Ooh, that delicious combo of chocolate and raspberry: they shine in this elegant Chocolate Raspberry Cake!
Like tacos and Tuesdays or Gruyère and merlot, chocolate and raspberry make for an amazing combo. It’s a pairing that works well in a variety of ways: nibble on squares of dark chocolate and fresh raspberries, enjoy a dish of raspberry sorbet covered in dark chocolate sauce, or savor a cake… like this chocolate raspberry cake.
Who came up with the idea of pairing raspberry with chocolate? No idea. What I do know is that it’s a keeper. Chocolate raspberry cake is a showstopper, perfect for Mother’s Day, birthdays, or showers. With its luscious chocolate frosting and topping of fresh berries and chocolate chips, it makes for a pretty presentation. But the inside is where the magic happens! The lush chocolate cake contains a raspberry filling to deliver that perfect chocolate-raspberry bite.
You will love this recipe because it’s a great dessert to have in your repertoire: fancy yet with that scratch-made taste, and you can make it the day before your gathering. Because of the buttermilk and the vegetable oil, the cake stays nice and moist. Likewise, the sweet and tart flavors of chocolate and raspberry continue to marry the next day. All natural ingredients and straightforward techniques make this recipe an accessible, solid one that just might become a family favorite.
Why is There Buttermilk in My Chocolate Cake?
Isn’t buttermilk for pancakes or biscuits? Yes, but. Buttermilk is also a stellar agent to use in a variety of baked goods. In cakes like chocolate raspberry cake, the buttermilk not only adds moisture to make the cake nice and tender, but its acidity is a factor as well. The acidity in buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to create more rise in the cake. So the short answer is that buttermilk delivers moisture and lift, with no lingering buttermilk taste. The chocolate flavor is more dominant and is not affected. Incidentally, the coffee added to the batter intensifies the chocolate flavor without taking over and making this cake coffee-flavored.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Fortunately, you can make chocolate raspberry cake a day ahead of serving to reduce any last-minute stress. Make the cake as directed but hold off on adding the fresh berries or chocolate chips. Place in a cake dome or plastic cake transporter to reduce any air getting to it. Leave it at room temperature for up to 24-36 hours. Garnish with the berries and chocolate chips when ready to serve. Store any leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days (it will dry out a bit in the fridge) or you can freeze leftovers for up to 4-6 weeks. After freezing, simply set the frozen cake or cake slices on your kitchen countertop to gently thaw.
Avoid Overmixing…
In Steps 3 & 4, you are adding liquid ingredients to the (already mixed) dry ones. One of the keys to avoid a dry, dense cake is to avoid overmixing in these steps. Whether you’re mixing by hand or using a mixer, watch the bowl carefully and mix only until the ingredients are blended. Always check the bottom of your bowl a few times to catch any pockets of dry ingredients, but then leave it. No need to whip or mix the batter into oblivion!
Serving Suggestions
Chocolate raspberry cake is a rich, beautiful cake to serve at almost any special occasion. Especially in the spring or summer, when fresh raspberries are in season and plentiful, it makes for a lovely end to a birthday meal or family gathering. Just like chocolate and raspberry, cake and ice cream definitely go together, so consider serving alongside ice cream. Ice creams that work well include Vanilla Bean Ice Cream or, for chocoholics, Dark Chocolate Ice Cream. Finally, leftover cake also makes for a delicious breakfast with your morning coffee!
Chocolate Raspberry Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot coffee
- 3 cups fresh raspberries for raspberry filling
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar for raspberry filling
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch for raspberry filling
- 2 tablespoons water for raspberry filling
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened for frosting
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar for frosting
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for frosting
- 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream for frosting
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Gradually add hot coffee to the batter, stirring until smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the raspberry filling, combine raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the raspberries break down and the mixture thickens. Cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add heavy cream and vanilla, and beat until smooth and spreadable.
- To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with half of the raspberry filling. Top with the second cake layer.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake with chocolate frosting. Decorate with fresh raspberries if desired.
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