6″x3″ pan. They came out perfect, no fallen centers! They are the same size as the small chocolate cake for two.
This was fantastic…perfect for a Valentine’s Day celebration. Very rich and decadent, but love the twist the raspberry gives. It was quite time consuming given all the steps involved, such as with chilling the filling and then the ganache and all that. So definitely plan ahead and commit a good half a day + in and out of the kitchen to prepare it. I made the 6in cake version using the modifications listed with the cupcake batter recipe, and that worked well. I found the cake to be VERY tender/delicate, which is great, but a tad challenging to crumb coat.
Hi, I love all your cakes! My son is very keen for me to make a rasberry cake for his birthday. can I substitute rasberry jam instead of the rasberry filling to make it easier?
Hi AK, you can use raspberry jam in the layers instead. Hope it’s a hit!
This cake was loved by everyone. I was the only one who cared that my cakes sunk in the middle. Not sure what I did wrong.
Hi Susan, we’re so glad it was a hit! A little sinking in the middle is completely expected for this chocolate cake. How was the texture in the middle? Sometimes excessive sinking can simply mean that the cake was slightly underbaked and could use a few additional minutes of bake time. Hope this helps!
Such a delicious cake! Moist cake, super chocolatey, and the raspberry jam was nice and sharp to cut through the richness of the chocolate. Recipe was easy to follow and felt simpler to execute than the final product suggests. Was a crowd pleaser in my house – my husband refused to share with friends!
Wow this is a delicious cake! This was my first time making a layer cake and the recipe was perfect. The raspberry filling was definitely the highlight for me.
I made the ganache the night before and it never got soft enough to pour over the cake after hours at room temperature. Should I have microwaved it?
Hi Brunilda, I’m sorry to hear the ganache gave you trouble! Have you checked the troubleshooting section of this chocolate ganache post? If you have this problem again, do not microwave it. Instead, place the mixture into a double boiler OR place the (heat-proof!) glass bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water. Do not let the surface of the simmering water touch the bottom of the glass bowl. Stir the ganache constantly over the indirect heat until it’s smooth.