This chocolate cake with raspberry frosting is ideal for Valentine’s Day. The cake is fudgy and moist with deep chocolate flavor, and the raspberry frosting is made from real berries for a bright natural pink and fresh flavor.
This post was updated January 28, 2026 with new photos, make-ahead tips, and storage instructions.
This chocolate sheet cake pairs a super-moist, fudgy chocolate base with a fresh raspberry buttercream that’s naturally pink and bursting with flavor. The cake has a soft crumb and intense chocolate taste, while the frosting adds bright fruity contrast—perfect for a festive Valentine’s dessert.
For the Chocolate Cake
The cake is based on a classic fudgy chocolate sheet cake. Oil keeps the crumb moist, and cocoa powder provides rich chocolate flavor. Dry and wet ingredients are mixed separately, then combined into a thin batter. This recipe uses buttermilk instead of regular milk for a softer texture and very hot coffee (or boiling water) to deepen the chocolate flavor. You won’t taste the coffee after baking, but boiling water can be used if you prefer.
Baked in a 9×13 inch pan, this cake is fudgy without being dense and easy to make for gatherings.
For the Raspberry Frosting
The buttercream is flavored with real raspberries. Start by pureeing the berries and straining out the seeds. The seedless puree is simmered until it reduces to a thick, jam-like consistency, concentrating the flavor and removing excess liquid. Once cooled, that reduced raspberry puree is added to butter and powdered sugar to make a naturally pink, flavorful frosting. Avoid adding warm puree directly to buttercream—cold puree is essential to prevent separation.
The result is a bright, fresh buttercream without artificial colors or flavors—perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Recipe Tip
Do not add warm raspberry puree to the buttercream. It must be fully cooled before adding; otherwise the frosting can separate. Also do not add un-reduced pureed raspberries directly—excess liquid will make the frosting runny.
Make Ahead Tips
To save time, bake the cake a day ahead. Let it cool, cover, and keep at room temperature or refrigerate. Make the raspberry puree and reduce it the day before as well; store the cooled reduced puree in an airtight container in the fridge. Finish the buttercream and frost the cake on the day you plan to serve it.
This cake combines fudgy, deeply chocolaty cake with bright raspberry buttercream for a memorable Valentine’s dessert. If you want an easy, impressive cake with fresh flavor and pretty presentation, this chocolate cake with raspberry frosting delivers.
Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Frosting
Equipment
- 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 grams)
- ¾ cup cocoa powder (60 grams), Dutch-process preferred
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil (120 ml)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup buttermilk (180 ml), room temperature
- 1 cup very hot coffee (240 ml) or boiling water
For the Raspberry Buttercream
- 2 cups raspberries
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams), softened to room temperature
- 3½ to 4½ cups powdered sugar (385–495 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1–2 tablespoons whipping cream (15–30 ml), if needed
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9×13 inch pan and dust lightly with cocoa powder.
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift cocoa if it’s lumpy.
- In a separate bowl, beat oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Add buttermilk and mix on low. With mixer running on low, carefully add very hot coffee (or boiling water), scraping the bowl as needed.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mixing until smooth and lump-free. The batter will be thin.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Raspberry Frosting
- Puree the raspberries in a blender or food processor. Strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer, pressing with a spoon to remove seeds.
- Pour the seedless puree into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it reduces to about 1/4 cup of thick puree. Cool completely; chill in the fridge to speed cooling if needed.
- Beat the softened butter until fluffy. On low speed, beat in 3 cups powdered sugar. Add 1/4 cup of the cold reduced raspberry puree and the salt, then beat to combine. If the frosting is too thick, add cream 1 tablespoon at a time. For a sweeter, thicker frosting, add remaining powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments.
- Frost the cooled cake using a flat knife or the back of a spoon, creating swirls as desired.
Notes
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, add 2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup and fill to 1 cup with 2% or whole milk. Whisk and let sit 5 minutes.
- Cocoa: Dutch-process cocoa gives a deeper flavor.
- Raspberries: Frozen berries work but will take longer to reduce. As an alternative, use 1/3 cup raspberry preserves—skip the puree and reduction steps and add the preserves to the buttercream.
- Make Ahead: Bake the cake and reduce the puree a day ahead. Store the cooled cake covered and refrigerate the puree in an airtight container. Finish the frosting and decorate on serving day.
- Storage: Keep frosted cake in an airtight container at room temperature up to 8 hours, or refrigerate up to 4 days.