Chocolate Raspberry Cake is so easy to make because you start with a chocolate cake mix! Adding just a few extra ingredients will make the cake mix taste like homemade chocolate cake!
I have never been a huge fan of cake if it is plain, but over the years I have found many ways to add an ingredient or two to completely transform cake into an incredible dessert! Up until I tried this recipe, one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes has been this Chocolate Cherry Cake because it is so easy to make and I have always loved the chocolate/cherry combination.
One of the only things better than chocolate and cherry together is the combination of chocolate and raspberry and this cake just might be my new favorite! The cake comes together with a box of chocolate cake mix and a bag of frozen raspberries, so the recipe is extremely easy to make and you can always have the ingredients on hand!
What kind of pan do you use to make chocolate cake?
You can use a regular 9X13 cake pan but I like to use a Bundt pan when making cake recipes because the presentation is so much fancier and you can make a cake look prettier without really having to decorate it at all. If you use a regular 9X13, make sure to reduce the cooking time to about 30-35 minutes.
Another way to make chocolate cake look fancier is to make the cake in two round 9″ pans. Just divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans and bake for about 30-35 minutes.
You can also make chocolate cake batter into cupcakes. This Chocolate Raspberry Cake recipe will make 24 cupcakes that will bake for about 18-23 minutes.
Tips for making a cake in a Bundt pan (and getting the Bundt cake out of the pan too!)
There is nothing worse than making a delicious bundt cake and then having it get stuck when you are trying to get it out of the pan! It may take a little bit of trial and error depending on which kind of Bundt pan you are using, but over the years I have learned a few tips that help make sure your cake comes out successfully!
–Use a quality non-stick pan like this one. They aren’t very expensive and the investment will be worth it when your cakes come out beautifully every time!
–Grease your pan! I know. You are wondering why you need to grease a non-stick pan because usually you don’t! In fact, most of your non-stick pans will tell you not to use cooking spray at all because it will build up on the pan and make it less effective over time. That is true, but you still need to grease the pan somehow or it will likely stick. I have a very nice non-stick Bundt pan and I was excited to try it out because I was told that nothing would stick to it and that it didn’t need to be greased at all. The cake was totally stuck in the pan when it was done baking!!!
If you have a non-stick pan, grease it with melted shortening. I have had better luck with shortening than with butter. Just melt a little bit of shortening and then apply to the entire inside of the Bundt pan with a pastry brush.
If you don’t have a non-stick pan, you can use this type of cooking spray – it works miraculously because there is flour mixed in with the spray. I have an older pan that is not non-stick and when I use this spray, my Bundt cakes come out perfectly every single time. If your pan is really old and the inside is really scratched up and your cakes keep sticking, it may be time to get a new pan!
Also, make sure to grease your pan right before pouring the batter in. If you grease the pan too far ahead of time, the oil may drip down to the bottom of the pan, leaving the sides less coated.
-Let the cake cool before trying to get it out! If you try to get the cake out immediately after pulling it out of the oven, it will probably fall apart. You don’t want to let it cool completely either, but letting the cake rest for about 10 minutes should allow the cake to be cool enough to come out of the Bundt pan easily.
-Loosen up the edges of the cake with a knife. If you turn your Bundt pan upside down and wait a couple of minutes and it still isn’t coming out, try to identify which part of the cake is stuck. Often, there is just one or two parts that are stuck and you can very gently slide a butter knife in between the cake and the side of the pan to get it unstuck.
Ingredients needed to make Chocolate Raspberry Cake
- 1 chocolate cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 (12 oz) bag frozen raspberries
How to make Chocolate Raspberry Cake:
To make this Chocolate Raspberry Cake recipe, you will want to start by partially thawing the raspberries by setting them out for about 20-30 minutes before making the cake. You can definitely use fresh raspberries instead! When the raspberries are almost ready, you can mix up the chocolate cake batter.
Mix the cake mix, eggs, sour cream and oil together with an electric mixer. Fold in the frozen raspberries (I like to use the electric mixer for about 5-10 seconds to chop up the raspberries a little bit but still have some larger pieces of raspberry in the cake). If you are using fresh raspberries, you may want to cut them in halves or fourths first and then very gently fold them in so they don’t get too smashed up.
