Chocolate Raspberry Cake with Raspberry Buttercream (video)

The ultimate chocolate raspberry cake recipe! If you love chocolate and raspberries, this is definitely the cake for you! The delicate and rich buttermilk chocolate cake layers are dotted with fresh raspberries! Then the cake is filled with more crushed raspberries and frosted with my new ‘Raspberry Buttercream’! This berry frosting is everything! It’s fluffy, fruity and delicious! Garnish this festive and stunning cake with more raspberries for your next special occasion or holiday celebration! It’s a great cake for Valentine’s Day, too!

The Best Raspberry Buttercream

My favorite part of this Chocolate Raspberry Cake is the all the real raspberry flavor, and that includes the incredible buttercream! I used my new ‘Raspberry Buttercream’ recipe for this cake. I have a separate video recipe for this frosting so make sure to check it out! This frosting is made with raspberry sauce, which gives it real berry flavor, aroma and tartness!

Make the frosting while you are baking the cake layers and letting them cool. While the cake layers are cooling, it’s also a great time to prepare the filling!

Assembling the Chocolate Raspberry Cake

For filling this incredible chocolate raspberry cake, I use crushed, plain raspberries! The berries are sweet on their own but feel free to add a bit of sugar if you want the filling to be sweeter. Once my chocolate cake layers are cooled and I have my buttercream frosting ready to go, it’s time to assemble the cake.

1. First, level off the top of each cake layer, then lightly soak it with raspberry liqueur to add even more flavor! Don’t want to use alcohol? Try using a simply syrup flavored with raspberry extract instead.
2. Next, add a thin layer of buttercream, then pipe a barrier ring of frosting around the edge; this will help keep the crushed raspberries in place so they don’t come out the sides!
3. Add the crushed raspberries into the center of each cake layer and repeat the process.
4. I recommend frosting the top and sides of the cake with a thin, crumb coat of frosting to seal any crumbs before adding the final layer of buttercream. I also like to garnish the top with fresh berries!

More Recipes!

Enjoyed this incredible and rich chocolate cake recipe? Make sure to check out some of my other cake recipes you’re sure to enjoy!

• Raspberry Ricotta Cake – the most delicious, moist and fluffy raspberry ricotta cake with sliced almonds on top, served with whipped cream.
• Chocolate Raspberry Meringue Cake – another fantastic berry cake with chocolate sponge cake, raspberry lemon curd filling and a meringue topping!
• White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake – one of my favorite cheesecake recipes! With white chocolate, loads of raspberries and a tart raspberry sauce!
• Chocolate Raspberry Swiss Roll – you’ll love this incredible chocolate sponge cake with raspberry liqueur and raspberry whipped cream filling!
• Raspberry Tiramisu Cake – the ultimate tiramisu cake with delicate sponge cake, raspberry liqueur and a traditional tiramisu filling!
• The Best Dark Chocolate Cake – decadent, rich and extra chocolatey, dark chocolate cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting and chocolate ganache!

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Supplies & Tools

Need some supplies to make this recipe? You can get them here (Amazon affiliate links):

• Dark Cocoa Powder – I love Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder for baking! It makes any dessert extra rich and chocolate-y!
• Decorating Tips – This set of jumbo cake decorating tips includes all my favorites!
• Disposable Pastry Bags – I love to use disposable pastry bags and these come in a bulk roll that will last you a long time!
• Ateco Turn Table – If you love to bake cakes, this classic turn table is a must!
• Use this Cake Scrapper and these Offset Cake Spatulas to get the buttercream extra smooth!

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4 from 3 votes

Chocolate Raspberry Cake Recipe (video)

1 hr 45 mins prep + 24 mins cook

16 servings

Decadent chocolate raspberry cake with raspberry buttercream and crushed berry filling.

Ingredients 

US Customary – Metric

For Chocolate Raspberry Cake Layers:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ¾ cup light cooking oil, such as canola
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
• 1 ½ cups raspberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)

For Filling:

• 1 ½ cups raspberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)
• ¼ cup raspberry liqueur
• Extra raspberries, for garnish

For Raspberry Buttercream:

• 1 cup raspberries,, fresh or frozen; thawed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temp
• 3 cups confectioner's sugar
• red food coloring
• 1 tsp citric acid, optional
• 1 tsp raspberry extract, optional

Instructions

Making the Chocolate Cake Layers:

• Preheat the oven to 350F/177C. Line three, 8-inch (20-cm) round cake pans with parchment paper and spray the sides with a baking spray.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla and sugar. Mix on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the eggs are well beaten. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double boiler. Mix the melted chocolate into the batter for about 1 minute, until well combined.
• In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for about 1 minute, just until the ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix!
• Divide the cake batter evenly between the three pans and press 1 ½ cups of fresh or previously frozen berries into the batter, spacing the berries evenly. If using frozen berries, make sure to thaw them first!
• Bake the cake layers in the preheated oven for 24 to 26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once the layers are baked, remove them from the pans onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, prepare the Raspberry Buttercream. I have a separate video recipe for this frosting, linked in the post above and instructions below: https://tatyanaseverydayfood.com/raspberry-buttercream/

Raspberry Filling:

• For the filling, place 1 ½ cups raspberries into a bowl and use a large fork to crush the berries.

Assembling the Cake:

• Once the cake layers have cooled completely, use a sharp serrated knife to level off the top of each layer, if needed. Next, use a pastry brush to lightly soak each cake layer with the raspberry liqueur.
• To assemble the cake, first spread a thin layer of frosting onto the first cake layer. Transfer some of the buttercream into a pastry bag tipped with a simple round tip or a star tip; I used Ateco tip #847. Pipe a barrier ring around the edge of the cake, then fill the center with half of the crushed raspberries. Watch my video recipe to see how it’s done.
• Add the next cake layer and repeat the same process. After adding the last cake layer on top, frost the top and sides of the cake with a light crumb coat of frosting. Refrigerate the cake for 15 to 20 minutes, then add the final coat of buttercream. Garnish the top of the cake with dollops of buttercream and fresh berries.
• The cake can be enjoyed immediately or stored for the next day in the refrigerator. When ready to enjoy the cake, remove it from the refrigerator an hour or 2 prior to allow the cake layers to soften.

For Raspberry Buttercream:

• Prepare the raspberry sauce first. Place the raspberries and granulated sugar into a small saucepan and bring the berries to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until the berries start to fall apart and form a jam. Pour the jam into a fine mesh strainer arranged over a mixing bowl. Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to press the sauce through the strainer, leaving the seeds behind. Discard the seeds and place the sauce into the refrigerator to chill.
• Next, prepare the buttercream. The butter needs to be just slightly softened, not melted. If the butter is too soft, return it to the refrigerate to chill. Place the softened butter into a mixer bowl and whisk on high speed for 7 to 10 minutes, until the butter is fluffy, creamy, and pale white in color. Make sure to scrap down the sides of the mixing bowl often to ensure all the butter is well-mixed.
• Add the confectioner’s sugar next and start mixing on low speed first until the sugar is incorporated. Once all the lose sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer to high speed and whisk for 3 to 4 minutes, until the buttercream is light and fluffy. Scrap down the sides of the mixing bowl periodically to make sure everything is well mixed.
• If desired, add a few drops of red food coloring at this time. For a sourer buttercream, add the citric acid. For even more raspberry flavor, add raspberry extract. Add the chilled raspberry sauce last! Add the sauce and mix for about 15 to 20 seconds, 30 seconds maximum, with the mixer. Do not overmix or this will cause the buttercream to separate! Finish mixing in the sauce by hand using a spatula and use.

Nutrition

Calories: 592kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 263mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 806IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 2mg