Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Chocolate Raspberry Cake that’s wonderfully rich, tender and moist with layers of luscious raspberry jam and silky chocolate mascarpone all enveloped in rich dark chocolate ganache AKA the best Chocolate Cake you will ever have!

ย This Chocolate Raspberry Cake is one of my favorite cakes on the planet and always a showstopper (perfect for Motherโ€™s Day!)ย  The combination of deeply-chocolaty cake and fresh raspberries is indulgently rich yet fresh at the same time. You can either use homemade or store-bought raspberry jam (directions included for both) and the cake stays moist and fresh for days for an ideal make ahead, stress free dessert!

Chocolate Raspberry Cake with sliced removed showing layers of dark chocolate cake, raspberry jam filling, chocolate ganache and chocolate mousse

Chocolate.ย  Does it get any better?ย  Fromย Chocolate Covered Strawberries,ย Chocolate Fondue,ย Chocolate Eclair Cake, and on and on,the obsession is real.ย  But my favorite?ย  Chocolate + Raspberries!

My dad and I share a love for dark chocolate and raspberries so when he was in town from Germany last month, I made him this Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake for his birthday โ€“ AKA the cake of his dreams and the cake of my dreams.ย  We celebrated with my sisterโ€™s family which meant a total of 11 pieces of moist Chocolate Raspberry Cake and 11 plates licked clean.ย  I asked everyone if they would change anything about the recipe and I was answered with a unanimous emphatic โ€œno.โ€ย  And I think youโ€™ll agree.

I wanted this Chocolate Raspberry Cake to be reminiscent of a raspberry filled dark chocolate candy bar โ€“ you know the ones โ€“ with a thick chocolate exterior giving way to oozing raspberry filling.ย  Mission accomplished.

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake on a white pedestal with raspberries on top

In our moist Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Cake, the richness of the dark chocolate cake and dark chocolate ganache are complimented by the layers of light, silky smooth chocolate mascarpone and the fresh raspberry jam and fresh adorning raspberries forย for deeply-chocolaty, silky, raspberry-filled bite after bite after bite.

This Chocolate Raspberry Cake has a few steps (fewer if you donโ€™t make your own raspberry jam), but each step is easy.ย  Iโ€™ve detailed the steps below with helpful tips and tricks.ย  Itโ€™s more than you need to know, but everything you would ever want to know for imminent success! ย Happy Indulging!

Chocolate Raspberry Cake Recipe Ingredients

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE

  • Flour:ย All-purpose flour is the best for this recipe, although gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour can also be used.
  • Cocoa powder:ย Use unsweetened cocoa powder, no need for fancy Dutch processed. Cocoa powder is the best (and easiest!) way to have the greatest chocolate flavor impact. Cocoa powder is the dried leftover solids from cacao beans after the cocoa butter has been extracted, that have been fermented, roasted, and processed.
  • Vegetable oil:ย Its neutral flavor and high fat content create an ultra-moist cake, and a tender and crumb, moister than butter-based cakes. It also helps the cake stay moister longer. You may also use coconut oil.
  • Buttermilk:ย This is a must for providing a rich, tender, and moist chocolate cake. It also helps to activate the baking soda to leaven the cake.
  • Baking powder and baking soda:ย These leavening agents work together to helps tenderize the cake and make it rise in the oven. Make sure theyโ€™re fresh so they work!
  • Sugar:ย Use granulated sugar to let the chocolate flavor really shine.
  • Eggs:ย In baking, eggs should be at room temperature. If you forgot to put them on the counter, submerge them in a bowl of warm tap water for about 20 minutes before mixing into the batter.
  • Vanilla extract:ย All desserts need a little oomph of vanilla. The better the quality, the better it tastes, so go as quality as you can.
  • Salt: Use regular table salt. Itย enhances the flavors and cuts through the sweetness.
  • Raspberries: Use ripe, but not soft-ripe for topping the cake โ€“ the more the better!โ€Œ

FOR THE RASPBERRY JAM

Making raspberry filling is straightforward with this recipe, or you can use store-bought jam.

  • Raspberries:ย The riper, the more flavorful! You can use fresh, very ripe raspberries or thawed frozen raspberries. When purchasing frozen raspberries, take care they do NOT have any sugar added.
  • Sugar:ย Granulated sugar please to sweeten the raspberries into jam.
  • Lemon juice:ย Fresh is best but you may use bottled. Lemon juice enhances the fresh berry flavor and balances the sugar.
  • Cornstarch:ย Thickens the jam; without it, you need twice the sugar and reducing time!