Pour into a well-greased Bundt pan and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before inverting the pan and placing the cake on a plate. You can use a 9X13 cake pan instead, but you will need to reduce the cooking time to about 30 minutes.
Ingredients in Chocolate Ganache
- 5 Tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
How to make Chocolate Ganache
Chocolate Ganache is easy to make, and is so delicious that I usually end up eating a little bit of it with a spoon! Start by melting the butter In a saucepan over medium heat. Add the milk and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute and then remove from heat.
Stir in the chocolate chips until completely melted and smooth. If you let the frosting sit for just a minute or two, it will start to set up a little bit, making it the perfect consistency to pour/spread on the cake. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 chocolate cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 12 oz bag frozen raspberries
CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
- 5 Tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Partially thaw the raspberries by setting out for about 20-30 minutes before making the cake. Mix the cake mix, eggs, sour cream and oil together with an electric mixer. Fold in the frozen raspberries (I like to use the electric mixer for about 5-10 seconds to chop up the raspberries a little bit but still have some larger pieces of raspberry in the cake).
- Pour into a well-greased Bundt pan and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before inverting the pan and placing the cake on a plate.
FROSTING
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the milk and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute and then remove from heat.
- Stir in the chocolate chips until completely melted and smooth. If you let the frosting sit for just a minute or two, it will start to set up a little bit, making it the perfect consistency to pour/spread on the cake. Enjoy!
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How to make chocolate cake healthier
I’m not sure chocolate cake can be considered a health food by any standard, but there are a few things you can do to make it a little bit more healthy!
–Use coconut oil. In most baked goods, you can use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. Just make sure the coconut oil is melted and in liquid form before mixing it in.
–Use applesauce. You can also use applesauce instead of oil in chocolate cake. The consistency may be slightly different but this swap works very well in chocolate cake and will reduce the number of calories quite a bit.
–Substitute the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt. This will add a little bit of protein to the cake to help balance out the fat and carbs!
–Add fruit! This Chocolate Raspberry Cake has 12 ounces of raspberries in it so you can feel a little less guilty about the chocolate cake!
–Hold the ganache. The ganache is incredible but if you are trying to save a few calories, skip it. This chocolate cake is still moist and delicious without it. Maybe add a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt on top instead so you don’t feel like you are missing out. But try the ganache at least once – it really is amazing, I promise!
Here are some of our other favorite cake recipes you are sure to love!
ankit kumar says
I tried this chocolate cake recipe and it tastes just awesome. I also recommend everyone to try this recipe at least one time you will love it.
Thanks for sharing these recipes.
Nellie says
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!
Nancy Dunn says
I just baked the chocolate raspberry cake in a 9×13 glass pan. The middle didn’t bake completely after 45 min., but the sides were well done. What made this happen?
Nellie says
I’m not sure why the middle wasn’t done! If the sides are done, but the middle isn’t, you can place a piece of foil over the cake and try baking for a few more minutes. The foil will prevent the top and sides from burning while the middle catches up!
Robert says
I made this cake today in my bundt cake pan and the middle fell and was completely baked but it tasted very good……
Nellie says
Bummer! I’ve never had this cake fall before, so I’m not sure what happened! Sometimes cakes fall if they are mixed too much? Was the cake mix expired? If the cake mix you used was old, the baking powder in it may not have been very effective. I’m glad it tasted good though!
Cindy k says
Would this recipie work with 12 oz. frozen strawberries.?
Nellie says
I’ve never tried with strawberries but I’m guessing it would work just fine!
Jeanne Anderson says
Just finished this for my granddaughter’s birthday cake. I let it cool 15 minutes and when I turned it out part of it stuck to the pan and it was steaming. I don’t think 15 minutes is enough time. I baked it just over 45 minutes. Can’t make another one so I hope frosting will help
Nellie says
Sometimes it is tricky to get cakes out of bundt pans! I usually spray pretty heavily (more so than normal) with cooking spray to make sure the cake doesn’t get stuck. Hopefully the frosting covered the trouble spots and you enjoyed the cake!
Julie Strasburg says
Could I use a 9×13 pan?
