Gluten Free Raspberry Chocolate Cake

This gluten free raspberry chocolate cake has a rich chocolate cake base and is layered with a homemade raspberry jam. The perfect balance of indulgent but sweet and tangy. The perfect recipe to impress a crowd!

Some people love peanut butter and chocolate desserts (my peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are 10/10 I will say), but I’m team berry and chocolate every single time. This raspberry chocolate cake blends the richness from the cake, tang from the berries and sweetness from the frosting for the perfect melt in your mouth dessert.

The cake itself is made in one bowl and is layered with homemade gluten free buttercream and a homemade raspberry jam. This is a recipe that will be loved by both gluten free and non-gluten free eaters!

Tips before we get started…

• This recipe calls for hot brewed coffee which I use in a lot of my chocolate cake recipes. This helps enhance the overall chocolate flavor, but you can definitely swap for hot water with no issue if you prefer not to use coffee.
• You can swap the raspberries for any other berry for a different flavor profile! If using strawberries, I suggest pureeing them slightly or mashing more thoroughly with your fork.

How to make raspberry chocolate cake

In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, add the melted butter, oil and sugar. Beat to combine for about 20 seconds. Add in the eggs, milk, vinegar and vanilla. Beat to combine.

Add in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat to combine, then with the mixer running on low, slowly pour in the hot coffee or boiling water until you get a smooth consistency. Careful not to over mix.

Divide the batter among your two pans. Add to the center rack in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes (will depend on if you used 8 or 9 inch pans) or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then flip onto a wire rack to finish cooling. If the tops have domed at all, flip back so the domed side is facing up, this will prevent cracking. Once the cake has cooled, you can use a cake leveler or a sharp knife to level off the top.

Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the raspberry filling in a small pot on the stove. Let simmer over medium heat, using the back of a fork to smash the raspberries. Once the mixture starts to bubble a bit, mix well then remove from the heat to let thicken.

To make the frosting, add the softened butter to a large bowl or bowl of as stand mixer. Beat for about 2 minutes until fluffy. Beat in the cocoa powder until well combined, then add in the powdered sugar and beat for about 1 minute. mix in the heavy cream or milk plus the salt and vanilla. Mix for 1 more minute. If it is too thick, you can add in a bit more milk. If you want it thicker, add in more cocoa or powdered sugar.

Once the cakes have fully cooled, assemble by adding about 1 1/2 cups of frosting to one layer (I like to makea bit of a well in the center with the frosting higher on the sides to contain the jam) then top with 1 cup of the raspberry filling. Add the second cake layer and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting.

Top with any remaining raspberry jam plus fresh raspberries and a dusting of powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy and try my chocolate snack cake next!

Key ingredients & swaps

FLOUR. For this recipe and most of my gluten free cake recipes, I used the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour. King Arthur works well! Just make sure you use a blend with xanthan gum and preferably a flour that is labeled as a “baking flour.”

COCOA. Cocoa is how we achieve a rich chocolate flavor! You will need one full cup for this recipe.

EGGS. Three large eggs will make this cake fluffy and hold all ingredients together so it doesn’t fall apart or crumble. I do not recommend any subs here, instead, try my vegan gluten free chocolate cake and layer with the raspberry jam.

SUGAR. You will need a mix of white sugar and brown sugar to get the perfect sweetness but a rich flavor from the molasses in the brown sugar.

MILK. I used whole milk because that’s what I hand on hand for the frosting, but honestly any kind of milk (dairy or non-dairy) will work here.

COFFEE. I love using coffee in chocolate recipes because it brings out such a rich flavor. If you don’t want to use coffee, you can use hot water instead.

OIL & BUTTER. I love using a mix of both for the richness from the butter but the lightness the oil adds. You can use any neutral kind of oil such as vegetable or refined avocado.

How to store and freeze

This gluten free chocolate cake will store at room temperature for 3-4 days in an air tight container, or in the fridge for about 1 week. If kept in a container, I promise it will stay very moist! I will usually just store mine on the cake stand with a cake cover on top and it keeps it fresh!

You can freeze the cake layers before frosting if you want to prep ahead of time. Just let cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until you’re ready to decorate.

More recipes for the chocolate lover!

• M&M Brownies
• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Brown Butter Brownies
• Flourless Chocolate Cake

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