Raspberry Snack Cake with Salted Milk Chocolate Frosting

Raspberry and chocolate are the perfect flavor combination for this snack cake.

Active Time:
15 mins
Bake Time:
35 mins
Cool Time:
1 hrs
Total Time:
1 hrs 50 mins
Yield:
1 (8-inch) cake

Snack cakes, also known as cakes that can be enjoyed at any time of the day, are a trend that we're absolutely head-over-heels for. The key to a great snack cake is versatility—we're looking for balanced flavors with notes of sweet, fruity, tangy, and salty, not a cake that overwhelms in its sweetness. We can confirm that our Raspberry Snack Cake with Salted Milk Chocolate Frosting checks all the boxes.

A wonderfully thick layer of lightly salty, sweet milk chocolatey frosting caps a tender vanilla cake dotted with fresh raspberries. The cake is shockingly tender, with buttermilk bringing a slight tang and an extra dose of moisture to the batter. With their tartness, raspberries are the perfect fruit to offset the sweetness of the milk chocolate layer. A hint of cardamom gives this dessert unexpected depth. If you don't have that spice, substitute the same amount of ground ginger or cinnamon. As an added bonus, this recipe comes together entirely in one bowl.

Raspberry Snack Cake with Salted Milk Chocolate Frosting

Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

This sweet, romantic cake would be the perfect casual treat for Valentine's Day (or a gift for your galentines). Enjoy this cake for breakfast, dessert, or as an afternoon snack—we won't judge if it's gone by dinner.

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

  • ¾ cup whole buttermilk

  • ¼ cup canola oil

  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 cup fresh raspberries, patted dry, plus more for serving (optional)

Frosting

  • 8 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Directions

  1. Prepare the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cardamom in a large microwavable bowl. Using a spoon, make a well in center of mixture; pour buttermilk, oil, and vanilla into well. Crack egg into buttermilk mixture. Pierce egg using tip of a whisk; lightly beat together. Fold egg mixture into flour mixture in bowl to form a smooth batter.

  2. Spread half of the batter evenly in prepared baking pan; sprinkle evenly with ½ cup raspberries. Spread remaining batter evenly over berries; sprinkle with remaining ½ cup berries. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 38 minutes. Remove from oven; cool in pan 5 minutes. Using parchment paper, lift Cake from pan and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely, 1 hour.

  3. While Cake bakes, prepare Frosting: Wash and dry the microwavable bowl. Place chocolate in bowl; microwave on HIGH until melted, about 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds. Cool at room temperature 15 minutes.

  4. Add butter to chocolate in bowl; beat with an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 minute. Beat in vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar; beat on low speed until smooth and creamy, 1 minute. Spread Frosting over cooled Cake. Serve with additional raspberries, if desired.

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