This White Chocolate Cake is both decadent and delicious! White chocolate is incorporated into the cake layers, the frosting, and the drip for a stunning monochrome effect.
I may be just a little bit obsessed with how pretty and perfectly matchy the monochrome colors worked out here. It’s the ultimate White Chocolate Cake!
I’m going to let you in on a little secret though… I actually don’t like white chocolate. Not on its own, anyhow, and rarely as part of something else. Something about the flavour is just too sweet or artificial tasting, I don’t know. BUT, this White Chocolate Cake is all sorts of deliciousness.
Even though the white chocolate is incorporated into every element, it’s not overpowering. Each element on its own is completely delicious, and they all combine to make the perfect White Chocolate Cake.
What is White Chocolate?
White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids. It doesn’t contain any cocoa solids, which are found in milk and dark chocolate varieties.
Cocoa butter is separated from the cocoa solids (cocoa nibs), which are used to make milk & dark chocolate. The remaining cocoa butter doesn’t have a ton of flavour on its own, so sugar and milk solids are added to transform it into white chocolate.
Is White Chocolate Chocolate?
There is some contention about this but, technically, no. In order to be classified as chocolate, there must be cocoa solids present. Even though it’s made from part of the cocoa bean (the cocoa butter), it’s not actually considered “true” chocolate.
Does it really matter though?? I didn’t think so.
How to make this White Chocolate Cake
I have made variations of this cake a couple times before, but I wanted to have a smaller pure white chocolate cake on the blog, as many people have asked for it. The recipe here will work perfectly for three 6″ pans or two 8″ pans. See the Tips section below for other modifications.
The cake layers of this White Chocolate Cake have white chocolate incorporated right into them. I melt down some white chocolate with the milk, and add that to the cake batter once it’s cooled. The flavour isn’t crazy strong, but it is quite noticeable, especially to anyone who loves white chocolate.
White Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Despite not being a white chocolate fan myself, I LOVE this buttercream. There’s something about the subtle white chocolate flavour in it that makes it so delicious you’ll want to eat it with a spoon.
Adding chocolate to buttercream is very simple. You just need to melt the chocolate down, then cool it before adding it to the buttercream. It’s important that your buttercream isn’t too cold, as it could cause the chocolate to solidify into chunks when you’re adding it. I like to have both at room temperature, and add the chocolate to the buttercream while the mixer is running (on low). This helps ensure they are perfectly incorporated together.
White Chocolate Ganache Drip
White chocolate can be trickier to work with than dark. You need to adjust the chocolate:cream ratio for it not to be a complete runny mess.
For my dark chocolate ganache drip, I do a 1:1 ratio of chocolate to cream. For a white chocolate ganache drip, I recommend a 2.5:1 or even a 3:1 ratio. I used a 2.5:1 ratio here, and it worked well. I heated the chopped chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl at small intervals (5-10 seconds) until it was perfectly smooth and silky. Except it wasn’t actually, and I ended up straining the last bits of white chocolate out of there. Whatever, it worked fine!
The white chocolate I used for the drip was more on the yellow side, so I added a few drops of bright white color gel to it once I strained it. Just eyeball this until you get the color you’re looking for. It can vary depending on how white (or yellow) your white chocolate is.
Make sure your cake is well chilled before applying the ganache. And be sure to let the ganache cool completely and thicken a bit before using on the cake. I let my ganache sit out for over an hour. It was actually a bit too thick at this point, so I microwaved it a bit (again, in very small intervals – 3-5 seconds) until it was the right consistency.
It’s hard to describe the right consistency. Thick, but pourable. I always do a test drip first to see how it drips down the cake. If it’s too thick, I warm it up a bit. I find it’s easier to start with a ganache that’s too thick vs. too thin. Easier to warm up than cool down.
I chilled my cake for 30mins in the fridge to make sure the frosting was firm and cold, and then used a teaspoon to apply the ganache to the edges. I like to use a teaspoon because I can control it better and be heavier handed in some areas if I want. I prefer an uneven look to my drips. You can also use a squeeze bottle if you prefer. This is most common I think.
