Chocolate Raspberry Cake – Sally’s Baking Habit

There’s a lot to like about this ultra-rich chocolate raspberry cake. Layers of moist darkish chocolate sponge, silky chocolate buttercream, and home made raspberry cake filling are enrobed in an expensive chocolate raspberry ganache. That is an indulgent dessert for anybody who loves the flavour mixture of raspberries paired with deep, darkish chocolate.

Contemplate this the fruity sequel to chocolate peanut butter cake. 🙂

Right here’s What You’ll Love About This Chocolate Raspberry Cake

• Cake crumb is fudge-like and moist, but a bit gentle and spongey, with additional texture from the mini chocolate chips
• Stunning steadiness of wealthy flavors between the tart, juicy raspberry filling, candy chocolate buttercream, and darkish chocolate ganache
• Selfmade raspberry filling makes use of frozen raspberries (very handy!) and takes simply quarter-hour to make (plus cooling)
• Take pleasure in extra-luxe raspberry taste within the chocolate ganache topping by changing a few of the cream with raspberry liqueur (non-compulsory)

Simply have a look at this magnificence:

4 Elements to This Chocolate Raspberry Cake

There’s quite a bit happening as we speak, so let’s break down every element of this unapologetically indulgent cake:

1. Raspberry Filling: This sweet-tart jammy raspberry cake filling comes collectively rapidly and simply on the range. It wants to chill utterly earlier than spreading onto the cake layers, so my directions direct you to make this primary.
2. Darkish Chocolate Cake: We’re utilizing the identical deeply chocolate-y cake batter as this darkish chocolate peanut butter cake. You’ll love the extra texture from mini chocolate chips within the batter—have you ever tried it earlier than?
3. Chocolate Frosting: Slather on a layer of chocolate buttercream frosting between every cake layer, and use it to use a crumb coat to the outside of the cake. You’ll additionally want a piping bag + massive spherical tip to pipe a border across the fringe of the layers. The chocolate buttercream is right here not just for style, however serves a fairly necessary perform: a buttercream “dam” helps maintain the raspberry filling in place.
4. Chocolate Raspberry Ganache: High the entire cake with darkish chocolate ganache. If desired, you possibly can change a few of the cream with raspberry liqueur (akin to Chambord) to make a chocolate raspberry ganache (or preserve it simply chocolate). Style testers liked it each methods.

Make the Raspberry Filling First

The filling takes about quarter-hour to prep, then wants to chill, chill, and thicken utterly. I like to recommend making it prematurely and storing it within the fridge till you’re able to assemble the chocolate raspberry cake. I’ve an entire separate web page devoted to this glorious raspberry cake filling in order for you extra concepts for its makes use of.

We’re utilizing frozen raspberries for this filling, which I like as a result of it means this cake may be made yr spherical! You too can use contemporary berries. You want 12 ounces (about 340-375g). Listed below are the opposite components it’s essential to make it:

• Water & Cornstarch: Cornstarch is the magic thickener for this raspberry filling. You don’t want a lot, however it’s essential to dissolve it in a bit water earlier than utilizing. That is referred to as a “slurry”; see strawberry sauce for example.
• Sugar: The raspberry filling must be a bit tart, since you’ll pair it with candy chocolate buttercream frosting.
• Lemon Juice: The filling wants *one thing* to steadiness the berry and sugar, and lemon juice gives that trace of freshness. Don’t go away it out or the filling will style fairly flat.
• Vanilla Extract: Add a bit splash of vanilla extract to the filling as soon as it comes off the warmth. It tastes and smells unimaginable!

Make this primary, so it has loads of time to relax and thicken:

A Very Chocolate-y Chocolate Cake

You want a handful of primary baking components for the cake batter. The acidity in each bitter cream and buttermilk is a should to offer correct leavening. (If desired, see baking powder vs baking soda for extra data.) A contact of espresso powder and scorching espresso additional enhances the chocolate taste. The cake will not style like espresso—moderately, these add depth to the cake’s darkish chocolate taste. Be at liberty to skip the espresso powder and change scorching espresso with scorching water or use decaf.

• Why scorching liquid? The new liquid encourages the cocoa powder to bloom and dissolve.

