Raspberry Tart (or Raspberry Torte) made her debut in the 1980s specials, and is a major recurring character in the Strawberry Shortcake franchise. She's often a girl with a sharp tongue and a lack of tact.
General Information[]
1980s[]
Raspberry Tart debuted in the very first Strawberry Shortcake special, The World of Strawberry Shortcake. She was mean at first but learned to become nicer to others in the end. She spoke with a quiet tone and lived with Apple Dumplin'.
2003[]
Raspberry first appeared in the movie Strawberry Shortcake: The Sweet Dreams Movie alongside her best friend Lemon Meringue, both had just moved to Strawberryland and almost left again due to Angel Cake's unwelcoming attitude. Her name was changed to "Raspberry Torte", due to negative connotations of the word, usually in Europe. Design wise her character was given a drastic overhaul. Raspberry was now a tomboyish athlete who lived over in Raspberry Meadows. Her house was partially a gym, though it was only seen once. Like her previous incarnation, Raspberry Torte had a bit of a mean streak, but would grow nicer as the series progressed.
Berry Bitty Adventures[]
Raspberry returned for Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Bitty Adventures as a part of the main cast. Raspberry Torte, undergoing yet another drastic character overhaul, was now much more feminine compared to her prior tomboy characterization in the 2003 series. Raspberry was a talented fashion designer who owned and operated the Fresh Fashions boutique in Berry Bitty City. Unlike her previous incarnations, this Raspberry was much nicer. She was still portrayed as being fairly close friends with Lemon Meringue, due to both of them having a love of fashion and creativity.
Berry in the Big City[]
Raspberry's name was reverted back to "Raspberry Tart", and she is once again a main cast member. Raspberry made her first appearance in Mean Berries in Season One. Unlike her previous incarnations, this Raspberry was an antagonist. She's a rich girl who runs the Raspberry Supreme bakery truck in the Berryworks of Big Apple City. She used to get lots of customers at her food truck until Strawberry Shortcake brought along her country-girl charm (and equally endearing country food), which snatched her customers away very quickly and caused the two bakers to form a mutual rivalry. Throughout Season One, Raspberry would try to sabotage Strawberry or drive her out of the Berryworks, alongside her friends Bread Pudding and Sour Grapes. However, several episodes would also be dedicated to showing a softer side to Raspberry, as she and Strawberry grew to know each other better and realize their common interests. Her parents are the world famous bakers Raspberry Ambrosia and Mulberry Tart, though their busy careers leaves them little time to spend with Raspberry.
In the season finale, Bake Off, Raspberry and Strawberry competed in their favorite cooking competition show, Bite of the City, where they settled their rivalry once and for all. Neither won, as Strawberry accidentally crushed Raspberry's entry, and it devolved into a (friendly) food fight between each other. The two bakers realized that it was silly for them to fight, when they had so much in common, and ended their animosity with one another.
From Season 2 onwards, Raspberry would be one of Strawberry's friends and a regular part of the main cast, with several episodes showing her joining the other Berry Besties in their day-to-day hijinks. The Peculiar Purple Pieman took her place as the new antagonist in Season 2. She and Strawberry are also established to now work together to support each others baking businesses.
In Season 3, Raspberry and Strawberry's friendship would be tested with the introduction of Crabapple Jam, who would occasionally try to drive a wedge between the two, though their friendship would continue to persist despite her attempts. Raspberry used her experience as a former mean berry to befriend the bullies Cheese Strudel and Cherry Streusel, who worked for Crabapple Jam as her assistants.
Personality[]
1980s[]
Raspberry was mean at first, often making snarky or rude remarks, but learned to become nicer to others in the end. She spoke with a quiet tone.
2003[]
“ | Raspberry Torte is way into sport—this girl’s got game in any sport you can name! Her home is a gym in Raspberry Meadows where the other girls often visit to hang out and get in shape! She’s a go-getter and a great coach with a lot of confidence and team spirit. Raspberry Torte knows you can only be your best when you really put your mind to it! | „ |
~ From the 2003 website |
Torte is much more outspoken, and gone is her quiet tone, though still retains the sharp opinions of her predecessor. She can sometimes be sarcastic and is easily annoyed. She is often rude and cocky to most of the girls, and very stubborn. But she always has a soft spot for Lemon, her best friend and Strawberry eventually got through to Raspberry and taught her how it paid off to be nicer. She loves to be active and hates sitting still, or often sits in chairs weirdly as She loves games and competition. She'll often use her rough and tough demeanor to stand up for what is right. In "Mind Your Manners", she was shown to hate manners, though would grow to appreciate them by the end of the episode.
