White Chocolate Cake
This spectacular White Chocolate Cake has layers of velvety cake, silky buttercream and a thin layer of tart raspberry preserves to cut through the sweetness. The entire cake is covered with a tumble of delicate white chocolate flakes.
Table of contents
About this cake
Are you ready for a baking project? Great! Let’s make this beautiful and scrumptious White Chocolate Layer Cake.
The cake part of this creation is an adaptation of my very popular White Cake recipe. There’s a good portion of melted white chocolate added to the cake batter. To avoid making an overly sweet and dense cake I reduced the sugar and butter in the batter to keep everything in balance.
The velvety cake is layered with a Swiss Meringue Buttercream which is flavored with white chocolate and a good shot of vanilla extract.
Unlike dark chocolate, white chocolate is quite sweet and doesn’t have a particularly pronounced flavor. So I love to pair it with a more assertive flavor. A layer of tangy raspberry preserves perfectly balances the sweet and creamy white chocolate.
Finally, to make this a truly spectacular dessert, the entire cake is covered with delicate, feather-like white chocolate flakes.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Cake Flour – I prefer to use low-protein, bleached cake flour for the softest cake layers. Visit this post to learn more about the science of flour in cake batter. You can use unbleached cake flour and still get a good result.
- Egg Whites – Fresh or in-shell pasteurized egg whites can be used. If you use frozen egg whites read the label to be sure they can be whipped for meringue.
- White Chocolate – Use a high quality white chocolate, not white baking chips. White chips often contain oils and cheaper ingredients instead of real cocoa butter. (Note: those look like chips in the ingredient photo above, but they are pure white chocolate “callets”.)
- Raspberry Preserves – I like to use seedless preserves.
Process Photos
See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
Bake The Cake
- Combine the dry ingredients with room temperature butter in a mixing bowl. When the butter is partially broken down, add half the milk.
- Beat the mixture for 2 minutes to aerate. Scrape the bowl and add the rest of the milk. Mix to combine and scrape the bowl again.
- With the mixer running, slowly add the melted and cooled white chocolate. Scrape the bowl and beater to make sure there are no lumps of white chocolate. Set the batter aside.
- In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites and sugar to full peak.
- Fold half the egg whites into the batter until mostly combined.
- Fold in the remaining whites and mix just until all the whites are incorporated.
- Divide the batter between two 8″x3″ pans.
- Bake until the center of the cake springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Make the White Chocolate Flakes
- Spread melted white chocolate into a very thin layer over two silicone baking mats or parchment sheets.
- Set the sheets aside until the chocolate is completely set. The sheets can be refrigerated to speed up the process.
- Peel the white chocolate off the mat in large pieces. Break down into flakes (about 2″ or so).
Make the Buttercream
- Whip the whites to full peak, then add room temperature butter. (See this post for detailed instructions for making Swiss Meringue Buttercream.)
- Add vanilla.
- Add melted and cooled white chocolate.
- Whip until light and fluffy.
Assemble & Decorate
- Use a long serrated knife to trim the browned top of each cake.
- Trim the browned bottom of each cake.
- Split each cake horizontally into two layers for a total of 4 layers.
- Set aside half the buttercream for icing the cake. Scoop half of the remaining buttercream onto the bottom layer.
- Spread the buttercream to an even layer then place the second layer on the cake.
- Spread the raspberry preserves on the second layer.
- Place the third layer on the cake and another layer of buttercream.
- Add the final layer to the cake.
- Crumb coat the cake with a thin layer of icing and chill to set the layers.
- Ice the cake with the remaining buttercream.
- Place the white chocolate flakes on the cake before the buttercream sets. Start from the bottom, work your way up the sides, then cover the top of the cake. The cake should be served at room temperature.
Work Ahead Tips
- The baked cakes will keep, tightly wrapped, at room temperature for 1-2 days. The cakes can be frozen for up to a month. Allow the cakes to defrost in the wrapping. Trim and tort the cakes just before assembling and decorating the cake.
- The buttercream can made ahead of time and refrigerated (tightly covered) for 2-3 days or frozen for up to a month. Allow the buttercream to come to room temperature then re-whip before assembling the cake.
- You can assemble and ice the cake then freeze it without the white chocolate flakes. Allow the cake to come completely to room temperature before applying the flakes.
- The white chocolate flakes can be made up to a month ahead. Keep them stored in an air-tight container at room temperature.
Storage
- The assembled cake can be stored at room temperature for 4-5 days. Cover any cut ends of the cake with a sheet of plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
- Left over slices of cake can be wrapped and frozen for a month. Bring to room temperature before serving.