For the texture on the sides of the cake, I used a cake comb from this set. I’ve used a few combs from this set now, and they work great. I do think metal ones would be better overall, but this is a much more affordable option.
I did a thicker layer of frosting on the sides first, smoothed that out, and then ran the cake comb over it a few times. I cleaned up the top a bit. That area wasn’t perfect, but I knew I’d be dripping a ganache over it anyhow.
Final decorating touches are some Lindt White Chocolate Truffles and some white chocolate shavings that I made using a vegetable peeler and a block of white chocolate. I chilled the shavings before adding them to the cake so they would be less fragile.
If you’re a white chocolate fan you will LOVE this cake! If you don’t care for white chocolate, I hope you try it anyhow, because it’s nothing like eating it straight up and it’s perfectly delicious.
Looking for more drip cakes?
- Caramel Cake (Salted Caramel Cake)
- Nutella Cake
- Oreo Cake
- Chocolate Mocha Cake
- Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake
Tips for making this White Chocolate Cake
- The recipe as-is will also work in two 8″ pans. For three 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe.
- To make cupcakes, all you need to do is reduce the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so.
- I used a cake comb from this set for the texture on the sides of the cake.
- Be sure to check my Swiss Meringue Buttercream post for tips and troubleshooting.
- Learn how to keep your cakes moist using Simple Syrup.
- To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, check out my Flat Top Cakes post!
White Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
White Chocolate Cake:
- 5 oz white chocolate chopped (or white chocolate chips)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
White Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- 6 large egg whites
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 6 oz white chocolate chopped, melted, cooled
White Chocolate Ganache:
- 3.75 oz white chocolate finely chopped
- 1.5 oz heavy cream
- 5 drops bright white color gel
Assembly:
- 12 white chocolate Lindt truffles
- white chocolate shavings
Instructions
White Chocolate Cake:
- Heat milk and chocolate until melted and combined, cool to room temperature.*
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 6" cake rounds and line with parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx 3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour (4 additions of flour and 3 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition.
- Bake for about 40mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
- Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.
White Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.**
- Place bowl over a double boiler on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3mins). Or registers 160F on a candy thermometer.
- Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
- Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.***
- Add melted, cooled white chocolate and whip until smooth.
White Chocolate Ganache:
- Place chopped chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 5-10 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth and combined. Add a few drops of bright white color gel to get the desired color. Set aside to thicken and cool completely.
Assembly:
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with 1 cup of buttercream and spread evenly. Repeat with remaining layers and crumb coat the cake. Chill for 20mins.
- Frost and smooth the sides with the remaining frosting. Use a scalloped cake comb to create the textured effect on the sides. Smooth the top. Chill for 30mins until frosting is cold and firm.
- Using a small spoon, place dollops of ganache around the top edges of the chilled cake, allowing some to drip down. Fill in the top of the cake with more ganache and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Chill to set ganache (5 mins).
- Pipe dollops on top using an Ateco or Wilton 1M tip, top each with a Lindt White Chocolate Truffle if desired. Sprinkle chocolate shavings along the bottom and to fill in the top.
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Notes
** Wipe your mixer bowl and whisk down with lemon juice or vinegar to make sure it is completely grease free and make sure there is no trace of yolk in your whites or your meringue will not stiffen.
*** The buttercream may look like it's curdled at some point. Keep mixing until it is completely smooth. If it looks soupy, place it in the fridge for 20mins and rewhip.
Violet C says
Hello, if only making the cake with a vanilla buttercream….. how much more chocolate can I add to the recipe to make the white chocolate stand out?!
Thanks, I love all your recipes
Violet
Dejay says
I have 2 8” cake tin- it’s says on the label 20 x 6.5cm
Will they still work ?
I can see in your description you mention 1.5x, I’m very new to the baking world sorry
Olivia says
Hi Dejay! Those are slightly smaller than 8″ but they are taller than the 2″ tall pans I use so you should be totally fine. Use the recipe as-is for two 8″ pans. For three 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe.