2009[]
“ | Super stylish Raspberry Torte loves giving fashion advice to all the girls in Berry Bitty City. Raspberry's friends know they can always count on her for the berry latest styles--and true friendship, too! | „ |
~ Official Hub profile |
Torte is now much more girlier, and shows no signs of being a tomboy. Her quiet tone returns, and she's now characterized as being much nicer.
Raspberry is sweet and passive, she strongly dislikes arguments or having disagreements with the others, and she can be sensitive. She's easily flustered and somewhat reserved, often worried that the others might think of her ideas as being silly or not worth trying, but with some encouragement she can be given the push she needs to try. She is artistic and creative, and frequently receives requests from others to design something for them or an event of some kind.
She is a bit of a perfectionist and may overwork herself if given a window of opportunity that needs her full attention. While she is aware her decisions may worry others, she is determined to get the work done and make sure it's good. But she also cares about the others, and she'll do her best to help them out or encourage them as they do her.
2021[]
As the main antagonist of Season 1 along with Bread Pudding and Sour Grapes, she constantly schemed to get Strawberry Shortcake to leave the Berryworks. She hated Strawberry due to her becoming incredibly successful in the Berryworks and drawing away all of Raspberry's customers. She was shown to be mean and ruthless, though as the season progressed a softer side of her would be shown.
It is implied Raspberry craved attention and strives to become a world-famous celebrity baker because her parents are rarely present in her life, too busy to even make a phone call on her birthday. It's also implied her parents rarely being around was what made Raspberry a mean berry in the first place. In Strawberry Shortcake’s Perfect Holiday, it is revealed Raspberry hated Winterswirl and resented the holiday because her parents were never around to celebrate it with her, and it isn't until Cinnamon Swirl herself shows up that she learns to appreciate the holiday as a time to spend with her best friends.
In Bake Off, after she and Strawberry realize that they both have so much in common, and should be friends, the mean side of her fades away. From Season 2 onwards, she's portrayed as being much nicer than before, though still has a bit of blunt honesty and a lack of tact. Raspberry becomes kind to Strawberry in a tough-love sort of way and is protective of her because she sees Strawberry as very naive, and the two are shown as being more friendly rivals than competitors, often collaborating on baking projects together.
Raspberry has a tendency to be overdramatic, and a bit of a competitive streak.
Appearance[]
1980s[]
Raspberry Tart is a young girl resembling a rag doll. She has fair skin and a mop of curly fuchsia hair. She wears an outfit consisting of a large, round, pale pink hat that resembles a scoop of ice cream, with a white-and-green patch and a raspberry on top; a pale pink pinafore over checkered sleeves and puffy fuchsia bloomers; striped white-and-green stockings, and fuchsia shoes. In merchandise, she was typically depicted with purple or fuchsia eyes, and freckles on her face.
2003[]
Raspberry Torte has fair skin and pale green eyes. She has thick curly magenta hair tied in a high ponytail, secured with a green scrunchie. On her head, she wears a green visor with accented white and purple stripes and a raspberry on the left side. She wears a magenta and green vest with a white long-sleeved shirt underneath with green cuffs. She also wears magenta pants with green zippers. Her footwear consists of white sneakers with accented green details and raspberries as well.
Berry Bitty Adventures[]
Raspberry Torte is a young girl with fair skin and round magenta eyes. Her straight hair is also magenta, coming down to her hips, with side-swept bangs held in place by a green headband with a raspberry ornament on it. She wears a short fuchsia dress, covered by a short-sleeved magenta bolero jacket with a green neckline and cuffs, pink-and-white striped leggings, and magenta shoes with a pink strap and raspberry ornaments. She often carries a small magenta purse.
2021[]
Raspberry Tart has a medium curly magenta hairstyle with magenta eyes and a green headband with a raspberry ornament on it. Her skin is tan with a slightly pinkish skin tone, and she has a mole on the lower left side of her face below her lips. She wears a white shirt with a raspberry design, a purple cropped jacket with folded sleeves to the middle, a medium pink double pleated skirt, purple long socks, and pink flower patterned slip-on sneakers. Raspberry's outfit is intentionally designed to reflect Strawberry Shortcake's. Both wearing a skirt/dress with a jacket, and long leggings/socks.
In summer episodes, Raspberry wears a matching pink tropical shirt and shorts with a magenta floral pattern similar to her default shoes. Her shirt collar and short hems are purple. Her shoes are light purple with a strap. Rather than a headband, Raspberry wears sunglasses with a green temple and bridge, magenta frame, and purple lenses.
In the two episodes at the pool, Raspberry wears a purple one-piece bathing suit with two pink frills (one around her stomach, and one around her waist) and a pink bow on her chest.
