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.
One reader, Caroline, commented: “This is the best chocolate cake recipe ever. I have made it probably 6 times, and it always turns out great. A showstopper of a birthday cake. I’m back because I had another request for a chocolate cake for a birthday, and this is it. This is the chocolate cake. ★★★★★“
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 dessert 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. You can also use this detailed how to assemble and decorate a layer cake post and video as a guide.
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, chocolate raspberry crinkle cookies, 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
Reader Comments and Reviews
Can I use 8 inches pans instead? Thank you!
Hi Ana, 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.
This is one of the best cakes I’ve tasted
This was INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!! Absolutely perfect!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi! i am debating if i should do the buttercream of the mousse! I much rather eat the mousse but i am scared the mousse will not hold the raspberry filling! I am making the cake for a 90th birthday so the stakes are high lol What do you recommend?
Thank you so much!
Pili
Hi Pili, you can swap the buttercream for the chocolate mousse filling from my dark chocolate mousse cake—that shouldn’t be an issue.
This is hands down the best cake I have ever made and most importantly, the best cake I have ever tasted! Yes, there are so many components but that’s what makes it so delicious! I needed to make a gigantic 50th birthday cake for around 50-60 people so I doubled the recipe and made a rectangle cake (made up of 6 X 20cmx20cm small square cakes, but still triple layer). It worked perfectly! Amazing recipe, thank you!
Will be making this as birthday cake!
Hello! I love the sound of this recipe for my daughter’s upcoming birthday party. Can it be doubled? (I know that would make an impossibly tall cake, so I was thinking of making two cakes–if I could just prep the batter all at once, then divide in six, that would be simplest.)
Hi Sarah! For best results, we would make the cake twice, instead of doubling. Doubling often leads to under or over mixing batter.
Would this still be good with cream cheese frosting in place of buttercream?
Hi Savannah, yes, you can use cream cheese frosting here instead!
Hi Sally, I’m wanting to make this cake a day in advance for a birthday party. I have a couple of questions, firstly how should I keep the cake over night? At room temp or in the fridge once it’s all decorated. Does it need to be room temp for serving?
Secondly, I’ll need to transport it, how tall is the cake once assembled? How large should my transport box be?
Thanks! I’m so excited to make it 🙂
Hi Tomer, we’d recommend storing the cake covered in the refrigerator overnight. You can serve it at room temperature or cold—whichever you prefer. We haven’t measured the exact height of the cake, but you’ll want a box that is on the taller side. Hope it’s a hit!
I really love this recipe. It was a huge hit with my husband for his birthday.
Is there any way to make this without eggs? One of my friends is allergic and would love to make this for her without eggs
Hi Raji, we haven’t tested an egg-free version of this cake, but let us know if you do any experimenting.
Just made a 6 inch version for a birthday cake. People ask for it all the time. With the other half of the batter I made a dozen cupcakes filled with the remaining raspberry filling and topped with chocolate buttercream.
Please can I ask is all purpose flour plain or self raising please here in the UK
Hi Lisa, use plain flour. Enjoy!
Hi! I’m making this for a birthday party in a couple days but need to make a second smaller tier so there’s enough for everyone. How would baking time / temp different for smaller rounds?
Hi Olivia, you can use our chocolate cupcakes recipe to make a 6-inch cake for the top tier. Be sure to use cake dowels for support like we do for our homemade wedding cake. Enjoy!
I love this recipe but is it possible to make a 2 tier cake rather then 3 tier please?
Hi Lara, there is too much batter as written for only 2 pans, but you could fill your 2 pans half way and then use any leftover batter for a few cupcakes on the side. Enjoy!
This is absolutely a most delicious and decadent cake. Thanks, Sally for such a thorough set of directions and video.
My cakes are so thin! The flavor is amazing but not sure how to troubleshoot. I’m considering making a second batch of the cake ahead of serving this at a birthday this weekend but would really love some tips to fix this… I also had one layer bake lop sided but I think that was because it was on the bottom shelf in the oven and didn’t cook evenly. Thank you!
Hi Clare, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Are your baking powder and baking soda fresh? We find they start to lose their effectiveness after about 3 months, even if not technically expired. Be careful not to over mix the batter either, which can cause the cakes to bake up squat and dense. Finally, be sure to bake the cakes all on the same rack. Otherwise, they will bake unevenly and rise can be compromised. If they can’t all fit on the same rack (without the pans touching), you can bake them in batches. Leave the remaining batter covered at room temperature while waiting for the current layer to bake. Hope this helps!