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

  • Chocolate:ย Use quality bittersweet baking chocolate not to exceed 61% cacao or it will be too bitter. Baking chocolate is cooled, hardened chocolate liquor with a higher percentage of cocoa butter than chocolate chips because itโ€™s intended to be baked with and therefore melts more seamlessly.
  • Heavy Cream:ย Please only use heavy cream. The higher fat content of the cream creates a rich and stable ganache, otherwise it will be too thin and grainy.
  • Corn syrup:ย This keeps the ganache shiny, smooth and pliable, so please donโ€™t omit.

CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE FILLING

  • Mascarpone:ย This is a creamy and mild Italian cheese sold in tubs with the specialty cheeses. It creates a rich, velvety, luxurious, filling that blends beautifully with some reserved ganache.
  • Heavy cream:ย This adds creamy volume that thickens up as the filling ingredients are whipped together.
  • Confectioners’ sugar:ย This sweetens the filling without becoming grainy.
  • Vanilla:ย Use quality extract for the best flavor.

up close of a slice of Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake on its side showing layers of dark chocolate cake, raspberry jam filling, chocolate ganache and chocolate mousse on a white plate with a gold fork

How to make Raspberry Filled Chocolate Cake

Our Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake is super simple, so simple, you donโ€™t even need a mixer because we donโ€™t have to cream any butter!ย  Itโ€™s based off of Hersheyโ€™s classic recipe but we use dark cocoa powder and buttermilk for maximum flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

making Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Cake by whisking together dry ingredients

showing how to make homemade buttermilk by adding milk and vinegar to a measuring cup for moist Chocolate Raspberry Cake

whisking together cocoa powder, hot water with dry ingredients in a stainless steal bowl for best Chocolate Raspberry Cake

pouring moist chocolate raspberry cake batter into cake pan

a slice of moist Chocolate Raspberry Cake on its side showing layers of dark chocolate cake, raspberry jam filling, chocolate ganache and chocolate mousse

How to make homemade jam for Raspberry Chocolate Cake

Making your own homemade Raspberry Jam is strictly optional. You are welcome to use your favorite seedless Raspberry Jam instead.ย  You will need approximately 1 cup but are welcome to use more for even more raspberry pop.

If making homemade raspberry jam, use frozen raspberries for best results because frozen raspberries are picked at peak ripeness which means they often have more flavor than store bought raspberries which can be a gamble. When purchasing your frozen raspberries, take care your frozen raspberries do NOT have any sugar added.

To make homemade raspberry jam:

  1. Add raspberries (and any juices from thawing) to food processor and puree.

showing how to make homemade raspberry jam by pureeing raspberries in food processor for Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling

  1. Add puree to a fine mesh sieve over a bowl to discard seeds. Press down on the puree with the back of a spoon or spatula, until only seeds remain. This will take several minutes.ย  Take care to wipe the back of your sieve to get all of the puree. You should end up with about 1 ¼ cups of puree.

showing how to make homemade raspberry jam by adding raspberry puree to sieve and straining out seeds for Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling

  1. Add raspberry puree, cornstarch, sugar and lemon juice to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly then reduce heat to medium (medium-low if your stove runs hot) and continue to cook and stir continuously until puree is thickened.ย  Refrigerate until completely chilled.

showing how to make homemade raspberry jam by simmering raspberries, lemon juice and sugar in medium saucepan for Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling

How to make ganache frosting for Chocolate Raspberry Cake

While my family and I were devouring our slices of Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake, my 14-year-old niece said she wanted a whole slice of just the ganache because its so indulgently rich.ย  Donโ€™t let the word โ€œganacheโ€ scar you โ€“ย I promise itโ€™s even easier to make than frosting with only 2 ingredients!

Just a quick note, you donโ€™t want to start making your chocolate ganache until your cakes are cooled because we will use part of it within 20 minutes to frost our cooled cakes and still want it to be lukewarm.

adding chopped chocolate to heavy cream in a glass bowl to make chocolate ganache for Chocolate Raspberry Cake

To make your chocolate ganache: Add heavy cream to a large microwave safe bowl.ย  Microwave until just boiling, about 2 – 3 minutes.ย  Remove from microwave and add chopped dark chocolate.ย ย  If you donโ€™t like dark chocolate, you can also substitute semi-sweet chocolate.

