This chocolate raspberry cake is a super moist chocolate cake filled with raspberries! It is topped with luscious chocolate sour cream frosting and even more fresh raspberries. Everyone loves this easy one-layer cake recipe.
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This chocolate and raspberry cake is a moist chocolate cake with creamy chocolate and sour cream frosting. Raspberries add a fresh flavor and make this the perfect chocolate cake for spring and summer.
Raspberries and chocolate are one of the best combinations! I adapted this recipe from my chocolate blueberry cake.
If you’re looking for more raspberry recipes, try my raspberry and white chocolate cupcakes and ricotta cake with raspberries.
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Why We Love This Recipe
- You’ll love how simple this single layer raspberry chocolate cake is. It’s made with a handful of basic pantry ingredients. For another flavorful homemade cake, try my neapolitan pound cake.
- This chocolate raspberry cake recipe is made with oil. The oil keeps the cake moist for days.
- Everyone knows chocolate and raspberry are an incredible flavor pairing! For another yummy chocolate cake, try this delicious persimmon cake recipe and chocolate chip pound cake loaf.
- The sour cream chocolate frosting is not overly sweet. It’s luscious and delicious.
Ingredients
Below are some useful notes about some of the ingredients for this chocolate raspberry cake recipe.
- Sour cream– Sour cream adds a slightly tangy flavor and creamy texture to the cake. Use full fat, room temperature sour cream.
- Cocoa powder-Use unsweetened or Dutch processed cocoa powder. Dutch processed cocoa will give you a darker cake with a more intense chocolate taste.
- Hot water- Hot water brings out the flavor of the cocoa powder.
- Oil-Use a neutral oil such as canola or vegetable oil. I like oil instead of butter in this cake so that it’s more moist and spongy.
- Eggs- We need 2 large room temperature eggs. Place eggs in a bowl with hot water for a few minutes if the eggs are cold.
- Raspberries– Use fresh or frozen raspberries. Wash and pat dry berries before using. Do not thaw frozen raspberries before using. You can also use fresh or frozen berries to make my white chocolate raspberry scones recipe.
Please see recipe card below for full list of ingredients.
Substitutions & Variations
- Swap in unsweetened plain full fat Greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream.
- Instead of hot water, use hot, freshly brewed espresso. Espresso intensifies the flavor of the chocolate!
- Blueberries or blackberries can be swapped in for the raspberries.
- I prefer a neutral oil such as canola or vegetable, but olive oil would also work.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are the directions on how to bake the best chocolate raspberry cake.
Step One: (Picture 1 above) Mix together the sugar and eggs with an electric mixer. Add the oil, sour cream and vanilla.
Step Two: (Picture 2 above) Mix in the cocoa powder til incorporated. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add the hot water and mix til combined.
Step 3: (Picture 3 above) Use a spatula to fold in the berries until just combined.
Step 4: (Picture 4 above) Pour cake batter into an 8 inch square or 9 inch round or square baking pan. Bake 31-34 minutes. Place pan on cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 5: (Picture 5 above) Add all the ingredients for the frosting to a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer 1-2 minutes until frosting is smooth.
Step 6: Frost the cake. Frost the cake and enjoy!
Hint: Leave an overhang of parchment paper to make it easier to remove cake from pan if using a square pan.
Expert Baking Tips
- Tip #1: Sift your powdered sugar and cocoa powder for the frosting. This will prevent lumps and make the frosting smooth.
- Tip #3: Use an 8 inch square or 9 inch round or square baking pan. I would not recommend using an 8 inch round pan. It is smaller than an 8 inch square pan and doesn’t hold as much batter.
Recipe FAQs
I prefer fresh raspberries, but you can use frozen raspberries in the batter. Do not thaw raspberries before adding them to the batter.
You can bake this cake in a square 8 inch pan or a round or square 9 inch pan. I wouldn’t recommend a round 8 inch pan. Round 8 inch pans are smaller than 8 inch square pans.
Store this raspberry chocolate cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Serve at room temperature. Freeze the unfrosted cake in an airtight for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
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Chocolate Raspberry Cake
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sour cream full fat, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup raspberries
- ¼ cup hot water
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup cocoa powder sifted
- 1¾ cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Raspberry Chocolate Cake
- Spray an 8 in square or 9 inch round or square cake pan with baking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper. If using a square pan, leave an overhang on both sides to make the cake easier to remove from the pan once baked.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat 1-2 minutes, until mixture lightens in color.
- Mix in the oil. Beat until oil is incorporated. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract.
- Mix in the cocoa powder. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt just til there are no streaks of flour in the batter.
- Beat in the hot water til combined. Use a spatula to gently fold in the raspberries.
- Pour cake batter into prepared pan. Bake 31-34 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the cake.
- Remove cake from oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
- Add all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Turn mixer on low and slowly turn it up to medium high. Beat 1-2 minutes until frosting is completely combined and smooth.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Laura
How much cinnamon?
Natalie
Hi Laura, It should be 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. So sorry about that. I just updated the recipe card. Please let me know if you have any other questions. -Natalie
Natasha Aviles
Followed all the instructions. The cake was delicious.
Natalie
Hi Natasha, Thank you so much for making this chocolate raspberry cake. So glad to hear you enjoyed it 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend! -Natalie
Libby
Looks delicious! Could you use frozen raspberries?
Natalie
Hi Libby! I prefer fresh raspberries because fresh berries hold their shape, but you can use frozen raspberries in the batter. No need to thaw frozen raspberries before adding them to the batter. Hope you love this cake and please let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂 Natalie