Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Chocolate and raspberries are a match made in heaven, and this Chocolate Raspberry Cake proves it. With rich chocolate layers, tangy raspberry filling, and smooth cream cheese frosting, it’s the perfect showstopper for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or any occasion that calls for something a little extra special!

Don’t forget to use my favorite Raspberry Cake Filling! Want more raspberry recipes? Try these next: Raspberry Lemonade Bars, Raspberry Sorbet, and Almond & Raspberry Jam Cookies.

Why This Recipe Works

The ultimate flavor duo. I’ll admit it, I didn’t always love fruit and chocolate together. I was firmly in the “keep them separate” camp. But after one bite of this chocolate raspberry cake, I was converted. The rich, fudgy chocolate layers and tart raspberry filling just work. They balance each other in the best way possible. It’s the kind of combo that makes you go back for another forkful before you even finish the first.

It’s pretty darn impressive. Okay, maybe I’m biased, but this cake looks like something you’d find in a bakery window. The glossy chocolate frosting, those layers of vibrant raspberry filling… it’s a total showstopper. And surprisingly, it’s pretty simple to make. If you can whisk, layer, and spread frosting with a butter knife, you can pull this off. Your friends will think you spent hours in a pastry kitchen (you don’t have to tell them otherwise).

Moist, rich, and reliable. This chocolate cake with raspberry filling has that classic chocolate bakery texture. It’s soft and perfectly moist thanks to the buttermilk, oil, and a splash of boiling water. I’ve tested enough chocolate cakes to know that some can turn out dry or crumbly, but not this one. It’s the kind of base recipe you’ll want to save and use again for every chocolate layer cake in your life!

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Raspberry Cake

• Flour: The structure of the cake! All-purpose works perfectly.
• Sugar + brown sugar: A mix of both adds sweetness and a touch of caramel depth.
• Cocoa powder: Use a high-quality cocoa powder for that deep chocolate flavor!
• Baking powder + baking soda: Help the cake rise evenly and stay light and fluffy.
• Buttermilk: Adds tang and keeps the cake moist.
• Oil: For a super tender cake!
• Vanilla: Rounds out the chocolate flavor.
• Eggs: Bind the batter and add richness. Eggs also help add some rise in the oven. 
• Boiling water: Intensifies the cocoa and creates a silky-smooth batter.
• Raspberry cake filling: Brings a burst of fruity flavor between the layers! Use my homemade raspberry filling recipe for the best flavor. It uses fresh raspberries!

For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream cheese: Adds tanginess and structure to the frosting.
• Butter: Softened for a smooth, creamy texture. If it isn’t fully softened, the frosting will have chunks so be sure to allow it to come to room temperature!
• Vanilla: Adds warmth and depth.
• Cocoa powder: For a rich, chocolatey flavor.
• Powdered sugar: Sweetens and creates a fluffy, spreadable frosting.

Here’s How to Make It

1. Preheat & Prep: To prepare the cake, preheat the oven to 350 and prepare three 6” round cake pan with cooking spray and baking parchment.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda, and set aside.
3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, or a large jug whisk together the buttermilk, oil, vanilla and eggs.

4. Which Together: Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry, then whisk in the boiling water to lighten the batter.

5. Bake: Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans, and smooth the tops, dropping them down on the countertop a few times to knock out any large air bubbles. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cake layer comes out clean.
6. Cool: Allow the cakes to cool in the pan until it is cool enough to touch, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

7. Beat the Cream Cheese: While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a hand held electric whisk, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until they are combined, light and smooth. Then beat in the vanilla.

8. Add Cocoa & Powdered Sugar: Sift in the cocoa, mix with a spatula so they’re just combined (this will stop the cocoa flying up at you when you whisk!) before beating into the butter mixture using the stand mixer or whisk until smooth. Repeat, scraping down the sides each time with the powdered sugar, adding it roughly 1/2 a cup at a time. You should be left with a light, smooth and tangy frosting.

9. Level the Cakes: Before you assemble the cakes, level them off with a serrated knife or cake leveller until they’re all of an even thickness.
10. Fill the Layers:  Load 1/4 of the frosting into a piping bag, and pipe a thick, almost 1 inch border of frosting around the edge of the bottom layer of cake. Fill the middle with some of the raspberry cake filling, place the next cake layer on top and repeat. Don’t worry if you don’t use all the cake filling. Place the final cake layer on top, cut size down to make it easier to frost.
11. Coat the Cake: Using a palette knife, coat the cake in a ‘crumb coat’ using the remaining frosting from the piping bag, plus just over half of what is leftover. The idea is to seal the cake and provide a smooth layer of frosting for the finishing coat. Chill for 30 minutes so the frosting can firm up.

12. Add Another Layer of Frosting & Enjoy: Smooth the rest of the frosting over the chilled cake, and chill for a further 15 minutes before slicing and decorating with additional raspberries, if you have any fresh ones leftover from making the cake filling.

Expert Tips

Slice with a warm knife. For picture-perfect slices, run your knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut carefully through the chilled layers.

Use room-temperature ingredients. This ensures the batter comes together smoothly and the cake bakes evenly. It might take longer than expected for some ingredients to come to room temperature, especially the butter and cream cheese! Give them at least 2 hours at room temperature.

Don’t skip the boiling water. It sounds unusual, but it’s key for intensifying the cocoa flavor and keeping the cake moist!

Chill between steps. Refrigerating the cake after the crumb coat makes it much easier to get clean, professional-looking frosting. Otherwise, the frosting will have some cake crumbs in it, making it less smooth.

Make the filling ahead. The raspberry filling can be prepared up to 3 days in advance so it’s ready when you start assembling!

FAQs

More Cake Recipes to Try

• German Chocolate Cake – flavor that melts in your mouth and leaves you craving more!
• Cherry Chip Cake – the perfect blend of fruity sweetness and decadent chocolate.
• Lava Cakes – pure indulgence in every warm, dreamy bite!
• Red Velvet Cake – rich and irresistible.
• Chocolate Sheet Cake with Strawberry Frosting – a soft, fruit chocolate strawberry dream!