This Mocha Raspberry Cake has two layers of moist chocolate cake, a layer of sweet raspberry filling, frosted with silky mocha buttercream and topped with fresh raspberries! This impressive cake is perfect for celebrating.
Birthday cakes are a thing around here. I talk about my housemates a lot, and one of the perks of being my housemate? A custom-made, just-for-you birthday cake.
My friends are the best resource I have when it comes to brainstorming baked goods. The other night, a few of us were sitting on my bed, and I mentioned I wanted to make something with M&Ms. All of their eyes got wide as they sat, debating ideas and the pros and cons of each, barely taking a breath as every M&M dessert idea they had was thrust at me. I didn’t say one word for about five minutes as they did this.
Finally, they slowed down, and someone turned to me and said, “you probably already have an idea for this that’s better than all of ours, huh?” I proposed the idea for the Oatmeal M&M Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie, and they all agreed. It was the winner.
But, my ideas are definitely not always the winners, and when it comes to birthday cakes, flavor choices are all theirs.
My friend Mariah’s birthday was a few weeks ago, and I’ve known her favorite flavors down pat since we became friends four years ago. Dark chocolate (not milk chocolate), caramel, coconut, coffee, and raspberries. Her birthday cake two years ago checked off the first two with this ridiculous chocolate layer cake that I sandwiched with both homemade caramel AND caramel buttercream, and the whole thing was topped with chocolate ganache and has Pirouette cookies lining the thing. Check out the throwback Instagram picture to see.
So, naturally, I had to pick other flavors to do this year. She requested something mocha-flavored, and I went back and forth until the cakes had already been baked as to whether I wanted to do raspberry with the mocha. I couldn’t decide if it’d be weird. Guys…it’s sooo not weird.
Let’s make a Mocha Raspberry Cake!
The cake layers are made using my go-to chocolate cake recipe that comes together so quickly and easily and produces a super flavorful and moist chocolate cake. However, I did switch out the water for coffee. It doesn’t come through too strongly, but it helps amp up the chocolate flavor and brings out the mocha flavor in the frosting.
The raspberry filling uses raspberry jam to get that fruity flavor. Use seedless jam for a totally smooth buttercream, or be like me and use the raspberry jam that you already have on hand that has seeds in it.
Once you get the cake and filling all assembled, you’re gonna put a thin crumb coat of our mocha frosting on it. This frosting is really just a creamy dreamy super chocolatey frosting that has a bunch of added instant coffee granules in it for a kick of coffee flavor. My instant coffee granules dissolved pretty easily right in the frosting, but if yours are more granular and you want an 100% smooth frosting, you may want to dissolve them in the heavy cream first. Feel free to play with the amount as well. I left it so the coffee flavor is subtle but definitely there; you can add more or less depending on preference.
After the cake gets crumb coated and stuck in the fridge to set, you’re going to slather it with the rest of that frosting. I was so not a perfectionist in my frosting method, I just used my offset spatula to make a sort of vertical stripe pattern by pulling the spatula up the sides of the frosted cake. Easy peasy. Decorate as you please! After frosting the cake, arrange the raspberries on top. I adore the way that the raspberries ended up looking on top of the cake, and gave them a little dusting of powdered sugar to dress it up.
This cake is perfect for celebrating and is definitely a show stopper. The birthday girl declared that this cake is what dreams are made of, and I couldn’t ask for more than that. Enjoy!
Mocha Raspberry Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 cups (8.5 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (7 oz) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (7 oz) brown sugar
- 1 cups (3 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg white
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup warm brewed coffee
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the raspberry filling
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
- 1 cup powdered sugar
For the mocha buttercream
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
To assemble
- 2 cups fresh raspberries
- Powdered sugar (optional)
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
- Combine flour, sugars, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a mixer. Mix on low. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth and completely combined.
- Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake until cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool in pans set on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks, and let cool completely.
For the raspberry filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment (or any large mixing bowl, if using hand-held beaters), beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the raspberry jam and beat to combine. Turn the mixer down to low speed, and add the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
For the mocha buttercream
- Place room temperature butter and vanilla into a stand mixer and beat at medium-high for about three minutes.
- Add cocoa, instant coffee and salt to the bowl beat into the butter until the coffee has broken down and the mixture is smooth, 1-2 minutes.
- Add in one cup of the powdered sugar. Turn mixer on to low and then slowly add in remaining powdered sugar.
- With mixer still on low, slowly drizzle in the heavy cream. Turn mixer to medium high and mix for 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
To assemble
- On a cake plate or board, place one cake layer. Spread raspberry buttercream filling evenly on top of the cake using an offset spatula.