Hi this recipe looks amazing! I’m just wondering if I have to make it a day beforehand, how should I store it? Will the fridge dry the cake out? How to then minimise drying?
Hi Thao, you can store well covered in the refrigerator. A cake carrier can be helpful for storage.
DELICIOUS!!! I”m not a baker, and I was overwhelmed at first looking at this recipe, but it was much easier than I anticipated! The directions were very straightforward with helpful hints for novices (how to stack your cake, how long to let the crumb coat set, etc). The chocolate cake itself was SO moist -definitely use the parchment paper trick that is described to keep your cake from sticking! I will use this cake recipe for ALL future chocolate cake endeavors. The raspberry compote was also am absolute dream! I’d love to try it on a cheesecake next! This is the best cake I’ve ever had, and all the more rewarding knowing that I made it!
This is a family favourite and is often requested for birthdays or general special occasions. I haven’t had to make any tweaks or changes – it makes the perfect cake every time.
This is the best chocolate cake recipe ever. I have made it probably 6 times (sometimes with all the things, sometimes a Carmel buttercream and no raspberry), always turns out great. A showstopper of a birthday cake. I’m back because I had another request for a chocolate cake for a birthday and this is it. This is the chocolate cake.
Amazing! The recipe was straightforward, simple if you followed the directions, and made for the most beautiful slices. Everyone loved it, and it’s definitely going in my “make again” folder!
Just wondering if the chocolate chips are optional are needed for the structure of the cake?
Hi Lesleigh, you can leave out the chocolate chips.
What a beautiful cake to make! Is the raspberry filling too seedy if not strained?
We don’t find it to be too seedy, but you can certainly strain it if you wish. 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. See our raspberry cake filling post for more details.
Hi,
I just have 1 9 inch cake pan, so is it important to use 3 pans and Divide batter evenly between 3 paán ?
Hi Linh, yes, it is important to divide the cake batter evenly among the 3 pans. If you only have one pan, you can bake one layer at a time, leaving the remaining batter covered at room temperature while waiting for the current layer to bake.
How would replacing the oil for butter work in this recipe?
Hi Jennifer, we don’t recommend using melted butter in place of the oil. The oil helps guarantee a supremely moist cake, and it will likely taste a bit too dry without it.
What a delicious cake! I made it for a small dinner party. I only had 2 8 inch round cake tins, so I multiplied the cake and buttercream ingredients by .66. It was just perfect. The raspberry filling and ganache were perfect accompaniments to the chocolate cake. Decadent, but not overly sweet. Everyone loved it! Thank you, Sally!
Hii! I am in charge of making bday desserts for bookclub. The request was a chocolate cake with strawberries. I have loved other recipes of yours I have baked so you are my first go to for recipes. Any chance you have made this subbing the raspberries for strawberries? if not, do you think that could be a possibility? Thank you in advance! and thanks for all the great baking recipes!
Hi MM, For a strawberry cake filling, we use and recommend the filling from these strawberry shortcake cupcakes. Let us know if you try it!
I made this for my birthday. Excellent, as are all of your recipes
Hi Sally – This cake looks amazing. Do you have a version of this recipe for a rectangular cake? Perhaps in a 9×13 pan?
Hi APM, This amount of batter will work in a 9×13-inch pan. You could skip the chocolate buttercream. Spread the raspberry filling on top, then perhaps pour the ganache on top. Takes about 35-40 minutes. Same oven temp.
I just made this recipe for my birthday cake. It was good, nice and moist, with a rich chocolate flavor. However, it was so sweet. I kept getting the flavor of sweet instead of all the ingredients. I would like to try it again and cut back on the sugar, but don’t know how much to cut and where. Any tips would be appreciated. Also, I will skip the ganache as I don’t think the cake needs it.
Hi Katie, we’re so glad you enjoyed the cake. You can certainly try reducing the sugar, keeping in mind that the amount impacts the overall taste, texture, and structure of the cake. We’d start small and then adjust for more/less in future batches. Hope this helps!
I know you probably won’t have an answer to this, but I wanted to try it dairy free, df sourcream and non dairy milk with lemon juice in place of buttermilk. Is the dairy absolutely crucial? Going to make for my son’s birthday but I can’t have dairy. So before I buy everything and give it a shot wanted to see if you think it would work ok
Hi Ashlan, We haven’t tested this recipe with dairy free substitutes so we are unsure of the results. We do have a collection of dairy free recipes if would prefer not to alter an existing recipe.