This is it: this is the ULTIMATE Chocolate Raspberry Fudge Cake. Inspired by the famous chocolate cake from the opening credits of The Great British Bake Off, this cake is made with layers of moist, rich and decadent chocolate sponge sandwiched with a silky ganache and topped off with fresh raspberries which beautifully balance out the flavor and texture.
And, as a chocolate cake fanatic, I have to say this is the best chocolate cake I've ever made or eaten, which is saying a lot as I've made some incredible chocolate cakes before (such as my famous Chocolate Malt Cake and Easy Chocolate Cake From Scratch loved by many). This cake is far simpler to make and hits all the right spot, so I cannot recommend trying it enough!
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WHAT MAKES THIS THE ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY FUDGE CAKE?
I call this my "ultimate" chocolate raspberry fudge cake because it meets all the criteria an incredible chocolate cake should meet:
- The most divine texture. The cake is moist and velvety, achieved by the addition of brown sugar and sour cream. The ganache is silky and rich. The raspberries are light and fresh. Together, every bite is perfectly balanced in texture
- The perfect chocolate flavor. This cake tastes like chocolate, not sugar like many cakes tend to! And the addition of coffee and blooming the cocoa powder further enhance the chocolate flavor
- A simple, no fuss recipe. This recipe takes only about 30 minutes of active work. The cake comes together in 2 bowls and a whisk (no mixer needed), the ganache is equally simple, the assembly is easy, and there are no fancy ingredients. In short, it is the perfect balance of low effort, high impact!
You will find many recipes for chocolate fudge cakes, including Paul Hollywood's own take. But I like this recipe the most because it is incredibly simple and tastes amazing. There are no complicated steps, the cake is made with cocoa only (no melted chocolate needed), and the result is sublime.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this Chocolate Raspberry Fudge Cake (see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact quantities):
Chocolate cake:
- All purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Sour cream
- Instant coffee
- Boiling water
- Cocoa powder - I strongly recommend Dutch processed!
Ganache:
- Heavy cream
- Dark or semi sweet chocolate
- Unsalted butter
Assembly:
- Fresh raspberries - you may skip them if you don't like them, but I personally think they are needed to round out the flavor and texture of this cake
HOW TO MAKE THIS CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY FUDGE CAKE
First, check out this short video in which I demonstrate how to make this cake:
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Now, let's go through the steps one by one:
1. Bake the chocolate cakes
Preheat your oven to 350F and line 2 8" pans with parchment paper.
Whisk together all the dry ingredients except the coffee and cocoa powder. I strongly recommend sifting the flour to ensure it has no lumps in it. Add in the eggs, oil and sour cream, and whisk until combined and no lumps remain.
In a separate bowl, pour the boiling water over the cocoa powder and coffee, and whisk until a shiny mixture forms. This step blooms the cocoa powder, bringing out the lovely chocolatey flavor and aroma.
Fold the bloomed cocoa mixture into the remaining batter, using gentle motions and taking care not to over mix.
Divide the batter between the 2 pans and bake for ~30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
Let the cakes cool inside the pans for 15-20 minutes, then turn them out and let them cool down fully.
Tip: I recommend cooling your cakes in the freezer for 1-2 hours. This makes it much easier to cut and frost them!
2. Make the chocolate ganache
While the cakes bake, get working on the chocolate ganache! Add the cream and butter to a saucepan and heat it until the mixture just starts to boil. Pour it over the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Cover for 5 minutes, then whisk until a smooth, silky ganache forms.
Tip: While whisking ganache, try to use a gentle stirring motion to minimize the amount of air bubbles created. This will help achieve a silky ganache.
Cover the ganache with cling wrap and let it chill thoroughly until it reaches a thick, spreadable consistency. This can take a few hours, and I strongly recommend being patient!
Tip: If you're in a rush, you can pour the ganache into a large tray and then cover and chill so the surface area allows it to cool quicker.
3. Assemble the cake
Once the cakes and ganache are both chilled, you can start with the assembly. First, trim off the domes of the cakes using a large serrated knife; this will help make a level cake with even layers.
Place one cake on a turntable, and add a thick layer of ganache on top, using an offset spatula to spread it out evenly. Cover with the second cake placed upside down. Apply a thin layer of ganache to the top and sides of the cake to lock in the crumbs (this is called the crumb coat). Put the cake back in the fridge or freezer until the crumb coat sets. Then frost it all over with the remaining ganache!