Chocolate chips take the chocolate taste to the subsequent stage, and, as I discussed above, additionally they provide phenomenal texture. I take advantage of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, however common measurement are wonderful too. Toss them in a bit flour earlier than folding into the batter, to assist preserve them from sinking to the underside of the cake.

Favourite Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

We’re utilizing my favourite chocolate buttercream on this cake, so it’s going to be good! This creamy chocolate frosting is good, silky clean, and straightforward to work with.

You want sufficient frosting to unfold on the underside 2 cake layers earlier than topping with the raspberry filling, and to pipe a “dam” across the edges of these layers to maintain the raspberry filling in place, in addition to for a skinny crumb coat on the outside of the cake. The recipe beneath, additionally discovered on my chocolate buttercream web page, makes simply the quantity we’d like for all the things.

Is your chocolate buttercream lighter in coloration than you need? See my tried-and-true trick for darkening it above the chocolate buttercream recipe (warmth a few of it!).

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Topping

You’ll be able to completely make a traditional 2-ingredient chocolate ganache, or you possibly can swap out a few of the heavy cream for raspberry liqueur, which supplies this subtle cake that *little one thing additional.*

Sometimes, for making chocolate ganache, you want 8 ounces (weight) chocolate and eight ounces (liquid) heavy cream. (Enhance/lower every for extra/much less.) For topping this chocolate raspberry cake, I used 2 baking bars (that’s 8 ounces/226g) of bittersweet chocolate (Ghirardelli model 60% cacao), 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream, and 1/4 cup (60ml) Chambord raspberry liqueur.

So, I changed a few of the heavy cream with the raspberry liqueur. Once more, you don’t have to do that. You’ll be able to stick to 8 ounces chocolate and eight ounces cream if desired.

Let it barely cool within the fridge for about half-hour to thicken up earlier than spreading on the cake (which additionally wants some chill time after you apply the frosting crumb coat).

Assemble & Embellish This Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Admittedly, I’m not knowledgeable cake decorator, so with all of my layer desserts, I desire simplicity. Let me share how I stack and adorn this 3-layer chocolate raspberry cake.

Begin by leveling your desserts, if wanted, to create a flat floor for stacking and adorning.

Spoon about 1/2 cup of the chocolate buttercream right into a piping bag fitted with a big spherical piping tip. I take advantage of Wilton 2A. (Or simply use a disposable piping bag and reduce about 3/4-inch off the tip and use that with no piping tip.) Place the underside cooled cake layer in your cake stand or serving plate. Utilizing a massive icing spatula or small offset spatula, evenly cowl the highest with about 1/4 cup of chocolate buttercream frosting (a skinny layer).

Then, pipe a thick border of frosting across the fringe of the cake to create a “dam” for the raspberry filling. Unfold half of the raspberry filling (heaping 1/2 cup) on high of the frosted cake layer, staying inside the buttercream border:

Repeat the identical actual course of with the second cake layer.

Place the third cake layer on high, after which unfold a skinny layer (no matter you could have left) of the chocolate buttercream on high and across the sides as a crumb coat. Run a bench scraper across the cake to clean it out:

Refrigerate the cake for at the very least half-hour and as much as 3 hours to set the crumb coat. Throughout this time, I often make and chill the ganache.

Pour cooled chocolate ganache on high and unfold everywhere in the cake. Look how a lot this ganache thickens! It’s liquid at first, and half-hour within the fridge is gold. I take advantage of a massive icing spatula to unfold it everywhere in the cake.

A cluster of contemporary raspberries is the right of entirety on high of this cake. A masterpiece for an important day, this chocolate raspberry cake is the right marriage of chocolate and berry.

So many elements! So many layers! I hope you get pleasure from.

Are you new to layer desserts? Don’t miss these full lists of cake success suggestions and cake baking instruments.

Advisable Instruments

Print

Chocolate Raspberry Cake

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  Writer: Sally
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  Prep Time: 1 hour, half-hour (contains chilling)
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  Prepare dinner Time: 25 minutes
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  Whole Time: 4 hours (contains cooling)
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  Yield: serves 12-14
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  Class: Cake
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  Technique: Baking
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  Delicacies: American

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Description

Take pleasure in layers of moist darkish chocolate cake, candy creamy chocolate buttercream, and home made raspberry filling, all coated with an expensive chocolate raspberry ganache. 