Let stand 1 minute, then whisk vigorously until ganache is melted and smooth then whisk in 1 tablespoon corn syrup.ย  The corn syrup helps the ganache stay silky.ย  ย How easy was that?ย  Next, remove a heaping ½ cup ganache to use in our Chocolate Mascarpone.

whisking ganache in a glass bowl for Dark Chocolate Cake

Why Chocolate Mascarpone instead of Chocolate Mousse?

Because itโ€™s dreamy and easier!ย  If you arenโ€™t familiar with mascarpone, it can be found in the specialty cheeses section of your grocery store and is absolutely sensational.ย  Mascarpone is a rich, creamy cowโ€™s milk cheese that is somewhere between butter and cream cheese in terms of both texture and flavor.ย  I particularly love it with chocolate because its delicate, subtle flavor adds richness without distracting from the chocolate flavor.ย  I combined it with nutella in my S’mores Nutella Pie and just wanted to devour the filling!ย  ย ย I also love mascarpone because while it is smooth like butter, it is much less โ€œmeltyโ€ so it whips up like a dream and holds shape beautifully.

beating together chocolate ganache and mascarpone in a metal bowl for moist Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Immediately after making your ganache, start making the chocolate mascarpone so you can start to assemble your cake before your ganache cools completely.ย  To make, simply beat the mascarpone, cream, sugar and vanilla with a hand held mixer on low until no lumps remain.

Add the reserved ganache and increase speed to medium high and beat until thick peaks form โ€“ it should look like thick whipped cream. You donโ€™t want to overbeat or the mixture will break and curdle but you want it to be quite thick.

Assembling a Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake

  • Take care that your cakes are completely cool before cutting in half horizontally.
  • Place cakes on sturdy cutting board.
  • Use a serrated knife.
  • Score cakes in half all the way around before cutting. This way, you are not slicing straight through the cake and coming up uneven on the other side.

slicing moist Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake in half to create layers

  • For easy frosting cleanup, place four strips of parchment paper around the edges of cake stand/cake platter to create a square frame then add cake to the center of the square so the edges are overlapping the parchment. This keeps the frosting on the parchment paper which you remove once youโ€™re done frosting and keeps the cake stand clean.
  • If your store bought jam is too hard to spread, microwave it for 10 seconds.
  • The Chocolate Mascarpone will seem like a lot but pile it on because its soooo good.

showing how to frost moist Chocolate Raspberry Cake by frosting chocolate cake layer with raspberry jam followed by chocolate mascarpone

  • Frost the cake with 1 cup ganache to create a crumb layer then freeze the cake to set the ganache for 30 minutes. This keeps crumbs from getting all in the frosting and allows you to create a smooth second layer that stays in place.

frosting moist Chocolate Raspberry Cake with ganache frosting moist Chocolate Raspberry Cake with ganache

  • Garnish with lots of raspberries!ย  The fresh raspberries make this Chocolate Raspberry Cake exponentially better even when you didn’t think it was possible.ย  In fact, I recommend buying raspberries not only to garnish your cake extra raspberries to serve alongside your cake – because they are that good and cut through the richness of the dark chocolate.
  • EAT!

up close of easy Chocolate Raspberry Cake on a white pedestal with raspberries on top