In winter episodes, Raspberry wears her normal outfit, with the additions of a purple winter coat with a fur collar and light purple sleeves, a pink ushanka, and purple leggings.
Pets[]
1980s[]
She originally had a pet monkey named Rhubarb. They appeared in the Pets on Parade special alongside the other pets. Rhubarb has pink skin with brown fur, and a banana on their chest.
2003[]
Rhubarb returned for the 2003 series, but was now a raccoon. They had magenta fur with raspberry-colored mask, ears, and tail rings. They had a white underbelly. They wore a green collar and sneakers. They never appeared in the cartoon.
Berry Bitty Adventures[]
Raspberry initially didn't have a pet in Berry Bitty Adventures until Season 3, in the episode "A Boy and his Dogs". She initially adopted a Parson Russell Terrier named Pitterpatch, but the two were incompatible as he hated dress-up and felt uncomfortable wearing the clothes Raspberry made for him due to his thick fur. Raspberry decided to give Pitterpatch to Plum Pudding, while she got Chiffon the chihuahua from Orange Blossom. Raspberry and Chiffon got along much better, as Raspberry was able to make fashionable clothes for Chiffon that kept her warm and comfortable. Chiffon would remain Raspberry's pet dog for the rest of the series.
Trivia[]
General[]
- Raspberry Tart’s name is a pun on her personality, as she’s generally characterized as being sarcastic and having a sharp tongue. “tart” is used as an adjective for something with a sharp and bitter taste, or a sarcastic tone. It is likely for this reason that her 2003 and Berry Bitty incarnations changed her name to “Torte”, as tortes are sweeter versions of tarts, matching her somewhat nicer personality in those series.
1980s[]
- Raspberry is said to speak before she thinks, which can make her come off as rude
- In one of the 1980s comics she dances with Huckleberry Pie, instead of a prince the Berry Princess offered her.
2003[]
- She developed a strong friendship with Lemon Meringue as they are often seen together. They moved to Strawberry Land together.
- She hated table manners until "Mind Your Manners". She even had an entire song dedicated to how much she liked being impolite and rude.
- She likes watching ice shows, as seen in Meet Apricot/Let's Dance.
- She likes to play sports games.
- Her house was only seen once in the entire series.
Berry Bitty Adventures[]
- She is stated to be allergic to a variety of flowers, including fake ones.
- She has a little-known interest in quilting.
- She can play piano, keyboard, and guitar.
- She has a habit of combining words when she gets overly excited.
Berry in the Big City[]
- She is the first of Strawberry's friends to become an antagonist in an adaptation, though she does end up befriending Strawberry eventually.
- In the special "Strawberry Shortcake’s Perfect Holiday", it is revealed that her mom is a CEO of an Orchard 500 company and her dad is a world-famous gourmet chef.
- Orchard 500 is a pun on "Fortune 500", a list of the top 500 companies in the world according to Fortune magazine.
- Her parents have been named Mulberry Tart and Raspberry Ambrosia, however we don't know which is which.
- She is the only member of the main cast to not have a pet or a family member with a pet.
- Raspberry mirrors Strawberry in many ways, due to acting as a foil to her.
- Similarities:
- Her and Strawberry's designs reflect each other. Both wear dresses/skirts with a jacket and long leggings/socks. Both have pinkish colored hair. Both have some sort of face spot (freckles for Strawberry, a mole for Raspberry).
- They both run bakery trucks with a similar base design.
- Both are bakers hoping to become famous and successful.
- Both are fans of Kiki KeyLime, and take all of her advice to heart.
- Both had a grandma who would regularly impart advice to them, including the same exact thoughts about shooting stars.
- Differences:
- Their designs reflect their backgrounds. Strawberry's is more rustic and homely, reflecting her country bumpkin origins. Raspberry is more urban and modern, reflecting her upbringing in Big Apple City.
- Their trucks likewise reflect this. Strawberry's truck has several "country" elements, such as the garden roof, awning decorations, and being a hand-me-down from a family member. Raspberry's truck is very sleek, with sharper edges and prominent signs featuring a raspberry on the roof and the right side of the truck, compared to the Extraordinary Berry's subtler strawberry theming.
- Raspberry grew up in a rich, upper-class lifestyle in the city, while Strawberry grew up in the small humble town of Berryville located in the countryside.
- Strawberry's parents and Aunt are very prominent in her life, while Raspberry grew up rarely spending time with her parents.
- Strawberry is much more outgoing and is always ready to make new friends, while Raspberry prefers to stick with the friends she already has (Bread, Sour, eventually the other Berry Besties).
- Similarities: