Description
Delight in this luscious Chocolate Raspberry Cake featuring soft and moist chocolate cake layers, a tangy homemade raspberry filling made from fresh or frozen raspberries, and a luscious raspberry buttercream frosting. Perfectly balanced and easy to make, this cake is ideal for celebrations or anytime indulgence.
Ingredients
Raspberry Cake Filling
- 2 cups fresh raspberries (may substitute frozen)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
Chocolate Cake
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water
- ½ cup sunflower, grapeseed, or canola oil
- ½ cup milk of choice (regular or dairy free)
Raspberry Buttercream
- 1¾ cups butter, softened (regular or dairy free - see notes)
- 4 cups powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 2½ Tablespoons freeze dried raspberry powder (or freeze dried whole raspberries ground into a powder)
Instructions
- Make Raspberry Cake Filling: In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water until smooth and set aside. In a medium or large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir occasionally until mixture simmers. Reduce heat to low and cook 8-10 minutes until reduced. Stir in cornstarch slurry and continue cooking until thickened and mixture sticks to the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and cool completely. Refrigerate for at least one hour before using.
- Prepare Chocolate Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line bottoms with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add eggs, vanilla extract, oil, and milk. Pour in hot water and mix until batter is smooth. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake on middle rack for 20-26 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans 20 minutes, then loosen edges with a butter knife and invert onto cooling racks to cool completely.
- Make Raspberry Buttercream: Using a mixer, beat softened butter in a large bowl. Add freeze dried raspberry powder and gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until combined and smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more powdered sugar or 1-2 tablespoons milk as needed. Cover and refrigerate until cakes have cooled.
- Assemble Cake: Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Pipe a thick border of raspberry buttercream along the edges. Spoon raspberry filling into the center, leaving a border of buttercream around it. Place the second cake layer on top. Frost entire cake with remaining buttercream and decorate as desired. Leftover buttercream can be frozen for future use.
Notes
- Butter used in the buttercream can be regular dairy butter or a dairy-free alternative for a low lactose option.
- Freeze dried raspberry powder can be made by pulverizing freeze dried whole raspberries in a food processor or blender until finely ground.
- The raspberry filling thickens more as it cools, so be patient before assembling the cake.
- For best results, use fresh raspberries in season or frozen raspberries that have been thawed and drained.
- Make sure to line the cake pans with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal.
- Leftover buttercream can be stored frozen and thawed before use.