Jessica says
I love using a 9×13 pan- it’s so much easier! Shaves 5-10 minutes off the baking time as well!
Lori says
Can I use fresh raspberries?
Jessica says
of course!
Teresa says
Can I use raspberry filling? I use the cherry pie filling for my choc/cherry cake.
Amanda says
I haven’t mad enough this yet but have a question? If i doubles the recipe to make a thicker cake would this still work in a regular bundt Pan?
Nellie says
Amanda – If you double the recipe, it will be too much batter for a bundt pan. The recipe as is fills a bundt pan perfectly so if you double the batter, you probably need two bundt pans! You could try to add a little bit more to your bundt pan and then cook the rest in a 9″ round pan if you really want the cake to be thicker. Just be careful to cook the cake all the way through – if the cake is too thick it may be hard to get it cooked all the way through before the edges/top start burning. Good luck!
Susan says
I made this with Duncan Hines Decadent Triple Chocolate cake mix and frozen raspberries for a friend’s birthday. Despite waiting until the cake seemed cool enough to move, it fell apart slightly when I transferred it from the cooling rack to a cake plate. (It came out of the bundt pan easily.) The ganache covered the worst of the torn places but before I served it, I also applied dollops of whipped cream to hide the unevenness. I made the cake on a Monday, refrigerated it overnight and served it on Tuesday. It was good but almost too rich. I kept the leftovers in the refrigerator and by Friday, interestingly, the cake was better than it had been on Tuesday. It was very moist and easier to slice into small pieces and therefore seemed less overwhelmingly rich. Next time I will try it with a less rich chocolate cake mix, or I will use the same Decadent mix but make the cake ahead so it can “mellow” in the refrigerator for several days. (I might even add a shot of raspberry liquor.) This really fills the bill for a fancy dinner party dessert that can be made ahead, especially if accompanied by some fresh raspberries or perhaps a raspberry sauce and a spoonful of whipped cream. What was unclear to me about the recipe was how much I should beat the batter before adding the raspberries. Perhaps it was so dense because I didn’t beat it long enough — just mixed it lightly.
Jessica says
So fun to know it gets better with age, lol! THanks Susan!
SARAH says
Funny, this is exactly Anne Byrn’s (The Cake Doctor’) Chocolate Raspberry Triple Decker cake recipe, just made in a bundt pan. All the way down to the ganache frosting. And since cake mix sizes have shrunk since she came up with the recipe, it’s not quite as fantastic as it used to be. I’ve been making this since her chocolate cookbook came out in 2001.
Nellie says
That’s crazy – I had no idea!
Mariana says
Made it this morning for a birthday request. Sometimes you have to shake the bunt pan gentlyto get it loosened up from the. I really butter the heck out of it and floured it. My whole family just loved it. I cheated and used store-bought frosting and I also added about a half a cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Again everyone just loved it thanks so much I will be making it again soon. Also cooked it at 350° for 40 minutes. sounds like some of you do not have an accurate oven and it might not have been getting hot enough. I always cook my Bundt cakes until the edges at the top start to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Try again cuz mine was awesome.
Sara says
I think the problem is you didn’t specify if you should make the cake mix as you’d normally make it PLUS the extra ingredients. Mine came out bad and I came to check if I maybe messed it up. I figured it out after that maybe you meant to mix the cake as the box says first and then add your steps.
Nicole says
Unless otherwise noted the boxed mix was meant to be added as just the dry stuff- Not fully prepared. In this recipe we wanted just the dry mix from the cake box and then the added eggs, oil, sour ream and berries were going to moisten it well as it bakes.
Mary says
granddaughter (age 2 helped and added alot of chocolate chips so I am eagerly awaiting Mother’s Day dinner soon
Nicole says
Aww thats so sweet 🙂
Ellis says
I made this with Greek yogurt (trying for less lactose) and divided into three layers. Baked for 24 minutes at 350F. Made the icing with lactose-free milk. Wonderful cake. I’ll make it again. Thanks!
Nicole says
Sounds like it turned out reat! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Shannon says
I whipped this up as a 9″ layer cake. I used my homemade chocolate raspberry jam to fill and topped with the chocolate ganache. It was fabulous! Thanks for the awesome recipe.
Nicole says
That sounds delicious!