Decadent Raspberry Chocolate Loaf Cake: The Ultimate Recipe for a Perfect Treat
Indulge in the irresistible charm of a homemade Raspberry Chocolate Loaf Cake – a truly magnificent dessert that perfectly marries the rich, deep notes of chocolate with the bright, tangy burst of fresh raspberries. This easy-to-follow recipe promises a cake that’s not only visually stunning but also exquisitely delicious, making it an ideal choice for any occasion, from casual family gatherings to elegant celebrations. Topped with a luscious, glossy chocolate ganache, every slice offers a harmonious blend of textures and flavors that simply melts in your mouth.
Chocolate Raspberry Loaf Cake: A Symphony of Flavor and Texture
This isn’t just another cake; it’s an experience. Our Chocolate Raspberry Loaf Cake is a feast for both the eyes and the palate. Imagine a deep, dark brown cake, studded with vibrant, ruby-red raspberries, all crowned with a glistening, smooth chocolate ganache. The visual appeal alone is enough to make anyone eager for a slice, but the taste is what truly captivates.
The magic lies in the contrast: the raspberries, with their delicate sweetness and delightful tartness, cut through the richness of the creamy chocolate cake. This creates a beautifully balanced flavor profile that prevents the cake from being overly sweet. The addition of a velvety chocolate ganache takes it to another level, adding an extra layer of chocolatey indulgence and a luxurious finish. This is a truly foolproof recipe that guarantees a sensational dessert every single time.
Why This Raspberry Chocolate Cake Stands Out
What makes this particular recipe a must-try? Several elements contribute to its exceptional quality:
- Perfect Flavor Balance: The sweet-tart raspberries provide a refreshing counterpoint to the deep chocolate, preventing an overly rich taste.
- Moist and Tender Crumb: The careful selection of ingredients and precise instructions ensure a wonderfully moist and tender cake interior.
- Luxurious Ganache Topping: A silky, glossy ganache elevates the cake from simple to spectacular, adding both flavor and visual appeal.
- Versatility: Suitable for various occasions, from a casual dessert with coffee to a stunning centerpiece at a party.
- Relatively Simple to Make: Despite its gourmet appearance, the recipe is straightforward, making it accessible even for novice bakers.
Essential Ingredients for Your Raspberry Chocolate Loaf Cake
To embark on your baking journey for this exquisite Chocolate Raspberry Loaf Cake, gather the following high-quality ingredients. You’ll find the precise measurements in the comprehensive recipe card located at the bottom of this blog post. Using fresh, good-quality ingredients is key to achieving the best flavor and texture.
Ingredients for the Raspberry Chocolate Cake Batter
- Cake Flour: This specialized flour is a blend of all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and sometimes salt. Its lower protein content and finer texture result in a remarkably soft, tender, and airy cake crumb, which is highly desirable for this recipe. You can easily make your own by mixing 2 cups (approximately 220 grams) of sifted all-purpose flour with four tablespoons (30 grams) of cornflour (cornstarch) and two teaspoons of baking powder. Sifting is crucial for an even mix and light texture.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Opt for high-quality cocoa powder for a deep, rich chocolate flavor. Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which is what “Dutch unprocessed cocoa” usually refers to, is often preferred for its darker color and milder, less acidic flavor, enhancing the overall chocolate experience in the cake.
- Baking Powder: This leavening agent is essential for creating lift and an airy structure in the cake, contributing to its light and fluffy texture.
- Salt: A pinch of salt is vital for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors in the cake, bringing out the best in both chocolate and raspberries.
- Unsalted Butter: Ensure your butter is at room temperature. Unsalted butter allows you to control the total salt content in your recipe. Room temperature butter creams beautifully with sugar, incorporating air and contributing to the cake’s tender crumb.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create a moist texture in the cake. When creamed with butter, it also aids in aeration.
- Large Eggs: Eggs at room temperature bind the batter, add richness, and contribute to the cake’s overall structure and flavor. Adding them one at a time ensures proper emulsification.
- Vanilla Extract: A good quality vanilla extract (preferably natural) adds a warm, aromatic depth that complements the chocolate and raspberries without overpowering them. If you’re an avid baker, consider making a homemade vanilla extract; it’s a cost-effective and flavorful option that lasts a long time.