- Carefully place the other cake layer top-down on the frosting, so the top is flat. Adjust the cake so that the sides are lined up evenly.
- Frost the entire outside of the cake with a thin layer of the chocolate mocha buttercream. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to lock in the crumb coat.
- Frost the cake as desired, and arrange raspberries on top of the cake. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Notes
Cake recipe adapted from my Chocolate Strawberry Layer Cake, Frosting recipe adapted from I Am Baker, Decorating inspired by Sweetapolita
Comments
Kate - Catching Up With Kate says
THis looks so delicious – I have never made a mocha cake – thank you for the recipe! I am going to pin =)
★★★★★
Rachel Conners says
Thanks so much, Kate!
Christina @ Bake with Christina says
Oh man that cake! I love the chocolate/raspberry flavors going on, it sounds AND looks SO delicious!! Pinned :)
twitchetts.blogspot.com says
This looks AMAZING!! I would make a few swaps like coconut oil etc, but the end product is beautiful. Great Photos
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
Your friend must really love you after eating this cake! It is so pretty! Now I must try the flavor combo of raspberry and mocha. Stunning pictures as always Rachel!
★★★★★
Rachel Conners says
Thank you so much, Natalie! :)
Kyla Currier says
This is the most delicious cake I’ve ever seen! I can’t wait to try it!
Abby says
This cake is stunning, Rachel! So, so gorgeous. I love the mocha/raspberry combo… it looks incredible. :D
Carla (@charliesue) says
AH! What a beautiful cake! Pinned (and added you to my feed reader too)!
Rachel Conners says
Thanks so much, Carla! :)
Ashley | The Recipe Rebel says
Mocha and raspberry is totally not weird! I did a Raspberry Oreo Mocha Cheesecake Cake back in the day… like 4 months ago. Lol. This is gorgeous! Wish I had a slice right now!
Rachel Conners says
Bahaha remembering your post for that beauty was what made me decide to go for it! Thanks so much, Ashley.
marcie says
I want this cake for my birthday! This is one of the prettiest cakes I’ve ever seen — I love how you decorated it. And the flavors sound phenomenal! :)
Rachel Conners says
Thanks so much, Marcie!! :)
Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen says
This cake is just beautiful! Raspberry and mocha sounds like an amazing combination to me. The chocolate cake looks so light and moist!
Jessica Doll says
This looks SO delicious. My birthday is coming up and I might just have to make this for my birthday cake. :)
jessica
http://teamwiking.com
★★★★★
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
Gorgeous cake! And I love that little sugar storm in the first photo… ;)
★★★★★
Julia @ Sprinkled With Jules says
Beautiful!! I love the flavor combination. Such gorgeous photos as always! :)
Kimberly Bonham says
This looks so delish!! Yummm!
Christina @ The Beautiful Balance says
I make cakes for all the birthdays as well and leave the flavor combo up to them. You’re such a great friend :) PS. Loving that action shot! Did you have someone help you out or do you use a remote?
Rachel Conners says
Thanks! I put my camera on a tripod and used a remote :)
Laurie says
Oh yum! I’ve got to figure out how to make this gluten-free!
Catherine says
Dear Rachel, you have an absolutely beautiful site! So happy to have found it. This cake is gorgeous…so rich and moist. I would love a slice of this. Pinned for later. xo, Catherine
Rachel Conners says
Thank you so much, Catherine!!
[email protected] Whole and Heavenly Oven says
Oh my goodness. I am absolutely CRUSHING on this gorgeous cake, Rachel! That fudgy frosting…all that mocha/chocolate goodness and those plump raspberries just take it all over the top! I don’t care that my birthday was nearly 2 months ago—I think I’m going to have to make this cake and celebrate all over again. :D Pinning this beauty!
Rachel Conners says
Thank you so much, Sarah!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
This cake is beautiful, Rachel! It belongs in a bakery! :) I love the combination of mocha and raspberries. Sounds delicious! Pinning this one!
mira says
Your friend must have been very happy! This cake looks gorgeous and the chocolate raspberry combination is my favorite! Pinned!
★★★★★
Alessandra // the foodie teen says
So I saw this on Instagram and HAD to click over! This looks absolutely amazing, and I love your creativity as well! Do you think you could ship some to me by any chance? ;)
Jen @ Baked by an Introvert says
I need this cake in my life! I am smitten with that filling!
Miranda @ Cookie Dough & Oven Mitt says
What a beautiful cake! I love the combination of mocha and raspberry. You have a very, very lucky friend!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby cakes) says
This is absolutely fantastic! Like wowza!
