Chocolate Raspberry Cake

My sister got married in a barn with string lights and mismatched mason jars, and she asked me to make the groom’s cake.He loves two things: dark chocolate and anything involving raspberries. I panicked for about a day and a half, then decided to just combine them into one cake and hope for the best.

That cake disappeared before the dance floor even opened.

I’ve made a version of it probably twenty times since then, tweaking little things along the way.

What I landed on is a deeply chocolatey layer cake with a sharp little punch of raspberry running through the middle, all wrapped in a shiny dark ganache.

It looks like it came from a bakery window, but nothing about it is actually hard.

The trick is just giving yourself time.

Nothing here is difficult on its own — you’re just doing a few simple things in sequence and letting the fridge do some of the work for you.

Read through the whole recipe once before you start, and you’ll see what I mean.

Dark, glossy, and a little dramatic — exactly what a groom’s cake should be.

Why This Cake Works

• The raspberry filling is tart enough to cut through all that chocolate, so the cake never feels heavy or one-note
• A thin layer of buttercream under the raspberry filling keeps the cake from turning soggy, even a day later
• The chocolate cake itself stays moist for days because of the oil, sour cream, and buttermilk combination
• You can make every single component ahead of time and just assemble on the day you need it
• It looks far more impressive than the actual effort involved

The Parts of This Recipe

There are four separate pieces that come together at the end. None of them are complicated, but it helps to see the whole picture before you dive in.

• Raspberry filling: A quick stovetop jam made from raspberries, sugar, and a little lemon juice
• Chocolate cake layers: Three deeply chocolate rounds with a soft, slightly springy crumb
• Chocolate buttercream: Holds the layers together and keeps the raspberry filling contained
• Dark chocolate ganache: Poured over the whole thing for that glossy, finished look

Ingredient Notes

• Use natural cocoa powder in the cake batter, not dutch-process — the acidity reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise properly
• Frozen raspberries work just as well as fresh here, and they’re often cheaper, so don’t stress about buying fresh ones out of season
• A splash of hot coffee in the batter deepens the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee at all
• If you don’t keep buttermilk on hand, you can stir a teaspoon of lemon juice into regular milk and let it sit for five minutes

Full Ingredients List

Raspberry Filling

• 12 ounces raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Cake

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup natural cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup hot coffee or hot water
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips, tossed in 1 tablespoon flour

Chocolate Buttercream

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Dark Chocolate Ganache

• 8 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Fresh raspberries, for topping

I always end up reaching for the same set of pans for this cake, so I’ll just say it plainly: good, sturdy 9-inch cake pans make a real difference in how evenly these layers bake.

Shop the Cake Pans I Use →

How to Make It

Step 1: Make the Raspberry Filling

1. Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until smooth.
2. Combine the raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch mixture in a saucepan over medium heat.
3. Stir and mash the berries as they cook, and let the mixture boil for about 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and let it cool before transferring to the fridge for at least 4 hours.

This can be made up to a week ahead — it actually gets better as it sits.

Step 2: Bake the Cake Layers

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare three 9-inch pans with parchment and grease.
2. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the oil, eggs, and sour cream together, then mix in the buttermilk and vanilla.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, then stir in the hot coffee until the batter is smooth and thin.
5. Fold in the flour-coated chocolate chips and divide the batter evenly between the pans.
6. Bake for 24-26 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean, then cool completely.

The batter will look thin — that’s completely normal for this cake.

Step 3: Whip Up the Buttercream

1. Beat the softened butter alone for about 2 minutes, until pale and creamy.
2. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cream, salt, and vanilla.
3. Beat on low to combine, then on high for a full minute until light and fluffy.

Step 4: Layer and Fill

1. Place one cooled cake layer on your serving plate and spread a thin layer of buttercream on top.
2. Pipe a thick border of buttercream around the edge to hold the filling in place.
3. Spoon half the chilled raspberry filling inside the border and repeat with the second layer.
4. Top with the third layer and coat the whole cake in a thin crumb coat of buttercream.
5. Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes to let the crumb coat set.

The buttercream border is what keeps your raspberry filling from oozing out the sides — don’t skip it.

Step 5: Pour the Ganache

1. Heat the cream until it just barely simmers, then pour it over the chopped chocolate.
2. Let it sit for a few minutes, then stir gently until completely smooth.
3. Let the ganache chill for about 30 minutes to thicken slightly before pouring over the chilled cake.
4. Top with fresh raspberries and serve.

Serving Ideas & Variations

• Add a splash of raspberry liqueur to the ganache for a more grown-up version
• Turn this into cupcakes for a party by dividing the batter into a lined muffin tin
• Serve chilled slices with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side

Tips for Success

• Let every component fully cool or chill before assembling — warm layers will melt your buttercream
• Level your cake layers with a serrated knife if they domed while baking
• Chop your chocolate finely for the ganache so it melts evenly without clumping
• Don’t rush the crumb coat chill time — it makes the final ganache pour so much neater

Notes & FAQ

• Can I make this ahead of time? Yes — bake the layers up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them wrapped tightly, or freeze for up to 3 months.
• How do I store leftovers? Keep the assembled cake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Can I freeze the raspberry filling? Yes, it freezes well for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
• What if my ganache looks grainy? It likely got too hot — let it cool slightly and stir gently rather than whisking vigorously.
• Can I use frozen raspberries? Absolutely, no need to thaw them first — they’ll break down as they cook.
• My buttercream looks too light in color, is that normal? Yes, natural cocoa powder gives a medium brown color; it will look darker once the ganache is poured over it.

🖨 Print Recipe

Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Rich dark chocolate layers, tart raspberry filling, and a glossy chocolate ganache.

Prep
45 min

Chill
1 hr

Total
2.5 hrs

Servings
12

Ingredients

• 12 oz raspberries
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 cups sugar (cake) + 1/3 cup sugar (filling)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup hot coffee
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup butter (buttercream)
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (buttercream)
• 8 oz chopped chocolate (ganache)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (ganache) + 3 tbsp (buttercream)

Instructions

1. Make the raspberry filling and chill it for at least 4 hours.
2. Bake the three chocolate cake layers and cool completely.
3. Whip the chocolate buttercream.
4. Layer the cake with buttercream and raspberry filling, then crumb coat and chill.
5. Make the ganache, let it thicken, then pour over the chilled cake.
6. Top with fresh raspberries and serve.

Notes

• Use natural, not dutch-process, cocoa powder in the cake batter
• Cake layers can be baked ahead and frozen for up to 3 months
• Store finished cake in the fridge for up to 5 days

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

• Calories: 560
• Total Fat: 29g
• Saturated Fat: 16g
• Cholesterol: 85mg
• Sodium: 380mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 72g
• Dietary Fiber: 4g
• Sugars: 54g
• Protein: 6g
• Calcium: 60mg
• Iron: 3mg
• Potassium: 280mg

Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary based on the exact ingredients and brands used. Recalculate if you make substitutions.

I made this cake again last month, just because — no wedding, no excuse, just a Tuesday that felt like it needed cake.

That’s the thing about a recipe like this one: once you’ve made it a couple of times, it stops feeling like a project and starts feeling like something you just know how to do.

I hope it becomes that for you too.

If you make this one, I’d love to hear how it turned out, especially if you tried the raspberry liqueur in the ganache.

Leave a comment below, or tag me if you post a photo — I always love seeing your versions.

Jessica Moore

Jessica is the baker and recipe developer behind CookieRecipesOnline.com, where she shares kitchen-tested desserts made for real home kitchens.