by 
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 for brainstorming baked goods. The other night, a few of us were sitting on my bed. 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. When it comes to birthday cakes, the flavor choices are all theirs.
My friend Mariah’s birthday was a few weeks ago, and I’ve known her favorite flavors 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. I sandwiched both homemade caramel AND caramel buttercream in the center, and the whole thing was topped with chocolate ganache. 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 were already baked about 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. It comes together so quickly & easily and produces a super-flavorful, moist chocolate cake. However, I did switch out the water for coffee. It doesn’t come through too strongly, but it does amp up the chocolate flavor and brings out the mocha frosting.
The raspberry filling uses raspberry jam to get that fruity flavor. Use seedless jam for a totally smooth buttercream.
Once you’ve assembled the cake and filling, you’ll apply a thin crumb coat of our mocha frosting. This frosting is a creamy, super-chocolatey frosting that has instant coffee granules added for a kick of coffee flavor. My instant coffee granules dissolved pretty easily right in the frosting. If yours are more granular and you want a completely smooth frosting, dissolve them in the heavy cream. 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.
How to decorate the layer cake
After you crumb coat the cake and place it in the fridge to set, you’re going to slather it with the rest of that frosting. I was not a perfectionist in my frosting method. I used my offset spatula to create a vertical stripe pattern by pulling it 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 the raspberries look on top of the cake, and the dusting of powdered sugar that dresses it up.
This cake is perfect for celebrating and is definitely a showstopper. The birthday girl declared that this cake is what dreams are made of. I couldn’t ask for more than that. Enjoy!
Want more layer cake recipes?
- The Ultimate Snickers Cake
- Midnight Binge Cake
- Banana Layer Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Mom’s Favorite Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
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
- ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the raspberry filling
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup seedless raspberry jam
- 1 cup powdered sugar
For the mocha buttercream
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ 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.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 cup buttermilk, 1 cup warm brewed coffee, ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 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.½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, ¼ cup seedless raspberry jam, 1 cup powdered sugar
For the mocha buttercream
- Place room temperature butter and vanilla into a stand mixer and beat at medium-high for about three minutes.1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 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.½ cup cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons instant coffee, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add in one cup of the powdered sugar. Turn mixer on to low and then slowly add in remaining powdered sugar.2 cups 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.¼ cup heavy cream
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.2 cups fresh raspberries, Powdered sugar
Notes
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!
So thrilled you’re loving the recipe, Sarah! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback here :)
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!
Hi Sylwia, I would halve the recipe and start checking the cakes for doneness at 15 minutes.
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!
So glad that you enjoyed the recipe, Slywia! Thanks so much for your feedback.
I tried your recipe and turned out so good! My colleagues like it. Its bread, fillings, and frosting made it so easy for me. I’m a newbie and looking for a great recipes to follow. Yours is awesome! Thank you for sharing.
So glad you’re loving it, Rowena! Thanks for the feedback :)
Can I make this as a Bundt cake?
That should be fine, haven’t tested it that way though – would likely need to bake for around 50-60 minutes!
Hi,
I didn’t see where you recommend size of the 2 cake pans.
Thanks,
Carla
Hi Carla, you’ll want to use two 9-inch cake pans for this recipe.
Thanks Rachel/ I only have 8 inch pans so hoping that will work ok/
Hi Rachel I’m making the cake for my sons Birthday and I like to know if can make the cake the day before to serve,thank for the recipe I will wait for your answer. Please
Regards Helena
Hi Helena, yes you can make the cake a night ahead of time. Just keep it well covered if you can to prevent it from drying out at all. You can also prep the cake layers, wrap them in plastic, and prep the frosting and store it in the fridge, and then assemble day of. If you do this, fluff up the frosting with an electric mixer if you can to make it easier to frost. Enjoy!
Thank you
Yumm
So glad you loved it!