Dejay says
Thank you so much for clarifying that, Also I have two other questions sorry
I know you mention heavy cream, I’m the super market I could only get double cream or extra double thick cream , what one would you recommend using ?
The other thing is also my mixer doesn’t have a PADDLE which is a little weird, what would you advise here ? Do it manually ?
Thanks
Dejay
Olivia says
Hi Deejay! Double cream is what you should use (not the extra double thick). And re: your mixer, is it a stand mixer? If so, a whisk attachment or whatever it has should be fine too 🙂
Lori says
Hi,
I am looking at baking this in a 9″ round tin. I can convert the change in ingredients needed using those sites you’ve recommended to others, but how would I need to alter the baking time / temp? Thanks.
Olivia says
Hi Lori! Baking temperature would stay the same but time will vary depending on how much batter is in the pan. It’s hard to say as every oven is different too in terms of how they bake.
Shelley says
Hi. If I only have one 8” square cake pan & want to make two cakes- Do you use one recipe? If so & I halve it, what do I do with half the batter whilst the first one bakes? Or should I halve the recipe so the batter isn’t sitting for a while. Thanks.
Olivia says
Hi Shelley! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here are some sites I use as a guideline:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
https://www.cookipedia.co.uk/recipes_wiki/Cake_tin_conversion_charts
Based on that, the recipes as-is would make enough for two 8″ square, but the layers would be a bit thinner. Ideally, if you plan to bake one at a time make separate batches so the batter isn’t sitting out.
Danielle says
Hiya, my daughter is asking for a white chocolate orange cake for her birthday – would it work if I simply added orange essence to this recipe? And how much would you recommend? Thank you 😊
Olivia says
Hi Danielle! Ohhhh that sounds delicious!! I prefer to use natural flavours myself. What I would do is add some orange zest during the butter & sugar creaming stage (about 1 Tbsp or so). You can also add some orange juice if you like — replace 1/4 cup of the milk with orange juice. Add it to the milk/white chocolate mixture before you start alternating with the flour. You could also do an orange curd as a filling following this recipe but swapping lemons for oranges (https://livforcake.com/lemon-curd/)
That being said, you can totally just use orange essence for ease. As for how much it really depends on how strong it is. I’m not sure if it’s as potent as something like almond extract. I would start with 1/4 tsp and taste it to see if you should add more. Let me know how it turns out!
Danielle says
Ooh your method sounds lovely 😍 I’ll look forward to making it for her next month – May do a trial before and will let you know how it goes 😉 thanks so much for your reply
Alison says
Hello. This cake looks so pretty. My daughter and I are making it right now for a party tonight. Do you add the creamed butter and sugar after you combine the flour with the milk mixture? Thank you
Olivia says
Hi Alison! You alternate adding the flour and milk TO the creamed butter, sugar, and egg mixture.
Alison says
Oh gosh! Now I get it. Thank you so much for replying quickly!
İlkem says
Hello , ı will doing cake for my mother’s birthday .But ı have 11inc cake mold.Maybe I should make two cakes, not three . What should ı do, thank for your help:)
Olivia says
Hi İlkem! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here are some sites I use as a guideline:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
https://www.cookipedia.co.uk/recipes_wiki/Cake_tin_conversion_charts
Julie says
What a beautiful looking cake! I am hoping to make it soon and just wondering if it is OK to use vanilla melting wafers i stead of white chocolate?
Olivia says
Hi Julie! For the drip this should be fine, though I’m not sure how it would work with the cream and the proportions may be different. For the cake and frosting I recommend white chocolate.
Sioux says
Hey just wondering if you can share the steps you took to do the reverse creaming on this recipe. I’m having trouble with this cake, ive baked it 6 times now and each time it either sinks, or has gluey streaks in it indicating im over mixing the batter but im mixing it so ridiculously gently and by hand. I bake in 3in deep 6in wide tins.
Olivia says
Hi Sioux! I haven’t made this one myself using the reverse creaming method. At what point is your cake sinking? In the oven or after taking it out? And are all of your ingredients at room temperature?
