White Chocolate Raspberry Cake from Scratch
We just LOVE this new White Chocolate Raspberry Cake recipe! Light and flavorful cakes with fruit are always a popular choice no matter what the occasion.
Table of Contents
White Chocolate & Raspberries: The Perfect Combination!
White Chocolate and raspberries are a match made in heaven. Until now, we haven't had a cake on our site to really showcase this delicious combination.
We think that you'll find this homemade white chocolate raspberry cake to be as flavorful as it is elegant.
White Chocolate Cake Layers- Oh So Good!
We have fallen in love with this white chocolate cake!
The addition of white chocolate to the cake batter lends a subtle white chocolate flavor to the baked layers while also giving the cake a wonderful velvety texture.
The cake is moist and tender, but stable enough for fondant if you plan to incorporate it into your design. If you're looking for a tried and true white chocolate cake recipe, this is a great one!
White Chocolate Buttercream
Not only are the white chocolate cake layers and raspberry filling important to this dessert, but the White Chocolate Buttercream adds a delightful boost of white chocolate flavor to the cake, making it a necessary (not to mention delicious) addition to this cake recipe!
In fact, it is a fantastic recipe to pair with all sorts of cake flavors, from lemon cake to chocolate cake and more!
Key players in our white chocolate cake
Aside from our delicious white chocolate layers, there are two other key players: the raspberry filling and the white chocolate buttercream!
Here's a closeup of the Raspberry Filling. This cooked raspberry filling is bursting with raspberry flavor. It does take a bit of time to make this (seedless) raspberry reduction, but it is worth it!
However, if you are in a rush, you can substitute with raspberry jam! We did something similar in our Champagne and Raspberries Cake.
And here is the White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
I love the consistency of this creamy frosting, and the white chocolate flavor is PERFECT!
How to Make a White Chocolate Raspberry Cake
To assemble the cake, we first split the two thick white chocolate cake layers so that we would have four layers and therefore more layers of filling in each slice!
Next, we spread our white chocolate cake layers with a thin layer of the homemade raspberry filling, followed by a layer of white chocolate buttercream frosting.
As you can see in the photo, I didn't pipe a buttercream ring/dam around the edge of the cake although you could. Instead, I spread on my filling without bringing it all the way to the edge of the cake layer.
Leaving that bit of space around the edge ensures that you won't have issues with the raspberry filling spilling out once the layers are stacked.
After assembling the layers, I crumb coated my cake with a thin crumb coat layer of the white chocolate buttercream, chilled it in the freezer until firm (about 15 minutes), and then followed with a thicker layer of the white chocolate frosting.
We're going for a rustic look and so I didn't worry with smoothing ;0)
I also applied several stars with a french piping tip (Ateco 863), and garnished with fresh raspberries. The finished cake stands just under 4 inches.
That's all there is to it! We hope that you enjoy this recipe as much as we have! It would be perfect for any number of special occasions including bridal and baby showers, birthdays, and weddings!
Love White Chocolate? Don't miss these other favorite recipes!
Don't miss these delicious white chocolate cakes and flavor combinations!
- White Chocolate Cranberry Cake (which also includes White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting)
- White Chocolate Cherry Cake
- White Chocolate Peppermint Cake
- We also have a White Chocolate Velvet Cake recipe which is also delicious and makes more cake batter- it is good to have options! ;0)
White Chocolate Raspberry Cake
Delicious scratch White Chocolate Raspberry Cake Recipe- this layer cake is so moist and has wonderful flavor!
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Cake
- 4 ounces (113.5g) white baking chocolate (I used Ghirardelli Premium Baking Bar and Bakers Premium Baking Bar to test the recipe)
- 2 ½ cups (285g) cake flour * if you do not have cake flour see Note below for substitution
- 2 ½ teaspoons (10g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
- 1 ½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter, slightly softened (do not soften in the microwave)
- 1 ½ cups (300g) sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature ( if in a hurry you can warm the eggs in a bowl of hot (not boiling) water for 5 minutes)
- 2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cup (314g) milk
For the Raspberry Filling
- 12 ounce (340g) package frozen raspberries
- ½ cup (100g) sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (26g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon (4g) lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons (8g) raspberry extract (optional)
For the White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 3 sticks (339g) unsalted butter, softened (do not soften in the microwave)
- 8 ounces (227g) white baking chocolate (I used 2 Ghirardelli Premium Baking Bars)
- 4 ½ cups (518g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon (4g) vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons (42 g) milk or cream
Instructions
For the White Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Grease and flour two 8 x 2 inch pans **See Notes
- IMPORTANT: for this recipe you will need to add a circle of wax paper or parchment paper to the bottom of the cake pans to prevent sticking
- Heat the milk in the microwave or on the stove top, do not let it boil. Add the white chocolate that has been cut into very small pieces. Let it sit for a couple of minutes to soften, then stir until melted and smooth. Let this cool down before using.