More White Chocolate Recipes
More Layer Cakes
If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a star rating and a quick comment. Ratings and comments help my recipes show in search results. Thanks!
White Chocolate Layer Cake
Velvety-soft white chocolate cake layered with raspberry preserves and silky white chocolate buttercream.
servings
Save Recipe
Ingredients
White Chocolate Cake
- 9 ounces cake flour (2 cups, preferably bleached, see note)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup, divided)
- 6 ounces whole milk (¾ cup, room temperature, divided)
- 6 ounces unsalted butter (room temperature (see note))
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 6 ounce white chocolate (melted and cooled to room temp (see note))
- 6 large egg whites (room temperature (see note))
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
White Chocolate Meringue Buttercream
- 8 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup)
- 5 egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 pound unsalted butter (cut into 1" cubes)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 ounces white chocolate (melted and cooled to room temp)
Assembly
- 8 ounces white chocolate (for decoration)
- 4 ounces raspberry preserves (⅓ cup)
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line two 8"x3" cake pans (don't use non-stick pans) with a circle of parchment paper or butter and flour the bottom of pans only. Do not butter and flour the sides of the pan.
- In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, sift 9 ounces cake flour, 2 teaspoons baking powderand ¾ teaspoon salt with half of the granulated sugar. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to distribute the leavening. With the mixer on low speed toss in 6 ounces unsalted butter, a tablespoon at a time. Mix until the butter is broken down then with the mixer still running on low, slowly add half the milk.
- Increase the speed to medium and beat about 2-3 minutes until the batter lightens in texture and becomes aerated. If your using a hand mixer this may take an extra minute or two. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure there are no pockets of unmixed batter.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the remaining milk and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Mix to combine then with the mixer running on low add 6 ounce white chocolate (melted). Set the batter aside.
- In another bowl, whip 6 large egg whites with ½ teaspoon cream of tartar on medium high until they form soft peaks. Turn the mixer to medium low and slowly add the rest of the sugar. Turn the mixer to medium-high and whip the whites to full peak.
- Fold the whites into the base in 2 parts, folding just until there are no streaks of egg white. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans and spread to level.
- Bake about 25 minutes until the center of the cake springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool at least 20 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a cooling rack. Wrap in plastic and set aside at room temperature until you're ready to assemble the cake. (see note)
Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 8 ounces granulated sugar, 5 egg whites, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar and ¼ teaspoon table salt. Set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Stir the egg whites mixture until the temperature reaches between 160 °F °F.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and whip the whites in high speed until stiff peaks form and the whites are cooled to about 80 °F °F.
- With the mixer running on low speeds, toss in 1 pound unsalted butter, a few tablespoons at a time. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Increase the speed to medium high and whip until the buttercream comes together.
- Reduce the mixer to low speed, add the melted 4 ounces white chocolate to the buttercream and mix to combine. Hold the buttercream at room temperature until you're ready to assemble the cake.
Assembly
- Melt 8 ounces white chocolate. Spread half the melted chocolate in a very thin layer over a ½ sheet of parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Spread the other half on another half sheet. Allow the chocolate to set completely (it can be refrigerated) then peel it off the parchment and let it break it into large shards. Set the flakes aside.
- Trim the brown tops and bottoms from each cake then split each cake in half, horizontally (this is called torting). You will now have 4 layers.
- Divide the buttercream in 1/2, reserve one 1/2 for icing the cake, use the remaining for filling.
- Place the bottom layer on your serving platter or onto a cardboard cake circle. Spread ½ of the filling buttercream on the layer. Top with the second layer. Spread 4 ounces raspberry preserves over the layer. Top with the 3rd layer. Spread the remaining filling buttercream on the layer and place the 4th layer on the cake. Ice the sides and top of the cake with a thin layer of reserved buttercream for a crumb coating. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to set the layers.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Ice the cake with the remaining buttercream and immediately cover the cake with white chocolate flakes.
Equipment
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Notes
If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.
Room temperature butter is between 65°F and 70°F. It should be slightly pliable but not soft and melting.
Do not use pasteurized egg whites as they may not whip up properly.
The white chocolate should be melted and cooled to room temp. If the chocolate is very warm when it’s added to the batter or the frosting it will melt the other ingredients. If it is starting to solidify it will form lumps when added to the batter.
The wrapped cakes can be frozen for up to a month. Defrost in the wrapping.
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @eileen.bakingsense or tag #bakingsense!