Rachel @the dessert chronicles says
SO beautiful!Your friend must have loved this. I love asking my friends what their favorite desserts are and then creating a cake around it.
Andrea @ Cooking with Mamma C says
So, I have a birthday coming up in about six weeks. Maybe you can pretend I’m one of your housemates? :) This cake sounds so, so right! Fabulous!
Monica says
Gorgeous! A while back, I had a craving for a chocolate raspberry cake and I made something similar. Now I am craving it again. I love the sound of the mocha buttercream. This is a fabulous birthday or any special day cake for sure!
Mariah @ Mariah's Pleasing Plates says
Perfect for my raspberry obsession! This cake is a real stunner! Pinned!
Ruby Red Apron says
Your friends are lucky! This cake looks amazing and the combination of flavors sounds delicious! My birthday is in July.. *hint hint :D
Allie | Baking a Moment says
Um, where can I sign up to be a housemate? This is seriously incredible, like, my jaw is on the floor. Mocha and raspberry sounds delicious and you executed it so beautifully!
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext says
This cake is so beautiful, Rachel! Love the mocha chocolate flavour with the raspberries. Delicious.
Rachel Conners says
Thanks, Jessica!
Medha (Whisk and Shout) says
The instant coffee in the frosting is so smart! Your friend is one lucky girl :)
Lisa | Mummy Made.It says
Such a pretty cake! Pairing raspberries and chocolate is always a tasting combination
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog says
Wow, this cake looks super decadent and absolutely delicious! Such a sweet thing to make for a friend:)
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
This cake is a stunner!!! Look at that crumb! I just want to dig in :)
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
You don’t have to convince me, I am SOLD on this cake! I need a plate and a fork right away, please ;)
inuglaf says
Planning to make this tomorrow. Wondering if I could make 3 8-inch cakes instead of 2 9-inch ones? There’s just something about 3 layered cakes, 2 layered ones just doesn’t cut it! Reply at your earliest convenience. :)
Rachel says
Hi Inuglaf! You could definitely do three 8-inch cakes, but they will probably be a little bit thinner so I would start checking on them for doneness a little bit earlier :) enjoy!!
inuglaf says
Can I bake 3 6-inch cakes from this recipe to get thicker layers as a result?
Btw, this frosting is the best I’ve ever made! Thanks for sharing. :)
Rachel says
Hi Inuglaf! You could, but the baking time may need to be adjusted since they will be thicker, so keep a close eye on them. So glad you like the frosting! :)
Corinne says
I made this for a friend’s birthday and it was truly amazing! The cake and the mocha frosting were perfect and divine. The raspberry filling needed some adjustment for me. It could be the kind of jam I used, but when I first made it, it just tasted like sweet jam and butter and it wasn’t great. I whipped in a handful of fresh raspberries, a tiny bit of vanilla, and some cream and that brought it to the level of the rest of the cake. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Rachel says
Hi Corinne. So glad to hear you enjoyed the cake! Sometimes jams can have different levels of fruit/sugar and it can affect the frosting. I tend to use fruit preserves, which have little to no sugar so it could have been that. I’m glad you figured it out and got it tasting amazing though. Thanks for commenting! :)
Jackie says
Made this for my daughter’s birthday, she loves raspberries and chocolate. Delicious! Everyone loved it.
★★★★★
Rachel says
So thrilled to hear it was a hit! Thanks for the feedback Jackie.
Sarah says
Thank you for the recipe! I’ve made it once as a cake and twice as cupcakes (18-20 minutes baking) it’s gone down a hit with everyone! I took the advice of someone else who commented and added some fresh raspberries and whipping cream to the raspberry buttercream filling and was happy with the results. Defo recommend this recipe, thanks again!
★★★★★
Rachel says
So thrilled you’re loving the recipe, Sarah! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback here :)
Sylwia says
Hi Rachel,
This looks absolutely delicious!
I am quite new in the baking field, and still learning a lot. Would love to make this cake my next challenge!
How would I calculate how much ingredients will I need for 7inch (18cm) cake tin? And also how long should I bake it then? Thank you!
Rachel says
Hi Sylwia, I would halve the recipe and start checking the cakes for doneness at 15 minutes.
Sylwia says
Thank you Rachel.
Just made it today, and it came out just perfect!
7inch tin, half of all ingredients and took baked in 25min. So easy to make, even for a newbie like me, and so delicious!
We absolutely love the combination of coffee, rich moist chocolate flavor and fresh raspberries.
Looks very elegant and impressive as well – despite (or rather thank to) the simplicity.
Thank you!
Rachel says
So glad that you enjoyed the recipe, Slywia! Thanks so much for your feedback.