- Milk: Adds moisture to the batter, resulting in a more tender and fluffy cake. Whole milk is generally recommended for richer results.
- Fresh or Frozen Raspberries: These are the star fruit of the cake, offering sweet, soft, and wonderfully juicy bursts of flavor. If using fresh, gently wipe them clean with a damp paper towel rather than washing them, as washing can make them absorb too much water and become mushy. Carefully remove any leaves or stems. Both fresh and frozen raspberries work well; if using frozen, do not thaw them before mixing to prevent them from bleeding color into the batter.
- All-Purpose Flour (for dusting raspberries): Lightly dusting the raspberries with a small amount of flour before adding them to the batter is a clever trick. This coating helps prevent the berries from sinking to the bottom of the cake during baking, ensuring even distribution throughout each slice.
Ingredients for the Irresistible Chocolate Ganache and Garnish
- Heavy Cream: The essential ingredient for a rich and creamy ganache. The high-fat content of heavy cream provides the luxurious texture and smooth consistency that perfectly drapes over the cake.
- Quality Chocolate: For the ganache, choose a chocolate you genuinely enjoy eating, as its flavor will be prominent. You can use dark chocolate (for a more intense flavor), milk chocolate (for a sweeter, creamier ganache), or a delightful combination of both to achieve your preferred balance. Ensure it’s chopped coarsely for even melting.
- Fresh Raspberries (for garnish): Fresh, vibrant raspberries placed atop the ganache not only add a beautiful pop of color and freshness but also reinforce the cake’s key flavor profile, making it even more inviting.
Mastering the Art: How to Prepare Your Raspberry and Chocolate Loaf Cake
Baking this delightful cake is a rewarding process. Below, you’ll find detailed, step-by-step instructions. For a convenient printable version with precise measurements and timing, please refer to the recipe card at the very end of this blog post.
Step-by-Step: Baking the Raspberry Chocolate Cake
- Prepare Your Pan and Dry Ingredients: Begin by preheating your oven to 355 °F (180 °C) for a conventional oven, or 320 °F (160 °C) if using a convection oven. Grease a 6-inch (15 cm) loaf cake tin thoroughly with butter or baking spray, then lightly dust it with flour, tapping out any excess. This ensures the cake will release easily after baking. In a medium bowl, set a fine-mesh sieve and add your cake flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Sift these dry ingredients together into the bowl below. Sifting aerates the flour and removes any lumps, crucial for a light cake.
- Cream Wet Ingredients: In a separate, larger mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature unsalted butter and granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat them together on medium speed until the mixture becomes visibly light yellow and fluffy. This creaming process incorporates air, which is essential for a tender cake crumb. Gradually add the eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. This prevents the batter from curdling. Finally, mix in the vanilla extract and milk until just combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry & Add Raspberries: Reduce your mixer speed to low. Gradually add the sifted flour and cocoa mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the batter is well combined and no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Be careful not to overmix, as overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to a tough cake. In a small bowl, gently toss the raspberries with 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. This coating helps prevent the raspberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake during baking. Gently shake off any excess flour. Using a spatula, carefully fold the floured raspberries into the cake batter until they are evenly distributed.
- Bake to Perfection: Pour the prepared batter into your greased and floured loaf cake tin. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. This brief cooling period helps the cake shrink slightly from the sides, making it much easier to invert and remove. After 5 minutes, carefully turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature before applying the ganache.
Creating a Silky Smooth Chocolate Ganache
- Prepare the Au Bain-Marie: For a perfectly smooth ganache without scorching the chocolate, heating it au bain-marie (or a double boiler) is ideal. Place your coarsely chopped chocolate and heavy cream in a heat-proof bowl. Set this bowl over a saucepan containing about an inch or two of simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. The steam from the simmering water will gently heat the bowl.
- Melt and Stir: As the chocolate and cream heat, stir occasionally with a rubber spatula or whisk until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is glossy and smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat.
