Chocolate-Raspberry Bavarian Torte is a beautiful layered cake enrobed in raspberry Bavarian cream. Perfect for any occasion!


I’m trying to be a better friend to berries.
All too often I withdraw a moldy berry basket from the fridge shelf. I ask myself “didn’t I buy these just 2 days ago?” And then I remember it was more like 7, and then I recall the berry tart recipe I was supposed to make but then abandoned because it no longer felt special to me. Fresh produce will suffer at the hands of a fickle baker.
I’m trying to do better, so last week’s flavor will make a repeat appearance this week. And since undertaking this effort I’ve learned that you should never, ever pass up the opportunity to stew raspberries on the stove top. It’s a kind of aromatherapy that cannot be bottled and sold.


Curls or shavings? Both are beautiful.
If you’re new to making chocolate curls, I have a short instructional video here. Or you can use chocolate shavings as a substitute; all you need is a vegetable peeler and a bar of chocolate. Chocolate shavings will melt easily in your hands, so stick them in the freezer for a few minutes before you coat the sides of the cake with them.
Genoise layers.

A really great genoise hinges on the ability to gently fold the batter together. Over-folding will deflate the batter and your cake will be thin. Your result should look similar to this cake.






Gently fold the together the Bavarian cream ingredients. Do this gently (just as before with the genoise) so the mixture does not deflate too much.



This might be my new favorite way to eat chocolate cake. Chocolate-Raspberry Bavarian Torte is so delicious and beautiful to boot!


Enjoy!