Chocolate Raspberry Cake Recipe Tips

  • Donโ€™t pack flour: Whenever you measure flour, donโ€™t scoop it into the flour bag/container or else the flour will compress and packed flour yields denser, drier cakes.ย  Rather, scoop flour into measuring cup and then level.
  • DIY Buttermilk: I never keep buttermilk on hand but it is crucial in this recipe for the melt-in-your mouth tender crumb and for the lactic acid to react with the baking soda to leaven the cake.ย  Fortunately, I find DIY buttermilk is just as effective. To make your own buttermilk for this recipe, measure 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar into a measuring glass or one cup measuring cup.ย  Add enough milk to equal one cup.ย  Give it a stir and let sit 5-10 minutes.ย  The milk will curdle so you know itโ€™s ready.
  • Room temperature eggs: It is essential that you use room temperature eggs for this recipe or your cake will not rise properly. Room temperature eggs whisk to a higher volume because the egg whites and yolks whisk together more easily.ย  This promotes more even distribution into the batter resulting in light, fluffy cake (because eggs trap air).ย  Cold eggs result in a more dense cake.ย  To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, fill a bowl with warm water (not hot) and add eggs and let sit 10-20 minutes.
  • Donโ€™t substitute butter: Butter is often used in cakes for its wonderfully buttery flavor.ย  In this Chocolate Raspberry Cake, however, we want the chocolate flavor to shine through and not be masked by the butter, so oil is the best choice.ย  Oil also results in sensationally moist cake.
  • Why use boiling water? In several tests by Baking Illustrated, they concluded that boiling water intensifies the chocolate flavor of the cocoa powder. Cocoa powder + boiling water resulted in a stronger chocolate flavor than even real chocolate and much more moist.
  • Batter will be thin: Once you add the hot water to your cake batter, theย cake batter will be thin, so donโ€™t panic! This thin batter will bake and rise beautifully into an extra moist cake.
  • Donโ€™t overmix:ย  Overmixing your cake batter will result in a dense, tough, dry cake. Mix just until combined.
  • Bake on middle rack: The cake layers should both be baked on the middle rack of your oven. If there isnโ€™t enough room, then bake your cakes in two batches.
  • Donโ€™t overbake: There should be a few moist crumbs clinging to the toothpick for a moist, tender crumb.

How to serve Raspberry Filled Chocolate Cake

The cake is much easier to slice when chilled, otherwise, the cake can fall apart/layers squeeze out, under the pressure of the knife. After slicing, let the cake come to room temperature โ€“ warmed cake is 10X better! I like to microwave slices for 8-10 seconds.

How to store leftover Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling

The assembled and frosted cake should be covered with a cake cover or foil and refrigerated. It may be stored for up to 5 days, but is at peak freshness the first two days. Slice the cake, then bring to room temperature before serving or microwave individual slices for 8-10 seconds.

How to Freeze

To freeze individual cake layers:ย Tightly wrap the individual cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze for up to three months.

To freezeย crumb coated cake:ย Tightly wrap the set cake in a couple layers of plastic wrap followed by a couple layers of foil, freeze for up to two months.

To freeze frosted cake:ย Flash freeze the cake until solid, then tightly wrap in a couple layers of plastic wrap followed by a couple layers of foil, freeze for up to two months. Remove the plastic wrap, transfer to a cake container, and allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before slicing. After slicing, let come to room temperature before serving.

Looking for more spring cake recipes?

a far away shot of a a slice of moist Chocolate Raspberry Cake on its side showing layers of dark chocolate cake, raspberry jam filling, chocolate ganache and chocolate mousse with the cake on a white pedestal in the background

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up close of a slice of moist Chocolate Raspberry Cake on its side showing layers of dark chocolate cake, raspberry jam filling, chocolate ganache and chocolate mousse

Chocolate Raspberry Cake with sliced removed showing layers of dark chocolate cake, raspberry jam filling, chocolate ganache and chocolate mousse

Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake

Amazingly rich, tender and moist Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake with layers of luscious raspberry jam and silky chocolate mascarpone all enveloped in rich dark chocolate ganache!ย  The best Chocolate Cake you will ever have! This Chocolate Raspberry Cake is one of my favorite cakes on the planet and always a showstopper (perfect for holidays, Motherโ€™s Day!)ย  The combination of deeply-chocolaty cake and fresh raspberries is indulgently rich yet fresh at the same time. You can either use homemade or store-bought raspberry jam (directions included for both) and the cake stays moist and fresh for days for an ideal make ahead, stress free cake!
Servings: 10 -12
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

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Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature (see Notes for DIY)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup boiling water

Homemade Raspberry Jam OPTIONAL - May Sub Seedless Raspberry Jam (See Notes)

  • 12 oz. frozen raspberries thawed
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar

Chocolate Ganache

  • 12 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao)
  • 1 2/3 cups heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup

Chocolate Mascarpone Filling

  • 6 oz. (¾ cup) mascarpone
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 heaping cup ganache in directions

Garnish

  • 2-3 6 oz. containers fresh raspberries (more the better!)

Instructions

CHOCOLATE CAKE

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans at least 2 1/2โ€ deep with parchment paper or two 9โ€ pans. Spray pans with nonstick cooking spray WITH flour or butter and flour pans.
  • Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk in sugar and salt ("dry ingredients"). Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla together until combined. Whisk dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Whisk in boiling water just until combined, do not overmix (the batter will be thin).
  • Evenly divide the batter between the cake pans and drop a few times on the counter to get rid of air bubbles. For 8โ€ pans, bake at 350 degrees F 32-38 minutes, for 9โ€ pans bake for 22-28 minutes OR until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out with just a few moist crumbs (donโ€™t open oven while baking or cakes could fall in center.)
  • Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Once cool, level cakes if needed.