Sioux says
Usually 30mins after taking it out the oven, it pulls away from the edges first and then slowly sinks in, and collapses by half. Resulting in a very gluey interior.
I use room temperature ingredients, sometimes my milk is straight from the fridge but I lightly warm it on the stove and then leave it for 30mins.
Im looking into the reverse creaming method now as its not just your recipe that is doing this to me, its nearly all vanilla type recipes.
Olivia says
Ahh ok, that is so strange because overmixing is the only thing I know to cause that!! At least that’s my experience when cakes pull away too much from the sides and shrink a lot. It would also explain the gluey interior. Overmixing develops too much gluten causing dense and gluey cakes. But if you’re mixing by hand that should prevent that! Very strange.
Rach says
Hi,
I was wondering if I’m using self raising flour (UK) instead, will I need to use the baking powder too?
Thanks ☺️
Olivia says
Hi Rach! I’ve never baked with SR flour myself, but I believe you should leave the baking powder out.
Jas Kay says
Can I substitute eggs since my kids have allergies? My daughters birthdays is coming up and please provide guidance ?
Olivia says
Hi Jas! I have never baked with egg substitutes so I can’t say for sure what would work well. For the frosting specifically, eggs must be used, but I do have an egg-free option you could try: https://livforcake.com/ermine-frosting/
Angie says
Hi Liv just wanted to update you on the recipe, i doubled the recipe again used the same pans but i used the reverse creaming method this time! It came out amazing definitely not overmixed . Thank you so much!
Sioux says
Hey just wondering if you can share the steps you took to do the reverse creaming on this recipe. I’m having trouble with this cake, ive baked it 6 times now and each time it either sinks, or has gluey streaks in it indicating im over mixing the batter but im mixing it so ridiculously gently and by hand. I bake in 3in deep 6in wide tins.
Angie says
Hello Liv, i recently doubled this recipe and the texture and the way it baked up seem a bit off.. when i made a single batch it was fine.. wondering if doubling the recipe had to
Do with it is 1.5 batch the max i can do? Please let me know
I love love this recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Angie! Did you adjust the pan size as well? Doubling a recipe is usually ok, but it does depend somewhat on how deep the layers were etc. What size pans did you use and how tall were they?
Angie says
Hello , i used 4 7″ layers and i isually like my layers tall so i fill over half using 2″ rounds i did however adjusted the milk to 1 1/4 cup milk & 1/3 oil and it worked great! But once i made a doubled batch the texture changed had alot of wholes in it maybe i overmixed? Maybe i’ll try the reverse creaming method next time.
Olivia says
Ah yes, the holes can be due to overmixing and that can also cause a more dense cake!
Lindy says
I’d like to make this for my daughters birthday, looks amazing! If I want to use 3.x 8inch pans how may servings should I change it to to get the correct weights? Also how long will it keep? I’d like to make the sponge 2 days before and icing the day before.
Thank you!
L
Olivia says
Hi Lindy! For three 8″ pans change the Servings to 18. Baking time may differ slightly.
If it’s just a day in advance you can leave both at room temp (wrapped/covered in plastic wrap). The buttercream will need to be rewhipped before use to fluff it up again. Otherwise, if making further in advance:
For the Cake: Cool the layers, double wrap in plastic wrap, freeze for up to 3 months. Take out 2-3 hours before assembly.
For the Buttercream: Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for 1 week for freeze for 3 months. Bring to room temperature and rewhip before using.
Let me know how it turns out!
B says
Hi! Just found your blog and am excited to make this (actually, your White Chocolate Mocha Cake) for my husband’s birthday. Am a bit concerned that, with all the white chocolate, it could be a bit too sweet. Do you think reducing the sugar in the cake batter by 1/4c would cause problems?
Olivia says
Hi B! Reducing the sugar by 1/4 cup should be totally fine. Let me know how you like it!
Brandi says
Also I tried this using a name brand carton egg whites for the Swiss meringue buttercream frosting and it turned out perfect. I used shell eggs the first time I made it came out just as perfectly the second time around using the carton egg whites.