4. Decorate and serve!
I recommend saving the raspberries until you are ready to serve. Once you are, cover the top of the cake with fresh, washed and dried raspberries. Serve and enjoy!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This cake should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, or even kept in the freezer. Once the raspberries are added, the cake can be kept for 1-2 days as the raspberries start to go bad from the moisture. Without raspberries, it will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Yes, you can make the cake in advance. I recommend frosting the cake with ganache and then storing it in the fridge. Don't add the raspberries until you are ready to serve as they can go bad quickly.
You can substitute the eggs with flax seed eggs in this cake. For every egg, make a mixture of 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds + 3 tablespoon water. Mix and refrigerate until the mixture becomes gloopy, then add to the cake at the same step as the eggs.
I strongly recommend sour cream for this cake as it enhances the texture and adds richness and moisture. However, if you don't have easy access to sour cream, you can replace it with the same quantity of buttermilk. To make buttermilk at home, add 2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to every 1 cup of milk and stir.
No, this cake does not taste like coffee. The coffee simply enhances the chocolate flavor and I do recommend adding it. However, it is not mandatory and can be omitted.
This cake is delicate and needs to be handled with care. Make sure you let the cake cool down before taking it out of the pan, and then chill it thoroughly before assembling. Otherwise it can break. If your cake feels dry or crumbly even after chilling, it is possibly overbaked or you added too much flour.
Ganache can split and become grainy due to 2 common reasons: 1) overheating, and 2) overmixing.
Make sure to remove the cream and butter mixture from heat as soon as it starts to boil and pour over the chocolate; this will ensure the chocolate does not overheat and seize up.
When stirring the ganache, do it gently without adding too many air bubbles into the mixture. While refrigerating, avoid mixing the ganache too much as that will cause the cream in it to overwhip and become grainy.
Yes! You can add chopped raspberries or raspberry jam to the middle layer of the cake as well. Just keep in mind fresh raspberries will reduce the shelf life of the cake.
Yes, you can skip the raspberries. However, note that raspberries add freshness to the cake, and otherwise it may be a bit too heavy.
Yes, you can use milk chocolate for the ganache. However, I don't recommend it as it will make the cake a bit too sweet.
Yes. You can make half the recipe and make 1 8" cake. Alternatively, you can make 2 6" cakes with half the recipe.
Yes! Without raspberries, this cake can be warmed in the microwave for a few seconds to make it warm and gooey.
RELATED RECIPES
If you like this recipe, also check out my most popular chocolate recipes:
THE ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY FUDGE CAKE RECIPE
- Total Time: 1 hour + cooling time
- Yield: 10-12 servings
Description
Inspired by the The Great British Bake Off, this cake is made with layers of moist, rich and decadent chocolate sponge sandwiched with a silky ganache and topped off with fresh raspberries which beautifully balance out the flavor and texture.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- 2 cups all purpose flour (260g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (220g)
- ½ cup brown sugar (100g)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil (133g)
- 1 cup sour cream (240g)
- 2 tsp instant coffee
- ½ cup boiling water (120g)
- ½ cup cocoa powder, Dutch processed preferred (50g)
Chocolate Ganache:
- 300g dark or semi sweet chocolate (chips or chopped)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, diced (56g)
- 1 ¾ cup heavy cream (420g)
Assembly:
- 1-2 packs of raspberries
Instructions
Chocolate cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 8" pans with parchment paper
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, ensuring there are no lumps
- Add in the eggs, vegetable oil and sour cream, and whisk gently until the ingredients are combined and there are no lumps; take care not to over mix
- In a separate bowl, mix the boiling water with coffee and cocoa powder
- Add the cocoa powder mixture to the remaining batter and gently mix until combined and a smooth chocolate cake batter forms. Take care not to over mix
- Divide the batter equally between the two lined pans and bake for ~30 min
Chocolate Ganache:
- In the meanwhile, add the heavy cream and butter to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over the chocolate, cover and wait 5 minutes. Then stir gently until a smooth shiny ganache forms. Cover and refrigerate until the ganache reaches a thick, spreadable consistency (this can take a few hours)
- Once the cakes are baked, leave them to cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out and let them cool down all the way. I like to chill them in the freezer
Assembly:
- When the cakes are chilled and the ganache is spreadable, it is time to assemble. Trim off the tops (domes) of the cakes, and layer them with a thick layer of ganache in between
- Cover the cake with a thin layer of ganache to trap in the crumbs (known as the crumb coat). Refrigerate until the crumb coat is set
- Frost the cake with the remaining ganache generously, making the edges as neat as possible
- Cover the top with fresh raspberries
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure to measure ingredients accurately for the best results
- Allow the cakes to cool down fully before handling / cutting / frosting them
- Allow the ganache to cool down fully in the fridge so it is spreadable and pipeable like buttercream
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Note: This post contains affiliate links.