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For the Raspberry Filling

For the Cake

For the Chocolate Buttercream

For the Chocolate Raspberry Ganache

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Directions

1. Make the raspberry filling: Whisk the cornstarch and water collectively till all of the cornstarch has dissolved. (I simply use a fork to combine—very simple.) Mix cornstarch combination, raspberries (no must thaw if utilizing frozen), granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan set over medium warmth. Utilizing a silicone spatula, stir the combination, mashing the raspberries as they start to thaw and soften. Carry to a boil and let it boil for five full minutes, stirring sometimes. Take away pan from warmth and stir in vanilla extract.
2. Permit the raspberry filling to chill at room temperature for 10–quarter-hour, then switch it to a bowl or container and place it within the fridge for at the very least 4 hours and as much as 1 week (the longer, the higher). No must cowl it, but when refrigerating for longer than 4 hours, cowl tightly. It’s going to proceed to thicken up because it chills. Raspberry filling have to be utterly chilled earlier than utilizing in your cake. If freezing, see Observe beneath for directions.
3. 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 desserts seamlessly launch from the pans. (If it’s useful, see this parchment paper rounds for desserts video & put up.)
4. Make the cake: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder (if utilizing) collectively in a big bowl. Put aside. Utilizing a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or you should utilize a whisk), combine the oil, eggs, and bitter cream collectively on medium-high pace till mixed. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and beat till mixed. Pour the moist components into the dry components, add the new water/espresso, and whisk or beat on low pace till the batter is totally mixed. Fold within the flour-coated chocolate chips. Batter is skinny and you may even see some air bubbles on the floor—that’s regular. It is best to have about 6–6.5 cups of batter, or round 1400g. 
5. Divide batter evenly between 3 pans. Bake for about 24–26 minutes. Baking instances differ, so control yours. The desserts are performed when a toothpick inserted within the heart comes out clear.
6. Take away the desserts from the oven and set on a wire rack. Permit to chill utterly within the pan. The desserts might barely sink within the center as they cool—that’s anticipated.
7. Because the desserts cool, make the chocolate buttercream: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium pace till creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low pace for 30 seconds, then improve to excessive pace and beat for 1 full minute. Style. Beat in one other pinch of salt if desired. (Would you like your buttercream darker in coloration? I’ve a trick detailed on the complete chocolate buttercream web page.) You’re going to make use of this buttercream for a skinny layer below the raspberry filling, a piped “dam” round 2 of the cake layers, and for the crumb coat. Makes about 2.5 cups complete.
8. Start layering with raspberry filling and buttercream: Place 1 cooled cake layer in your cake stand or serving plate. Utilizing a massive icing spatula or small offset spatula, evenly cowl the highest with about 1/4 cup of chocolate buttercream frosting (a skinny layer). Spoon about 1/2 cup of the chocolate buttercream right into a piping bag fitted with a big spherical piping tip. I take advantage of Wilton 2A. (Or simply use a disposable piping bag and reduce about 3/4-inch off the tip and use that with no piping tip.) Pipe a thick border of buttercream across the fringe of the frosted cake layer, utilizing about half of the buttercream within the piping bag). Then, utilizing a small offset spatula, unfold half of the thickened and chilled raspberry filling (about 1/2 cup) contained in the buttercream border. Place 2nd cake layer on high after which repeat the filling course of: unfold frosting, pipe border with remaining frosting in piping bag (when you ran out, simply use extra from the massive bowl of buttercream), then unfold on remaining raspberry filling. High with third cake layer.
9. Apply crumb coat: Utilizing the remaining chocolate buttercream, unfold a skinny layer of buttercream on the highest and across the sides as a crumb coat. Run a bench scraper across the cake to clean out crumb coat. Chill uncovered within the fridge for at the very least half-hour and as much as 3 hours to set the crumb coat.
10. As your crumb coat units, make and chill the chocolate ganache: Place finely chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Warmth the cream and raspberry liqueur, if utilizing, in a small saucepan over medium warmth till it begins to softly simmer. (Don’t let it come to a speedy boil—that’s too scorching!) Pour over chocolate, then let it sit for two–3 minutes to softly soften the chocolate. With a steel spoon or small rubber spatula, very slowly stir till chocolate has melted and combination is clean. Ganache is skinny. The finer you chopped the chocolate, the faster it would soften with the cream. If it’s not melting, don’t microwave it. If wanted, see Troubleshooting Chocolate Ganache. As soon as ganache combination is clean, let it chill for half-hour within the fridge to thicken earlier than spreading on chilled crumb-coated cake.
11. Pour/spoon thickened ganache on chilled cake, and unfold throughout cake with an icing spatula. Garnish with contemporary raspberries, if desired. Serve cake instantly or chill, uncovered, for as much as 4–6 hours earlier than serving. Cake may be served at room temperature or chilled.
12. Cowl leftover cake tightly and retailer within the fridge for five days. I like utilizing a cake provider for storing and transporting.