Olivia says
That’s great! What brand of whites did you use?
Brandi says
Hi Liv!!! This cake has been a big hit for me!! I’ve been asked to make it in a milk chocolate version. I already know which cake recipe I’m gonna use, but for the Swiss meringue buttercream frosting can I just use milk chocolate instead of the white chocolate??
Olivia says
Hi Brandi! That should be no problem!
Marian says
Hi Liv, may I ask how to adjust the measurement if I’m using a 7″ round cake mold instead? that’s the only size I have right now. I would highly appreciate your help. Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Marian! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html, but it doesn’t have 7″ on there. If you’re fine with thinner layers you can bake the recipe as is in three 7″ pans and just reduce the baking time.
Marian says
Thank you for your reply! Last question, can I out food coloring on my buttercream? I’m worried it would its consistency since there will white chocolate in it. Thank you Liv!
Olivia says
Hi Marian! Yes, that will be fine but be sure to use gel or powdered coloring, not liquid. I would add it at the very end.
Angie says
Hi Liv , can i add crushed oreo to the batter do make a cookies & cream version??
Olivia says
Hi Angie! For sure! Just toss them in some flour and fold them in gently at the end.
Helen Rigby says
Made this for my daughters 18th birthday. Added pink gel colouring to the drip icing and decorated with pink and white chocolates. I was a bit worried about using plain flour but needed have, it tasted amazing and will be a cake recipe I will keep
Olivia says
Hi Helen! I’m so happy you loved it 🙂
Ezinne says
Hello Liv, I’m looking to try out this recipe & I’m wondering if I can use oil in place of butter?
Olivia says
Hi Ezzine! For best results use butter. I haven’t tested it with oil or margarine. I don’t think it would be a disaster but it will affect the flavor and texture.
Leilani says
Can i use cake flour instead of all purpose? Will that make the white chocolate cake lighter and fluffier? thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Leilani! Yes, you can try it with cake flour and it should make for a slightly fluffier cake.
Leilani says
How much cake flour would should i use to replace the all purpose flour? TIA
Olivia says
Hi Leilani! I would just swap it one for one.
SIM says
Dying to try this recipe but i was just wondering if someone knows hos many gram each ingredient needs. I find it very difficult to calculate cups to grams because there are so many schedules who says different thing. Here in the Netherlands we work with grams.
Hope someone can help, would really appreciate it !
Olivia says
Hi SIM! There is a metric converter below the list of ingredients 🙂
Shreya says
How many layers should we cut the cake in ? And in the recipe of the cake that you’ve give can we make this tall cake in the picture ?
Olivia says
Hi Shreya! The recipe makes the cake pictured. I didn’t cut the cake into layers, but baked in three separate pans.
Carmen Hislop says
Hi would it be possible to make this a whiteboard chocolate passionfruit cake? With some passion fruit pulp and essence or something? 🙂 thanks
Olivia says
Hi Carmen! You could do a passion fruit filling for it 🙂
Kathryn says
Hi! I am planning to do this cake right now actually for my birthday in few minutes (UK time) and just wondering if there is still a need to drizzle sugar syrup on to the sponge when assembling because you had it written on the tips but not on the recipe. Or is the cake sponge moist enough to leave the syrup out? Thanks in advance.
Olivia says
Hi Kathryn! The syrup is optional and really only necessary if adding flavour or moisture due to an overbaked cake. The cake is moist enough without it for sure!
Simone says
Made this cake twice already. Delicious. Currently making it in the form of cupcakes. Where were you all my life Liv. Thank you very much. From Trinidad and Tobago btw.
Olivia says
Hi Simone! I’m so happy you love it! 🙂
EA says
Hi Olivia, How should I edit the recipe if I want to prepare a dozen cupcakes
Olivia says
Hi EA! The recipe makes about 18-24 cupcakes, depending on size. So you could halve the recipe (adjust the Servings to get the amounts). Bake at the same temperature but start checking them at 15mins or so.