RASPBERRY JAM OPTIONAL (MAY SUB STORE BOUGHT - SEE NOTES)

  • Add raspberries (and any juices from thawing) to food processor and puree. Add puree to a fine mesh sieve over a bowl to discard seeds. Press down on the puree with the back of a spoon or spatula, until only seeds remain. This will take several minutes. Take care to wipe the back of your sieve to get all of the puree. You should end up with about 1 ¼ cups of puree.
  • Add raspberry puree, cornstarch, sugar and lemon juice to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly then reduce heat to medium (medium-low if your stove runs hot) and continue to cook and stir continuously until puree is thickened. Refrigerate until completely chilled.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

  • Do NOT start Ganache until your cakes are cooled because we will use part of it within 20 minutes to frost our cooled cakes.
  • Add heavy cream to a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave until just boiling, about 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from microwave and add chocolate. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk vigorously until Ganache is melted and smooth. Whisk in 1 tablespoon corn syrup.
  • Remove a heaping ½ cup Ganache to use in Chocolate Mascarpone. Let remaining Ganache stand at room temperature to cool until barely lukewarm, about 20 minutes OR until thickened but spreadable.

CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE

  • Immediately after making Ganache, make Chocolate Mascarpone (so you can start assembling your cake before the Ganache cools completely).
  • Using a handheld mixer, beat the mascarpone, cream, sugar and vanilla on low until no lumps remain. Add reserved heaping ½ cup ganache and increase speed to medium high and beat until thick, and stiff peaks form โ€“ should look like thick whipped cream. You donโ€™t want to overbeat or the mixture will break and curdle but you want it quite thick.

ASSEMBLE

  • Cut cooled cakes in half horizontally using a long serrated knife to create 4 even layers. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a serving plate or cake pedestal then evenly top with one third of your Raspberry Jam (about ⅓ cup). Top Jam with one third of your Chocolate Mascarpone (about 1 cup). Top with 2nd cake layer, cut side down, and repeat Jam and Mascarpone layers. Top with 3rd cake layer and repeat Jam and Mascarpone layers. Add final cake layer, cut side down.
  • Separate out 1 cup lukewarm Ganache and frost top and sides of cake in a thin crumb layer. Freeze cake for 30 minutes to set Ganache. After 30 minutes, frost cake with desired amount of remaining Ganache. If Ganache is beginning to harden then add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and microwave for 10 seconds then whisk. If it is too runny, then whip it with a hand held mixer to stiffen.
  • Arrange raspberries in concentric circles on top of cake and dust lightly with powdered sugar. Serve with any remaining raspberries.

STORE

  • If not serving immediately, assembled and frosted cake should be covered with an inverted bowl or cake cover and refrigerated. Bring cake to room temperature before serving (about 30 minutes on the counter).

Notes

CHOCOLATE CAKE NOTES

  • For a regular chocolate cake, substitute the dark unsweetened cocoa with regular unsweetened cocoa powder.ย  Note, this is baking cocoaย  powder found in the baking aisle and not a chocolate drink mix.
  • DIY Buttermilk:ย  Measure 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar into a measuring glass or one cup measuring cup.ย  Add enough milk to equal one cup.ย  Give it a stir and let sit 5-10 minutes.ย  The milk will curdle so you know itโ€™s ready.
  • You must use room temperature eggs or your cake will not set up properly.ย  To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, fill a bowl with warm water (not hot) and add eggs and let sit 10-20 minutes.
  • Donโ€™t overmixย your cake batter!ย  Overmixing will result in a dense, tough, dry cake.
  • The cake layers should both be baked on the middle rack of your oven. If there isnโ€™t enough room, then bake your cakes in two batches.
  • Donโ€™t overbake your cakes or they wonโ€™t be as moist.ย  There should be a few moist crumbs clinging to the toothpick.
  • 9x13 pan: You can use a 9x13โ€ pan and bake approximately 35 - 40 minutes at 350 degrees F.ย  ย Cut cake in half vertically and then cut in half horizontally for a 4 layer square cake.

