Raspberry Marshmallow Chocolate Layer Cake ❤️
Are you ready for this? We’ve got four layers of soft chocolate cake, topped with a sweet raspberry sauce and layers of thick, fluffy marshmallow frosting. Then comes rich chocolate buttercream, made with REAL chocolate, and drips of dark chocolate ganache.
The finishing touch is a clouds of chocolate frosting, fresh ruby red raspberries and pieces of dark chocolate. It’s the most spectacular AND delicious layer cake!
I’m so excited to share this recipe with you. A few months ago I wrote a note in my phone saying, chocolate cake, marshmallow fluff and strawberry jam. I have no idea what I was thinking at the time, but this 👆🏻 cake is the result. A big, beautiful layer cake that pairs three stunning flavours – chocolate, marshmallow and raspberry.
The chocolate cake is actually the same one I use in my Mint Chocolate Layer Cake. It’s soft and sweet with a really tender crumb. It uses cocoa for chocolate flavour and oil instead of butter for extra moisture.
Next comes the raspberry sauce. It is really easy to make, using frozen raspberries and a sugar syrup. Not only will this add flavour to your cake but also moisture, so your cake will stay deliciously soft for days. Then comes my favourite part – homemade marshmallow fluff.
Remember when I made those Chocolate Hi Hat Cupcakes? Well it’s the same recipe and it makes the most deliciously sticky, vanilla flavoured marshmallow fluff. I absolutely LOVE the stuff. And putting it inside a layer cake was a stroke of genius. It pairs perfectly with the chocolate cake.
Finally, there’s a thick layer of rich chocolate buttercream made with real chocolate. It’s thick and luscious and perfect for coating a layer cake. You can use a cake scraper for the naked cake look that I love so much. Then, it’s time for a shiny drizzle of dark chocolate ganache.
Decorate with a few extra fresh raspberries, pieces of dark chocolate and any leftover chocolate frosting. And there you have it! A deliciously tall and rich Raspberry Marshmallow Chocolate Layer Cake filled with homemade marshmallow fluff. YUM!
I’ve made a few layer cakes over the years and there’s a couple of things I use to make it a bit easier. The first is a cake turn table. This helps to frost the cake evenly and quickly, especially when doing the ‘naked cake’ type of frosting. The second, is a cake scraper. These are so cheap to buy but make it a zillion times easier to get smooth sides on your layer cakes.
The final piece of the puzzle is an offset spatula. This nifty little kitchen tool is perfect for nearly EVERYTHING. Smoothing out cake batter, lathering on frosting, smearing over chocolate ganache – it’s my number one cake tool!
Let's Bake
Raspberry Marshmallow Chocolate Layer Cake
Raspberry Marshmallow Chocolate Layer Cake with four layers of chocolate cake, topped with raspberry sauce, marshmallow frosting and chocolate buttercream.
Ingredients
Chocolate cake
- 280 grams (2 cups) plain flour
- 80 grams (1 cup) cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 300 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) caster sugar
- 90 grams (1/2 cup) brown sugar
- 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 240 ml (1 cup) hot water
Raspberry sauce
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) caster sugar
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) water
- 120 grams (2 cups) frozen raspberries, thawed
Marshmallow fluff
- 4 egg whites, room temperature
- 200 grams (1 cup) caster sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate frosting
- 230 grams (1 cup or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 150 grams (1 cup) dark chocolate
- 625 grams (5 cups) icing or powdered sugar
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk
Chocolate ganache
- 150 grams (1 cup) dark or semi-sweet chocolate, pieces
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) thickened or heavy cream
- Fresh raspberries, to decorate
- Chocolate pieces, to decorate
Instructions
- Chocolate cake
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with baking or parchment paper. - In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Then add the sugars. Whisk together. In a separate mixing bowl, add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla and eggs. Whisk together. Boil the kettle and pour out 1 cup of hot water.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Start to fold together, slowly pour in the hot water, and continue to mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. Divide the mixture into two cake tins and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave for 10 minutes before gently removing the cakes from their tins and leave them to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Raspberry sauce
In a medium saucepan, add the sugar and water and bring to boil while the sugar dissolves. Add in your raspberries and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Remove raspberry sauce from heat and strain to remove excess pips. Set aside. - Marshmallow fluff
Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and pop on a medium heat. In a small heatproof bowl, add your eggs whites, caster sugar and cream of tartar. Whisk together. Then pop the bowl over the saucepan, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. As the egg whites heat, whisk gently by hand the entire time. You’ll want to heat the egg whites to 65 C / 150 F which you can test by sticking a candy thermometer into the mixture or go by feel (the mixture should be hot to the touch) – should be around 5-6 minutes. - Then remove the bowl from the saucepan and place the mixture in the base of a stand mixer (or simply use a hand beater) and beat on medium speed for approximately 5 minutes or until the mixture is fluffy, white and voluminous. Add the vanilla and beat for 30 seconds.
- Chocolate frosting
To make the frosting, place your softened butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for a couple of minutes until pale and creamy. Meanwhile melt the chocolate in a microwave, stirring in between 20 second bursts, until just melted and set aside to cool a little. - Once the butter is very pale and creamy, add one cup of icing sugar and one tablespoon of milk and beat on low until the sugar is incorporated and then beat on medium speed until combined. Next, add the rest of the sugar, one cup at a time, and the milk, one tablespoon at a time, until thick and creamy. Next, add your melted chocolate to the buttercream mixture, ensuring the chocolate is still smooth and melted but is not warm. Beat until the chocolate is completely mixed through.
- To assemble
Using a serrated knife or cake leveler, carefully level the top of your two cakes. Then cut them in half so you have four cake layers. Place one layer of cake on a cake board, and drizzle a few tablespoons of raspberry sauce over the top. Spread over a layer of marshmallow fluff, then carefully place another layer of cake on top. Repeat with raspberry sauce and marshmallow fluff. Place another cake on top and repeat with raspberry sauce and marshmallow fluff. Place your final cake layer on top. Place your layer cake in the fridge for 20 minutes before frosting. - Next, frost your entire cake with your chocolate frosting. Use a cake scraper to remove extra frosting from the sides of your cake, if you like the naked cake look like I’ve done. Pop into the fridge for 15 minutes. Keep any leftover chocolate frosting.
- Chocolate ganache
Finely chop the dark chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, add the cream and place on a medium heat until the cream is simmering but just before it starts to boil. Immediately pour the warm cream over the chocolate, cover the bowl with a plate and leave it to sit for 3-5 minutes. Then, whisk the chocolate cream mixture until smooth and creamy. - To decorate
Carefully pour chocolate ganache over your cake, letting it drip over the sides. Decorate top of cake with fresh raspberries and chocolate pieces. Pop any leftover chocolate frosting in a piping bag with a round tip and pipe frosting on top of cake to finish it off.
Josh says
This cake is amazing!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Thanks Josh!
Stephanie says
Hi! Thank you for this amazing recipe! It is pretty much impossible to find raspberries where I live. Is there something I could substitute (jam?) or could I omit it? Thanks!
Jessica Holmes says
Totally! Raspberry jam would be a great substitute!
Amy says
Jessica! This cake is GORGEOUS and just the perfect amount of OTT! I love the combination of flavours here, and when I am next in a layer cake mood I know exactly which cake to make!
Karen says
I love this and even though I am on a diet I couldn’t resist
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Aw so glad you enjoyed it Karen!