Arshia says
I was considering using blueberry compote as a filling between the layers to make it a blueberry-white chocolate cake. Will the flavours compliment each other and would you suggest using blueberry filling?
Olivia says
Hi Arshia! I think that would taste delicious!
Donna says
Hi, I made this cake & it was my first time making SMBC & thanks to your easy to follow instructions it was a success, only problem was I made the buttercream the day before & it was a lovely pale colour but when I rewhipped it to decorate the cake it seemed to turn very yellow. Would decorating the cake immediately prevent this happening? Other than that the cake tasted & looked amazing.
Olivia says
Hi Donna! It sounds like maybe it just needed a bit more whipping. I’ve had the yellow thing happen when the buttercream separates a bit and needs a good whip. Was it at room temperature or very soft when you rewhipped it?
Donna says
Hi Olivia, thank you for replying so quickly. It was at room temperature when I rewhipped it but by the time I had finished decorating the cake it was quite soft so I guess I mustn’t have whipped it long enough.
Olivia says
I sometimes have to rewhip my buttercream while I’m frosting the cake if it’s taking a long time. Especially if my place is a bit hot.
Georgie says
Hello, I’m hoping to make this cake to be eating in 1 weeks time. Is it OK to make a week early then freeze?
Olivia says
Hi Georgie! Yes, the cake freezes fine!
Dolores Jones says
I love this I must make it at least three times for me to master it. An I will
Olivia says
Hi Dolores! So happy you love it! 🙂
Becky says
Hi there, are the dollops on top the buttercream or the ganache, I can’t tell from the write up! Thanks 🙂 making this for boyfriends birthday and the sponge has gone really well!!
Olivia says
Hi Becky! The buttercream dollops of the very top are on top of the ganache that covers the whole top of the cake. Let this set a bit before piping the dollops though.
Emma O says
This cake is so good! I swirled in raspberry purée between the layers for a white chocolate raspberry cake, and it turned out so well! It’s so moist and delicious and the white chocolate flavor is perfect! I made mine in 9 inch layers so it baked a lot faster, only took about 31 min as opposed to the 40 that was suggested. Also I would suggest reducing the amount of sugar, as white chocolate already has a lot of sugar. I highly recommend this cake!
Olivia says
Hi Emma! So glad you loved it. Thanks for your tips!
Glenda says
Made this cake yesterday, the most moist soft mud cake, not heavy very nice, a pleasure to make.
You can always tell if the cakes going to nice by the batter and that was delicious.
Olivia says
Hi Glenda! Thank you! So happy you loved it 🙂
Jaimee says
Hi there!
Is this considered a mud cake?
Is it super dense and moist
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Jaimee! Yes, I believe so 🙂 It is dense and moist.
Sareka Pariag Rampersad says
I absolutely love this cake. My new favorite. This recipe is fantastic. Love the white chocolate flavor. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. My cake was perfect.
Olivia says
Hi Sareka! So happy you love this cake. Thanks for the feedback!
Lia says
Was really excited to make this but disappointed with the results. I thought the baking time seemed long so I decided to check the cakes early and at 33 minutes they were already over done (my oven runs on the cooler side). Also, your tips for Swiss buttercream elsewhere say to keep the butter chilled and on this recipe it says room temp. Was frustrating to fail at the frosting, then go to your tips only to find that the butter should still be a bit cold:\
Olivia says
Hi Lia! Sorry to hear you had trouble with this one. Every oven is different, so baking times are always just a guideline. For the buttercream, the butter does not need to be a bit cold, it’s just faster to “fix” one if it’s curdled rather than soupy and the slightly cold butter helps if the meringue is still too warm. If the frosting was too soft it should have still been saveable. Did you try my tips? https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Elfreda Johnson says
Hiii I loved this cake it was amazing.Do you have the exact measurements In grams ? By weighing the ingredients I feel I get more consistency compared to using cups
Olivia says
Hi Elfreda! There is a metric converter below the list of ingredients 🙂
Helen says
Hi Olivia,
This recipe looks amazing; my sister in law has requested a white chocolate cake for her birthday next week and this looks perfect!