RASPBERRY JAM NOTES

  • The homemade Raspberry Jam is strictly optional.ย  You are welcome to use your favorite seedless Raspberry Jam.ย  You will need approximately 1 cup but are welcome to use more for even more raspberry pop.
  • If making homemade Raspberry Jam, use frozen raspberries for best results because frozen raspberries are picked at peak ripeness which means they often have more flavor than store bought which can be beautiful but flavorless.
  • Take care your frozen raspberries do NOT have any sugar added.
  • If you do use fresh raspberries, you will need 2 6 oz. containers.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE NOTES

  • Do NOT start making your Ganache until your cakes are cooled because we will use it within 20 minutes to frost our cooled cakes.
  • If your Ganache does cool and start to harden for whatever reason โ€“ donโ€™t worry!ย  Simply add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and microwave on low for 10 seconds then whisk and microwave another 10 seconds if required.

CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE NOTES

  • Mascarpone can be found with the specialty cheeses in your grocery store.
  • Immediately after making your ganache, make chocolate mascarpone so you can start to assembling your cake before your ganache cools completely.

ASSEMBLY NOTES

  • Make sure Chocolate Cakes are completley cool before cutting and frosting.ย  To cut Chocolate Cakes horizontally in half, I place the cakes on a cutting board so they are nice and sturdy.ย  Next, I get way down so I am eye level with the cake and turn my head sideways so I can see on both sides of the knife (be sure to use a serrated knife!).ย  Next, I score the cake evenly in half all around the cake.ย  Finally, I use the score line as my guide and work my way around slicing the cake a little through on each side.ย  This way, you are not slicing straight through the cake and coming up uneven on the other side.
  • I like to place four strips of parchment paper around the edges of cake stand/cake platter to create a square frame then add my cake in the center of the square so the edges are overlapping the parchment.ย  This keeps the frosting on the parchment paper which you remove once youโ€™re done frosting and keeps the cake stand clean.

GARNISH NOTES

  • Garnish with lots of raspberries!ย  The fresh raspberries make this Chocolate Raspberry Cake exponentially better even when you didnโ€™t think it was possible.ย  In fact, I recommend buying raspberries not only to garnish your cake extra raspberries to serve alongside your cake โ€“ because they are that good and cut through the richness of the dark chocolate.

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Reader Interactions

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213 Comments

  1. Sue Olsen says

    Hi Jen, I just made this cake for Christmas tomorrow. I have to admit that I have never used mascarpone before and never have even tasted it. I wasn’t sure how the filling would turn out but it is DELICIOUS! My layers on the cake didn’t cut very well but after reading the comments, I realized that I need to use different pans instead of trying to cut them. Haha. Thank you again, I hope it will be a big hit! Sue Olsen

    • Jen says

      You are so welcome Sue, I am thrilled you enjoy the filling! Thanks for making my recipes and taking the time to comment!

  2. LILY says

    Hello,

    I’m super excited to make this cake for my partner’s birthday! I just had a quick question – the outside of this cake needs to be coloured in yellows and pinks (the cake is going to be sunset themed). Would i be able to add colouring to the chocolate ganache/paint over it? Thank you!

    • Jen says

      Hi Lily, I don’t think that would work because the ganache is so dark. You could use a different frosting recipe though, good luck!

  3. Olya says

    Hello,
    Thank you for the recipe. I want to make it for my husbands 30th birthday next week.
    To save time I wanted to know if I can make the chocolate cake ahead and freeze it until assembling next week. Does this cake freeze well?

    • Jen says

      Absolutely! The assembled cake freezes well or you can freeze the individual cakes before frosting.

  4. Jane says

    Hiya Jen, thank you for this beautiful recipe! I’ve got a quick question – a lot of the questions here are about changing sizes. I was wondering if you’d have any suggestions on how to make mini cakes out of this? Would the oven times change? I’d like to make 31 for my partner, and I know they love this recipe. Any insights you have on how to make this into mini cakes would be incredibly helpful!

    • Jen says

      Hi Jane, yes you can certainly change the size and yes this will change the baking time. I would google chocolate cake and the size pan you wish to use and use that baking time as a rough idea. Good luck!

    • Nancy Graewe says

      Hi Jane – when you mention heavy cream – is that heavy whipping cream or coffee cream.
      I have some heavy whipping cream and wonder if that would work. Thanks

      • Jen says

        Yes! Heavy whipping cream.

  5. Jen says

    I dONT have a microwave for ganache, how could I do this part otherwise? Thanks

    • Jen says

      Hi Jen, you can use a makeshift double boiler instead. Enjoy!