- Cool and Prepare for Pouring: Let the ganache cool slightly at room temperature for about 15 minutes. This allows it to thicken to the perfect pouring consistency – not too hot (which would melt the cake), and not too thick (which would make it hard to spread). While the ganache cools, prepare a workstation for topping: Cover a baking tray with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place your cooled cake, still on its wire rack, onto the prepared tray. This setup will catch any excess ganache, making cleanup a breeze.
- Pour and Garnish: Once the ganache has cooled and thickened slightly, carefully pour it over the cooled loaf cake, allowing it to drip down the sides for an elegant finish. For a beautiful presentation and an extra touch of raspberry flavor, lightly press fresh raspberries onto the still-wet ganache. Allow the ganache to set slightly before slicing and serving. You can place the cake in the refrigerator for about 15-30 minutes to speed up the setting process.
Expert Tips, Creative Substitutions, and Exciting Variations
Enhance your baking experience and personalize your Raspberry Chocolate Loaf Cake with these helpful tips and imaginative variations:
- Easy Cake Release: After baking, allowing the cake to cool in the pan for just five minutes causes it to shrink slightly. This natural contraction makes it significantly easier to remove the cake from the mold without it sticking or breaking. Always ensure full cooling on a wire rack afterward to prevent condensation and sogginess.
- White Chocolate Indulgence: For a delightful twist, transform this into a White Chocolate Raspberry Loaf Cake. Instead of cocoa powder, mix in ½ cup (approximately 75 grams) of high-quality melted white chocolate into the batter along with the wet ingredients. You could also make a white chocolate ganache by substituting white chocolate for dark/milk chocolate, adjusting the cream slightly for consistency.
- Miniature Raspberry Chocolate Muffins: If individual portions are more your style, this recipe adapts beautifully to muffins. Pour the batter into paper-lined cups in a muffin tin. Bake these muffins in a preheated oven at 355 °F (180 °C) for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. They make a fantastic on-the-go treat!
- Citrus Zest Boost: For an added layer of freshness, finely grate the zest of one orange or lemon into your cake batter. Citrus zest pairs wonderfully with both chocolate and raspberries, adding a bright, aromatic note.
- Nutty Crunch: Fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans along with the raspberries for a delightful textural contrast and nutty flavor.
- Boozy Kick: Infuse your ganache with a tablespoon of raspberry liqueur, Kahlua, or a dark rum for an adult-friendly version.
- Different Berries: Don’t limit yourself to raspberries! This recipe works equally well with blackberries, sliced strawberries, or a mix of berries for a “mixed berry chocolate loaf cake.”
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📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Chocolate Raspberry Loaf Cake
Andréa
This easy-to-bake Raspberry Chocolate Loaf Cake is a delightful fusion of sweet and sour juicy raspberries with a creamy, rich chocolate cake. It’s truly the perfect combination of two beloved flavors, creating a dessert suitable for any special occasion or a simple craving. Crowned with a luxurious chocolate ganache, this cake promises a truly perfect and unforgettable treat.
5 of 21 votes
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Preparing ganache 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Sweets and Sweet Baking, Dessert
Cuisine American, European
Servings 8 slices
Calories 429 kcal
Equipment
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Pound cake tin 15 cm (6 inch) loaf pan
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Electric mixer (stand or hand mixer)
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Fine-mesh sieve
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Mixing bowls
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Rubber spatula
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Wire rack
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Saucepan and heatproof bowl for au bain-marie
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Ingredients
For the Raspberry Chocolate Cake
- 1 cup cake flour (or 220g all-purpose flour + 4 tbsp cornflour + 2 tsp baking powder)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed recommended)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1⅓ stick unsalted butter, room temperature (approx. 150g)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1⅔ cups raspberries, fresh or frozen (do not thaw if frozen)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for dusting raspberries)
For the Chocolate Ganache and Topping
- ⅔ cup chocolate, chopped coarse (dark or milk, or a mix)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup fresh raspberries, cleaned (for garnish)
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Metric – US Customary
Instructions
Raspberry Chocolate Cake
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Preheat the oven to 355 °F (180°C) for conventional ovens, or 320 °F (160°C) for convection ovens.
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Generously grease a 6-inch (approx. 15 cm) loaf cake tin with butter or baking spray and lightly dust it with flour. Tap the tin to remove any excess flour, ensuring a perfect release later.