I just have a question as I’m in the UK and some of our ingredients are different here. Is granulated sugar the same here as it is over there? I’m used to making cakes with caster sugar so wanted to double check!
Thanks,
Helen
Olivia says
Hi Helen! Caster sugar is a bit finer than granulated but should work ok!
kejal says
Do you have a video tutorial for this cake? I want to try and make it but I’m better with a video tutorial
Olivia says
Hi Kejal! No, sorry. No video tutorial at this time.
Lucy Gallop says
I’m making this amazing cake today! I only have hand held electric beaters.
So I hope that will suffice.
Olivia says
Hi Lucy! A hand mixer will be fine for the cake but could be a challenge for the buttercream. See this post for more details: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Ellie says
I only have two 6″ cake pans, can I bake two and then bake another after the other two are done. Or should I use my two 9″ instead. Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Ellie! Ideally, bake all cake batter at once. If you use 9″ pans the layers will be thinner so you either need to increase the recipe or reduce the baking time. Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
Brittany says
Hi Olivia, I am wanting to make this recipe tomorrow and was just wondering why you recommend to bake all of the cake layers at once?
I only have x2 6” inch pans as well, but really wanted to make this cake at that size.
Is it because you’re not supposed to let the batter sit for too long?
Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Brittany! The raising agents start working right away when the cake batter is mixed. You should bake the cakes all at once for best results. You can give it a try though and see how it turns out. I don’t think it will be a disaster, just not ideal. I’d refrigerate the unused batter while waiting for the pans.
Linda W says
Love the white chocolate cake recipe, can I substitute egg whites for the eggs, or is it needed for the fat content. I would like to see this cake as a somewhat white cake rather than yellow, or should I just use white gel color?
Olivia says
Hi Linda! You can use 5 egg whites in place of three 3 eggs. If you do that I would also replace some of the butter with oil — use 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup oil. See my tips here for how to make the frosting white (will also work for the cake).
Ryan Heil says
I made this for my girlfriends birthday and I’ve almost finished but looks great so far
Olivia says
Hi Ryan! So happy to hear that. Let me know how you both like it!
Sam says
Hi, for the icing…when it says combine the egg whites and sugar(before heating) what should this look like am I look for volume as I know you whisk to make the meringue once heated? Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Sam! You just want to stir to combine them at that point and while you’re heating them. The mixer will do the whipping. Here’s a detailed tutorial with pictures: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Rachael says
Hi! This cakes looks gorgeous and I’m just about to make it. I’d love to make it to sell as well, I’ll be using exactly your measurements and ingredients but I’m no good at pricing. How much would you suggest I price it? Thank you so much!! I’ll be tuning in to many more recipes from you !! Xx
Olivia says
Hi Rachael! So happy you love it. There are many factors that come into play when costing out your baked goods. There is no one right answer. It differs depending on where you live, your cost of ingredients, other additional costs of running your business. Here are some links to get you started:
http://www.bakecalc.com/cake-pricing-calculator/
https://youtu.be/qMj4Z2e-CeE
Debra Sullivan says
Just made this for a friend’s birthday. It was perfect! Easy to make, looked just like the picture. I found the Lindt truffles at our local Kroger in the candy aisle. They are the perfect touch to take recipe over the top.
Rave reviews from all the party goers. Each white chocolate component was just right.
This will be a go to recipe from now on.
Once again, the recipe was flawless. I can’t thank you enough for your hard work and phenomenal recipes. I use this site for every cake I bake for friends and family. Each and every time they come out just as they should. This website is an amazing resource.! Thank you for your generosity in sharing all of these.
Now it;’s back to the kitchen for me….I have another party to attend tomorrow and I’m bringing the Peanut butter chocolate cake. This will be my first time using powdered peanut butter so I am very curious how it will turn out.
Thanks again!
Olivia says
Hi Debra! Thank you for the amazing feedback! Your comment totally made my day. I’m so happy you’ve made more of my recipes too and that you love them 🙂 Let me know how it goes with the powdered PB! It seems to be a bit finicky maybe depending on the brand. I would add it to the buttercream 1 Tbsp at a time and watch the texture.