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Notes

1. Make Forward & Freezing Directions for Cake: Put together cake by step 6. Wrap the person baked and cooled cake layers tightly and refrigerate for as much as 2 days or freeze as much as 3 months. Carry to room temperature, then proceed with step 7. You’ll be able to put together the raspberry filling and chocolate buttercream prematurely. See step 2 for raspberry sauce particulars. For the buttercream, cowl and refrigerate for as much as 3 days. Carry to room temperature earlier than utilizing and beat in a bit extra room-temperature heavy cream to skinny out if mandatory. You too can put together the chocolate ganache forward of time. Refrigerate ready ganache for as much as 3 days. Carry to room temperature earlier than spreading onto cake. Frosted cake freezes effectively, as much as 3 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge, then carry to room temperature or serve chilly.
2. Freezing Directions for Raspberry Filling: After the raspberry filling cools utterly, freeze in a freezer-friendly container for as much as 3–6 months. Thaw on the counter or within the fridge earlier than utilizing. Will probably be very thick.
3. Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Electrical Mixer (Stand Mixer or Handheld) | 9-inch Cake Pans | Massive Icing Spatula | Small Offset Spatula | Bench Scraper | Piping Bag (Disposable or Reusable) and Massive Spherical Piping Tip for buttercream “dam” | Cake Provider
4. Cocoa Powder: This recipe requires pure cocoa powder for its acidity, so don’t use dutch-process.
5. Espresso Powder/Espresso: Espresso powder and low won’t make the cake style like espresso. Fairly, they deepen the chocolate taste. I extremely suggest them each. If espresso isn’t your factor, you possibly can miss the espresso powder and use additional scorching water as a substitute of the new espresso.
6. Bitter Cream: As a substitute of bitter cream, you should utilize plain yogurt. The cake gained’t style as wealthy, but it surely’s a wonderful substitute.
7. Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can also make your personal DIY model of buttermilk if wanted. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add sufficient complete milk to the identical measuring cup till it reaches 1/2 cup (120ml). (In a pinch, lower-fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, however the cake gained’t style as moist or wealthy.) Stir it round and let sit for five minutes. The home made “buttermilk” might be considerably curdled and able to use within the recipe.
8. Why Room Temperature? All refrigerated gadgets must be at room temperature so the batter and frosting combine collectively simply and evenly. Learn extra about why room temperature components are necessary.
9. Chocolate Raspberry Ganache: Be at liberty to exchange the raspberry liqueur with 1/4 cup (60ml) extra heavy cream to make a plain chocolate ganache as a substitute. When melting chocolate, I like to recommend utilizing pure chocolate baking bars (chocolate chips have stabilizers). You could find them proper subsequent to the chocolate chips within the baking aisle. I like Bakers or Ghirardelli manufacturers, those labeled bittersweet (60% cacao) or semi-sweet (56% cacao), which are available 4-ounce (113g) bars.
10. 6-Inch Cake: To make a scaled down 3-layer 6-inch model of this cake, use this chocolate cupcake batter and comply with my 6-inch cake baking directions and particulars. You’ll be able to halve the chocolate buttercream and ganache recipes above. I like to recommend utilizing the identical quantity of raspberry filling, and having some leftover. Use about 1/3 cup between the layers.
11. Cupcakes: For raspberry-filled chocolate cupcakes, make these very comparable cream-filled chocolate cupcakes, however swap the cream filling for the raspberry filling.
12. Useful Tutorials: 10 Ideas for Baking Good Muffins | Make Parchment Paper Rounds for Muffins | Raspberry Cake Filling | Chocolate Buttercream | Chocolate Ganache | 10 Important Cake Baking & Adorning Instruments

Key phrases: chocolate raspberry cake