Description
A decadent layered chocolate raspberry cake featuring moist chocolate cake layers, a luscious raspberry filling, creamy chocolate frosting, and a rich chocolate ganache topping. Perfect for special occasions and sure to impress with its balanced flavors and stunning presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Cake
- 2 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons Cocoa Powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 3 large Eggs
- 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups Cold Strong Coffee
- 3/4 cup Canola Oil
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla
Raspberry Filling
- 4 teaspoons Water
- 1 1/2 tablespoon Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
- 3 tablespoons Cornstarch
- 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 5 cups Fresh or Frozen Raspberries (about 24 ounces), plus extra for garnishing
- A pinch of Salt
Chocolate Frosting Filling
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup Butter, softened
- 3 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
- 2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla
Chocolate Ganache
- 16 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bars, finely chopped (preferably Ghirardelli or Bakers)
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- 1 heaping tablespoon Light Corn Syrup
Instructions
- Prepare Cake Pans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Trace the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans on parchment paper and cut out circles. Spray pans with cooking spray and line bottoms with parchment.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk eggs until beaten. Add buttermilk, cold coffee, canola oil, and vanilla; mix well.
- Combine Batter: Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until combined; lumps should remain for a moist texture.
- Bake Cake Layers: Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. Let cakes sit 5 minutes, loosen edges, invert onto cooling racks, remove parchment, and cool completely.
- Make Raspberry Filling: Whisk water, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Heat mixture and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add raspberries, bring to boil, then simmer 15 minutes until thickened. Cool and chill.
- Prepare Chocolate Frosting Filling: Beat softened cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar and cocoa powder at low speed until smooth. Add heavy cream and vanilla, mix well. Cover and set aside.
- Prepare Chocolate Ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat heavy cream in a saucepan until small bubbles form around edges. Pour over chocolate; let sit 1 minute. Stir gently, add corn syrup. Cool 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally until thickened.
- Slice Cake Layers: Using a serrated knife, horizontally cut each cooled cake layer into two halves guided by scoring lines, creating four cake layers total.
- First Cake Layer Assembly: Place one cake layer top-side down on cake board or plate with parchment strips tucked underneath. Spread one-third of the chocolate frosting filling, creating a lip around the edge.
- Add Raspberry Filling: Spoon one-third of raspberry filling over frosting and spread to the lip to hold filling in place.
- Repeat Layering: Repeat frosting and raspberry filling for second and third layers. Place final cake layer on top.
- Create Crumb Layer: Thinly spread some ganache over top and sides of the cake to seal crumbs. Chill 30 minutes until ganache sets.
- Final Frosting: Spread remaining ganache over entire cake using an offset spatula, smoothing top and sides. Add more ganache as needed to cover evenly.
- Garnish: Optionally dust cake top with powdered sugar. Dab ganache on bottom of fresh raspberries and arrange on top center for decoration.
- Serve and Enjoy: Let cake set sufficiently before slicing. Enjoy this rich and moist layered chocolate raspberry cake!
Notes
- Whisk dry and wet ingredients separately to ensure even mixing.
- Avoid overmixing batter to prevent dense, gummy cake texture.
- Prepare raspberry filling ahead and chill; can be stored up to two weeks refrigerated.
- Frozen raspberries can substitute fresh when out of season.
- Cool cakes completely before slicing to prevent tearing.
- Finished cakes can be wrapped and stored refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 1 month.
- Beat frosting again if refrigerated before use to regain softness.
- Tuck parchment strips under cake during assembly to keep serving base clean; remove after frosting.
- Chop chocolate finely for ganache to melt evenly and smoothly.
- Use heavy cream for ganache; substitutes will not set properly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/16 of cake)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 260mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 57g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