Chocolate Raspberry Bavarian Torte
Equipment
- 8 inch cake pan
- 9-inch by 3-inch spring-form pan
Ingredients
Chocolate genoise
- 3 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1/3 cup cake flour
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder
Raspberry syrup
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup raspberry liqueur
Raspberry Bavarian
- 2 bags 12 ounces each frozen unsweetened raspberries
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup raspberry liqueur
- 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin powder 1/2 oz.
- 2 cups heavy cream
Assembly
- 1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread heated until loosened considerably
- 1 1/2 cups whipped cream
- Dark chocolate curls or shavings
- 26-28 fresh raspberries about 1 1/2 pints
Instructions
Chocolate genoise
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch round baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.
- In a heat-proof bowl (preferably stainless) beat together whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar and salt, using an electric hand mixer at high speed. Place bowl over pan of simmering water and continue beating with the electric mixer until the mixture is warm. Remove bowl from water. Continue to beat until mixture is cooled and increased in volume This will take 5-7 minutes, and the batter should be thick and leave a trail when the beaters are lifted from the bowl.
- Sift together cake flour, cornstarch and cocoa. Sift dry ingredients over the beaten egg mixture, gently folding with a rubber spatula. Pour batter in prepared pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until cake springs back when touched with finger. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen edge with knife and invert cake onto a rack. Carefully remove paper. Place another rack on cake and invert again. Cool completely.
Raspberry syrup
- Combine sugar and water in saucepan over medium heat. Heat to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir in liqueur.
Raspberry Bavarian
- Let raspberries thaw in the bags. Combine raspberries (along with whatever juice/ liquid is in the bags) and sugar in a saucepan. Heat to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl. You should have about 2 cups of raspberry pulp and juice combined. Cool to room temperature.
- Combine liqueur and gelatin in heatproof cup and let stand 5 minutes. Heat in microwave for 10 seconds or until gelatin turns to liquid. You can also melt it in a saucepan on the stovetop if you don’t have a microwave.
- Whisk into raspberry purée.
- Beat heavy cream in bowl until stiff peaks form, using electric mixer at high speed. Fold raspberry mixture into whipped cream.
Assembly
- Level cake with a serrated knife then cut genoise horizontally into two equal layers. Place one 8-inch layer, centered, in the bottom of the 9-inch spring form pan, cut side up. Brush with half of raspberry syrup. Spread with ½ cup of the chocolate-hazelnut spread.
- Pour half of the raspberry Bavarian cream over and around the sides of the cake. Lightly drop the pan on the counter top one or two times to ensure the cream settles into the empty ring around the genoise. Top with other cake layer, cut side down. Brush with remaining syrup. Spread the remaining ½ cup chocolate-hazelnut spread over the genoise. Cover with remaining raspberry Bavarian cream. Drop on counter top as before. The cream should completely fill the 9-inch pan with a little left over. Level the top with a large off-set spatula. Cover and refrigerate until mixture sets, at least 2 hours.
- Run a small knife between dessert and pan. Remove spring form collar. Spread 1 cup whipped cream on side of dessert. Pipe a decorative border of whipped cream around the edge of the cake with the remaining cream, using a small star decorator tip (if desired). Press chocolate curls or shavings into sides of the cake. Arrange raspberries in a concentric circle around the top edge of the cake. Sprinkle center with chocolate curls.
LOOOVE this!! Almost too pretty to eat!!
Notice I said almost. Because I'm fairly certain I could down a slice. Or twelve.
Agree with C.Q. – ALMOST too gorgeous to eat.
I'm trying to work more with berries, too. I always feel like I just don't quite do them justice. But you've hit such a lovely homerun here! Amazing as always…
STUNNING Heather! Absolutely stunning. You give Martha and her team a run for their money with every one of your creations. For real.
This is just so pretty! Don't you love how fresh berries make everything the prettiest color in the whole world?! I love your photos of the process too! Makes me feel like even i could make a cake as pretty! <3
Wow!!! In LOVE with this cake:))) Just visually it rocks! (I'm sure it is delish too!) I'm pinning it on my Pinterest!
it's so pretty! i love it!
It's not that all of your photos don't draw me in and make me smile, but these are really something else. The chocolate cake with mousse on the sides is such a lovely shot! You're so talented!
That. Looks. Incredible…
I am wondering did you use Chambord? If not what kind of liqueur?
Absolutely gorgeous and fantastic step-by-step clicks!
Thanks for the recipe and congratulations 😉
Wow, that cake is absolutely gorgeous! Not to mention that it's my favorite sweet flavor combination–chocolate and raspberry. Stunning!
omg this looks delicious… but im wondering if i could make this with other kinds of berries like strawberries, because raspberries are really difficult to get where i live.
oh my god! That looks crazy! Amazing Cake! Would love to try it *w*
Majestuous! What a beauty and ever so tempting…
Cheers,
Rosa
So beautiful! I just love the look of the chocolate cake with the red cream! Cool serrated knife thingie… believe it or not this is the first time I've seen one of those in action!
wonderful! great recipes! I would follow your posts, they are great 😀
Just one word for this – Heaven!
absolutely gorgeous.
Is there a word for more than gorgeous?
This looks delicious! Being unfamiliar to Bavarian Tortes, who knew how incredible they are?
WOW it just looks Incredible. The photos are awesome too, I really feel like I can see and taste the whole Torte! Will definitely need to try this one.
OK, that's it. I am moving in and you are my new best friend. Let's have tea and cake. I do dishes.
🙂
V
I am in serious love!! Marry me?
Heather.
Seriously.
These might be the most perfect chocolate curls i have ever in my life seen!
Oh, wow. What beautiful, beautiful pictures! I bet this tastes sooooo good!
100% STUNNING!!!
So pretty! I want to make in now lol. Is there anything I can replace the raspberry liqueur for?
This is one of he most beautiful cakes dive ever seen; you are so talented. This cake looks amazing 🙂
Hi Heather, I stopped by a few weeks ago when I was searching for a good cupcake recipe and I ended up making the triple salted caramel ones – The verdict – divinely delicious – Your cakes are a sight for sore eyes. You can bet that I am coming back here to appease more of our sweet cravings 🙂
If you have a moment, please stop by to see my recreation of your wonderful cupcake –
cheers, Priya
Here's a tip on saving berries. When you bring them home from the store, wash them in a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water. You don't even have to rinse them as the vinegar flavor is so watered down, but it kills off the mold spores and your berries will keep much longer!
So lovely!!
Any substitute for raspberry liqueur?Can raspberry filling be used in any way?????
GORGEOUS. So pretty to look at, but also looks SO delicious.
Best,
Gloria
So beautiful and delicious looking!
Having the right equipment certainly helps and I love how you iced using a mold. Such a beautiful cake.
I AM LICKING THE SCREEN!
This is just gorgeous, and I love your way of getting the cream on the side – what a great trick!
Love the tip for rinsing the berries with vinegar water. 🙂
This cake is truly spectacular! I have found the world's best recipe for chocolate mousse cake (which I'm happy to share)……but I'm mad about raspberries,too, so I may just make this for my own birthday in Sept.! I will have to decide on a substitute for the Nutella (I think I'm the only person in world that doesn't like it), but otherwise it sounds like perfection!
I'm not always such a good friend to my berries either! This is beyond gorgeous. I feel like such a bitch now for discarding them, when I could have made this.
-Gina-
This is just stunning…I have trouble with berries …I eat them. However, after making one of Pierre Herme's tarts. I am forever fond of raspberries and chocolate. Thank you for sharing.
Are you KIDDING me? Wow! Beautiful!!! How could you bear to cut it and eat it? I think I'd just take pictures of it all day.
Impressive. Thanks for sharing all the details too.
oh wow… that is just spectacular!!! i just cant get over the whole process and look of this cake!! beautiful!
What an incredible, perfect cake, and in one of my favourite flavour combos! Gorgeous!
Wow Heather, This cake is a piece of art!!! Your photos make me feel to rush into the kitchen and make sth delicious. And i am sure this cake is a flavour fountain. Btw, it is hard to believe how much the cake had risen without baking soda or powder and with only 1/3 cup of flour & cornstarch. Or am i missing sth? And honestly i did not get the sense of "alcalized" term for the cocoa pwder. Is it sth that we should specifically seek for or already the regular cocoa powder have this specification?
Oh my Heather, this looks absolutely amazing!! It's like a work of art!
I have the same problem with berries going off before I have a chance to use them. You're definitely not alone there.
I love it! But I am weird and don't like raspberries with chocolate, but I think this could easily be made as a white chocolate raspberry dessert!
This looks absolutely delicious – like Black Forest Gateau but so much more beautiful and appealing 🙂
Thanks for the step by step pictures! It's too pretty to eat!
Beautiful photos! That bright berry color is so pretty!
When I grow up I want to be an awesome baker like you, your cakes are not only beautiful, they taste sublime !. One question where do I find the alkalized cocoa powder?
Felicia
your cake is so lovely! great pics as well.