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, whisk for 30 seconds to blend and set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer, mix the butter until smooth. Slowly add the sugar and mix on medium speed 4 to 5 minutes, until the mixture lightens in color and becomes fluffy
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until the yellow is blended in.
- Add the vanilla.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk/chocolate mixture, beginning and ending with the flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk mixture).
- Mix until just combined, do not over mix and do not mix above medium speed.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. When a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached, it is done. Let cool 10 minutes in the pans and turn out.
- Works well for cupcakes
- Makes 6 cups cake batter
For the Raspberry Filling
- Completely thaw the frozen raspberries. If in a hurry, and your raspberries are in a plastic bag you can thaw them more quickly by placing the bag in a bowl of hot water. Once thawed, puree the raspberries in a blender.
- Place a fine wire strainer over a bowl. Pour the pureed raspberries into the strainer and let the juice drain into the bowl.
- Using the back of a spoon, press the raspberries into the strainer to force the raspberry pulp into the bowl. It will take several minutes of pressing the raspberries.
- When finished be sure to scrape off raspberry pulp that will be clinging to the bottom of the strainer into the bowl. Discard the remaining seeds and pulp that would not go through the strainer. You should get from ½ to ¾ cup of juice and pulp. Add enough water to this to make 1 ¼ cups.
- In a small saucepan, combine the raspberry juice, sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch. Whisk to blend. Cook over medium heat whisking constantly until the mixture thickens.
- Remove from the heat and add the raspberry extract. Stir well and allow to cool. Can be refrigerated in a covered container for a week.
- Makes 1 ¼ cups
For the White Chocolate Buttercream
- Cut/chop the white chocolate into very small pieces, put into a microwave safe bowl and add 4 Tablespoons milk or cream.
- Microwave for 15 seconds let sit for a minute or two, stir and microwave again 15 seconds letting it sit a minute to soften further, stir. Be careful not to over heat the chocolate. The chocolate will continue to melt as it is stirred. Let the chocolate cool down before using.
- Mix the butter until softened and smooth, add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Add the white chocolate and milk mixture. Add vanilla. Add another Tablespoon milk if needed. Beat on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes and it will become smooth and creamy.
- Makes 5 cups frosting. Makes enough to frost a 2 or 3 layer eight inch cake. If you will be doing a lot of decorative piping, you will need additional frosting.
**No Cake Flour? Here's a Substitution
- If you do not have cake flour, you can use all purpose flour and the following substitution: for each cup of flour in the recipe, remove 2 Tablespoons and replace with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch. For this recipe measure out 2 ½ cups all purpose flour, remove 5 Tablespoons and replace with 5 Tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk to blend.
Cake Assembly
- To assemble the cake, we first split the two thick white chocolate cake layers so that we would have four layers and therefore more layers of filling in each slice.
- Place the first cake layer on the cake plate or pedestal. Spread with a thin layer of the raspberry filling. The raspberry filling is fairly thick and so piping a buttercream ring/dam around the filling isn't essential, although you shouldn't spread it all the way to the edge of the layer to be on the safe side.
- Next, spread over the raspberry filling with a layer of White Chocolate Buttercream frosting.
- Repeat for the next two cake layers, and top with the 4th layer. I like to apply a thin coat of frosting to the cake first, chill in the freezer for 15 minutes (or longer in the refrigerator) and apply the second coat of frosting. I find it easiest to decorate a cake that is nice and firm from being chilled.
Notes
For this cake, we baked two cake layers and then later split the layers to create 4 layers. This is optional. There is enough batter in this recipe to have three 8 inch cake layers also. (This is what we did for our white chocolate peppermint cake and other variations of this recipe.)