  6. Heaven says

    Made this over the weekend for my daughterโ€™s birthday as she fell in love with the Maracaibo chocolate cake with raspberry coulis on our last trip to the Four Seasons Orlando & Iโ€™ve been trying to replicate it since. Finally hit the jackpot, this tasted just like it, if not better! Like your story, guests who donโ€™t really eat chocolate or arenโ€™t big on desserts were all equally devouring it and my daughter absolutely loved it! It was a huge hit and now my daughter has requested that I make this for her birthday every year from now on. Thank you so much for this perfect recipe, it has definitely landed a VIP spot in our recipe box!

    • Jen says

      Wow! Thank you so much, Heaven, this made my day! I am thrilled this was a winner and that you all loved it so much – especially the birthday girl!

  7. Jenn says

    Could the marscapone filling be used as frosting for a cupcake?

    • Jen says

      Hi Jenn! Great idea, I am sure it would taste delicious on a cupcake as well!

  8. Sara Guerrero says

    I love this page, I want to bake of all this recipes

  9. Kerrie McConaha says

    Made this chocolate raspberry cake and it was to die for! I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out beautifully. I used the fresh raspberries removing the seedsโ€ฆa lot of work but worth it. This recipe is a keeper.

    • Jen says

      Fresh raspberries sound dreamy! I’m so thrilled you loved it!

  10. Kurt Kopsa says

    Help, my cakes keep collapsing in the middle. Too much oil? Eggs not warm enough? Need more flower? I’m following the recipe and tips but failed with the same results on 2 attempts. Should the buttermilk be brought up to room temperature? I would love any suggestions.

    • Jen says

      I’m sorry, that must be so frustrating! Yes, try bringing the buttermilk to room temperature so it’s not overmixed. Here’s a short list of more top reasons why cakes may fall in the middle:
      1. Underbaking: The cake may not have been baked for a long enough time, leading to a lack of structure and collapse in the middle.
      2. Overmixing: Excessive mixing of the batter can incorporate too much air, leading to a weakened structure that collapses during baking.
      3. Incorrect Oven Temperature: Make sure your oven is calibrated so it bakes at the correct temperature. Baking at too low or too high of a temperature can affect the cake’s rise and cause it to collapse in the middle.
      4. Opening the Oven Door Too Soon: Opening the oven door during baking can cause fluctuations in temperature, disrupting the cake’s rise and resulting in collapse.

      Hope this helps!

  11. Roxana says

    Hi, what can I use to substitute the vegetable oil?

    • Jen says

      Melted coconut oil will also work, enjoy!

  12. Kristina says

    I made this cake recently for a baby shower. I used high quality Chocolate so had to wait 6 hours for the chocolate to set a bit before adding to the frosting. But I was told this cake is to die for! Like what? And some people who don’t normally enjoy chocolate cake where raving about this one. So this is one is definitely getting saved. Thank you for sharing.

    • Jen says

      Thank you!! I’m so thrilled it was such a hit!

  13. DOREEN KANE says

    Hi Jennifer,
    This cake was one of the best cakes I have ever made. Family loved it, so light and delicious. I used frozen raspberries, could not get fresh that day and they were fine for compote. I did get fresh for top. Everything went fine until I had to use the Ganache to frost the cake. I did use it for the crumb coat but it was way too thin to actually frost the cake with even after refrigerating, so I ended up whipping it with heavy cream and some powdered sugar to get it to frosting consistency and it turned out great. Did I miss something in the recipe for the Ganache frosting? I melted chocolate in the microwave and then added the cream, but was not thick even after cooling.

    • Jen says

      Hi Doreen! I’m so thrilled it was a winner! Others have had a similar problem with thin ganache, and said whipping the ganache helped thicken it up. Hope this helps!

      • DOREEN KANE KANE says

        Can you tell me baking time for a sheet cake out of this? i want to make mini cakes out of this recipe and would like to use one normal size sheet pan.

        • Jen says

          I’ve never tried it, but I’ve heard adding 10 minutes to the bake time does the trick. I would bake for 40 minutes to start, and take it out when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. I hope this turns out beautifully!

  14. DOREEN KANE KANE says

    I made this cake and it was incredible. i am not really a raspberry chocolate fan but this cake was probably the best cake I have ever made. Try it, you will love it!

    • Jen says

      Thank you! I’m so thrilled to hear that this was a surprise hit!

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