Rizna says
Do you chill the cakes in the freezer while they are slightly warm?
Zoha says
Yes I do that! Just be careful in handling them 🙂
T says
اسلام عليكم
Can I use double cream yoghurt in place of the sour cream?
Zoha says
No I don't recommend that. Instead, replace with buttermilk! See the frequently asked questions above.
Beth says
Zoha,
Can I use gluten free 1:1 in place of all purpose flour ?
Thanks
RZ says
Amazing!! So simple but it does require patience in terms of freezing, cooling the icing and the crumb coat. However the effort pays off for the results in the end are incredible. I even managed to ice it decently! Thank you Zoha for the very clear instructions.
Zoha says
Thanks so much Rida! So happy you liked this recipe <3
Tooba Sohail says
Oh my my. I could have this one literally everyday!
Let me tell you, we are 2 adults and 2 kids in the house, and we finished this cake in 2 days.
Definitely making this again!
Zoha says
hehehe wuhu! Thank you so much, Tooba!
Shilpa says
I tried this and it came out amazing! Thank you for the step by step instructions!
Zoha says
YAYYY!!!
Justin says
I used butter in place of the vegetable oil and apparently that was not a good idea. I was very disappointed in the cake. The cake cooked very quickly and didn’t really have a great flavor. I only baked it for 20mins and it still seemed on the dry side. The ganache was delicious. Sadly I don’t think I will make this again.
Hira says
Amazing recipe. It was moist and perfectly sweet.
Sania Ali says
The best cake recipe ive tried so far. Easy, and turns out AMAZING! Thank you Zoha!
Zoha says
Aww THANK YOU!
Rimsha says
Fantastic recipe! Perfect balance of dark chocolate, sweetness and tangy flavour from berries!
Zoha says
WUHU!!
Beth says
I’m a very amateur baker but this recipe was amazing! I whipped the ganache after it set up a bit because I prefer that texture and I had enough leftover that I turned it into iced cream! Mine definitely isn’t pretty in anyway but it still tasted amazing. Definitely recommending to my friends.
Zoha says
Really glad you liked this cake, Beth! And I am sure you're a better baker than you're giving yourself credit for <3
Gina says
Hi Zoha, I made the cake this weekend. It was delicious, but I think I could greatly improve the texture. Any tips on how to get the ganache silky smooth & shiny? Mine ended up being too firm and rough looking. I think I overcooked the sponges too - but that is an easier fix as I know oven times can vary. The raspberries are a must! Gina
Zoha says
Hi Gina! Glad you liked the recipe. For the ganache - you need to ensure that the cream is just starting to boil when you pour it over the chocolate. Make sure the chocolate is cut into small chunks. Let sit, then whisk slowly and gently until the chocolate is fully melted in the cream. If you see some chunks of unmelted chocolate, microwave for 10 seconds to make it melt. Then cover with cling wrap to chill. And for the sponges, yes you can definitely improve that next time now that you know how long to bake them!
Kaci says
I made this cake for Mother’s Day this year & it was a huge hit! My fiancé who doesn’t like sweets basically ate the whole thing that how’s good it was. 10/10 would recommend. Easy to follow instructions too.
Zoha says
YAY thank you so much and happy belated Mother's day!
Asha says
Fantastic cake and ganache; so yum! Made it for my son's birthday, he loved it.
Zoha says
Thank you, Asha!!
Chloe says
Hi! Can I use caster sugar in place of granulated sugar?
Bianca says
Hi Zoha, I love this recipe and how easy you described the steps. It turned out delicious!
However, I do not understand why the next day, after refrigerating, the two layers of the cake separate when cutting them. It’s like they did not stick together. Do you know why? Thanks!
Deb says
Made this is was absolutely gorgeous and so easy. It was appreciated by the whole family. I would like to make it again for an upcoming birthday. A quick question? Could I make the cake ahead of time and freeze it . Then add the frosting after it’s defrosted on the day? Do you think it would be ok? Thanks
Zoha says
Thanks so much, Deb! Yes, you can absolutely bake the cake layers, wrap them in cling wrap once they've cooled down, and keep them in the freezer. You can even frost them while they're still frozen, and then let them thaw out in the fridge / at room temp. Just don't freeze raspberries 🙂