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Hi Kristine, You can use icing tint such as Americolor gel coloring. Add the color after the powdered sugar has been added. The white chocolate frosting is an off white color, so that may affect the pink color you are trying to achieve. Also, I recommend using Ghirardelli or Bakers white chocolate for the recipe. I'm not sure of the outcome if using white chocolate chips or candy melts. Hope all goes well
Hi, can I stack this cake or it will be to soft?(because of the filling)
Thanks
Sylvi
Hi Sylvia, There is just a thin layer of filling so you should be able to stack the cake with no problems. I hope you enjoy the recipe.
Hi ?,
Could you make it in a 9" pan without doubling the amount of batter and ingredients?
I'm sorry but you won't have enough cake batter for two 9 inch rounds without doubling the recipe. You will need 4 1/2 to 5 cups for each 9 inch pan. Below are two cake batter charts that you will find helpful:
http://www.wilton.com/cake-serving-guide/cms-baking-serving-guide.html
Thanks BeBe,
Should I double the amount of buttercream and raspberry filling as well?
I think you will be fine without double the buttercream or filling. As you can see from the picture, Melissa just frosted the cake very simply with little decorative piping. If you were planning on more decorative piping you would need to increase the recipe for frosting by 1/2 or double it, depending on your plan. However, since you are making a two layer cake and ours was 3 layers, I think you will have enough if decorated similar to Melissa's . Hope all goes well.
Hi, How can I make this cake into a vanilla cake with raspberry swirl? Will it hold up under fondant. I don't want to use a vanilla WASC because no matter what I've tried the boxed flavor always comes through and it doesn't necessarily taste like vanilla. I thought the pound cake would be too dense for what the customer is looking for in a birthday cake, but the cake will be covered in fondant. Thanks for any help!
I reread and see you can use fondant to cover the cake. Still wondering how to make this into a raspberry swirl. Do I add the raspberry to some batter, or can I swirl the filling directly into the batter? For some reason my previous question here, and under the Raspberry Swirl Pound Cake as well as reaching out to you in our FB group has never been acknowledged.
Hi Gloria, I am sorry your question was overlooked. You can use the WASC scratch recipe, leaving out the almond extract will give you a vanilla cake. That recipe uses the reverse creaming method, but in the write up there is a link to the conventional mixing method, if you would prefer that. Also, the yellow cake or white cake recipe could be used. As for the raspberry swirl, put about 1/2 of the batter into your pans. Add spoonfuls of raspberry fill around the pan, using the wide side of a knife blade, swirl the raspberry around the pan a bit. Top this with the remaining cake batter. You can use the raspberry filling from the Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake recipe or the cooked raspberry filling from the White chocolate Raspberry Cake. Note that in the Lemon Raspberry Bundt recipe the raspberry jam is mixed into a cup of the cake batter. In our opinion the raspberry filling needs a tiny bit of red food coloring to look good when baked into a cake, otherwise it is a very dull color. Let us know if you have other questions.
Thank you BeBe! One last question. I will be baking the cake (WASC scratch) on Wed. night, filling and crumbcoating Thursday, then icing and decorating on Friday for a Saturday occasion. This cake will be the top tier of a two tier cake. Will it still be moist if baked Wed for Saturday or is that too far ahead? I have alot of fondant work to do plus the bottom tier and wanted to start early. How would I store the cake after decorating? It will not be covered in fondant, Just alot of fondant items attached to it.
Thanks!
Hi Gloria, As you have probably heard Melissa say, we like to freeze our cake layers. It is optional but you could freeze your cake layers Wed. night. You could fill and crumb coat while they are partially frozen on Thursday. The crumb coat will help to seal the cake keeping it from drying out. You could leave the crumb coated cake out overnight under a cake cover or cover and refrigerate. If you are going to cover it in buttercream on Saturday and you are planning to smooth the buttercream using a paper towel, do not refrigerate on Friday. A cake needs to be completely at room temperature or it will take many hours before it will crust and be ready for smoothing. As for storing your decorated cake, we store in a bakery box in the refrigerator. We have not had a problem with refrigerating cakes with fondant accents. But if you are unsure of how your fondant will behave if refrigerated, just store covered on the countertop. You could put a "test" piece of fondant in the refrigerator to see how it reacts. Hope all goes well