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In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Sifting ensures all dry ingredients are well combined and aerated, leading to a lighter cake.
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In a separate large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the room temperature unsalted butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is light yellow and fluffy. This creaming process is crucial for incorporating air.
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Add the large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Then, mix in the vanilla extract and milk until just combined.
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Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the sifted flour mixture. Mix just until the ingredients are blended, being careful not to overmix.
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In a small bowl, gently toss the raspberries with the 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. This step helps prevent them from sinking during baking. Gently tap off any excess flour.
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Using a spatula, gently fold the floured raspberries into the cake batter until they are just evenly distributed.
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Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Remove the cake from the oven and let it stand in the tin for 5 minutes. Then, carefully release the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
Chocolate Ganache
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Combine the chopped chocolate with the heavy cream in a heatproof bowl. Heat the mixture au bain marie (over a pot of simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water), stirring occasionally until the chocolate is fully melted and the ganache is smooth and glossy.
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Remove the ganache from the heat and let it cool slightly for about 15 minutes. This allows it to thicken to a perfect pouring consistency.
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Place the completely cooled cake, still on its wire rack, over a baking tray lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. This will catch any drips from the ganache.
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Pour the slightly cooled ganache evenly over the cake, letting it coat the top and drip artfully down the sides. While the ganache is still wet, lightly press the fresh raspberries onto the top for garnish. Allow the ganache to set before slicing and serving.
Notes
1. Making Your Own Cake Flour: If you don’t have cake flour on hand, you can easily make a substitute. For 1 cup of cake flour, remove 2 tablespoons from 1 cup of all-purpose flour and replace them with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch (cornflour). Sift them together thoroughly. For this recipe’s 220 grams of all-purpose flour, combine it with four tablespoons (30 grams) of cornflour and two teaspoons of baking powder for a perfect homemade cake flour blend.
2. Enhance with Natural Vanilla Extract: For the most authentic and deep vanilla flavor, we highly recommend using natural vanilla extract. If you enjoy baking frequently, consider making your own homemade vanilla extract. It’s not only more economical in the long run but also delivers a superior flavor compared to many store-bought artificial varieties.
3. Key Baking Tips for Success:
- Preventing Sunken Raspberries: Lightly dusting your raspberries with a small amount of all-purpose flour before folding them into the batter is a simple yet effective trick. This coating creates a barrier that helps the berries suspend evenly throughout the cake, rather than sinking to the bottom during baking.
- Effortless Cake Removal: Allowing the cake to rest in the tin for approximately five minutes after baking is a crucial step. During this time, the cake gently pulls away from the edges of the pan as it cools slightly, making it much easier to invert and remove onto a wire rack without any sticking or breakage.
4. Delicious Variations to Try:
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cake: For a delightful change, omit the cocoa powder from the cake batter. Instead, you can either melt 75 grams (approximately ½ cup) of white chocolate and incorporate it into the wet ingredients, or simply add white chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup) to the batter along with the raspberries.
- Raspberry Chocolate Muffins: Transform this recipe into individual treats! Divide the cake batter into paper-lined muffin cups in a muffin tin. Bake the muffins in a preheated oven at 355 °F (180 °C) for a shorter duration of about 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Oven Temperature Guide: Please note that oven temperatures can vary. If you are using a conventional oven, set the temperature to 355 °F (180 °C). For a convection oven, which typically cooks more efficiently and evenly, a slightly lower temperature of 320 °F (160 °C) is usually sufficient. Always monitor your cake as it bakes, as actual baking times may vary.
6. Storage Recommendations for Freshness:
- Room Temperature: Due to the fresh raspberries and rich ganache, this cake is not recommended for prolonged storage at room temperature.
- Refrigerator: For optimal freshness and to preserve the ganache, store the cake airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow it to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving for the best texture and flavor.
- Freezer: This cake freezes wonderfully! To freeze, wrap the cooled cake first in a layer of aluminum foil, then in a layer of plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 429kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 5gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 183mgFiber: 4gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 769IUVitamin C: 9mgIron: 1mg
Keyword chocolate cake with fruit, easy loaf cake, raspberry dessert, homemade chocolate cake
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