Aleena says
Hi, Can i know how to store the cake if it is made in advance. I would like to assemble and frost the cake on the next day only.Thanks in advance!!
Olivia says
Hi Aleena! If just a couple of days you can keep it in the fridge.
Beste says
Hi Liv! I reeeeally die for white chocolate and I wanna do that for my sister’s birthday but I don’t have 6″ round pan. How much would I need to increase the recipe for a 23 cm springform pan?
Thank you.
Beste says
Or can I substitute three 6″, for two 23 cm pan without changing amounts?
Olivia says
Hi Beste! 23cm is about 9″. Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html It would be too much batter for one 23cm pan but not enough for two. I would 1.5x the recipe (Change the Servings to 18) and bake in two 23cm pans. Baking time will differ slightly so be sure to watch the cakes.
Dhahamya says
Hi, is there any chance of using instant coffee powder instead of using espresso?
Thank you.
Olivia says
Hi Dhahamya! Do you mean for my White Chocolate Mocha Cake? For the cake it will work fine. Unless it’s a very fine powder, for the buttercream you’ll need to dissolve it with 1-2 tsp of hot water to make sure there are no granules. Let it cool before adding to the buttercream.
Stephanie says
Hey this looks amazing, I’m going to make it for a friends birthday, I was wondering whether 6 inches is maybe small for a birthday cake, (not an experienced cake baker) how much would I need to increase the recipe for an 8 inch ?
Olivia says
Hi Stephanie! For three 8″ pans you should 1.5x the recipe. You can adjust the Servings to do so.
Jane says
Hi Liv,
I read thru all your q&a but didn’t see this question posted. Is it ok to make this recipe using a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer?
Olivia says
Hi Jane! A hand mixer will be totally fine for the cake but will be a challenge for the frosting. It’s doable, but will take a long time. See this post for more details on how to make the frosting.
Lian says
Hello!
I would like to ask if i can try to use a different food color like green or blue since these recipe really looks good and im planning to bake it tonight for my son’s birthday tomorrow. Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Lian! Yes, you can use any color you like, but I recommend color gels vs liquid food coloring.
Priya says
This cake looks amazing and I am planning to give this a try for my daughter’s 13th birthday since she loves white chocolate. I am very new to baking and have a couple of questions if you don’t mind :
1. I am planning to use the cake recipe and the white chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream frosting and then cover it with fondant. Can the cake and frosting hold ? Do you think this would work ?
2. If so, I am decorating the cake with fondant on Saturday, how far in advance can I bake the Cake ? Can I apply the frosting and then refrigerate it overnight to apply fondant the next day ?
Any other tips or advise you would give me so that fondant would work on this cake ?
Thank you so much!
Olivia says
Hi Priya! I don’t work with fondant much anymore so can’t give you too much advice, but here are the answers to your questions.
1. Yes, that will totally work. Be sure to chill the frosted cake well before doing the fondant.
2. Yes, that will help since you should chill the cake anyhow.
You should join my facebook group though as a lot of people there use fondant often and can help with your questions.
Priya says
Thank you so much! Will do and will let you how it turns out 🙂
Charae says
Made this cake a couple weeks ago and it was gorgeous. Definitely a show stopper. The recipe was user friendly.
I will be attempting the Nutella cake this weekend!
Olivia says
Hi Charae! Thanks so much for your feedback. I’m so glad you loved it 🙂
Jemila says
Hi Sarah,
Can I bake this recipe in a loaf pan?
Olivia says
Hi Jemila! Yes, that should be fine but the baking time will be longer and you may need more than one pan.
Carine says
Hi there Olivia! I want to try my hand at a Letter cake and was wondering if this would be able to made in a sheet pan and hold being stacked on top of Piped SMBC. Its for my mom’s mother’s day cake.
Also your Swiss Meringue Buttercream is the ONLY one that’s worked for me! 💜
Olivia says
Hi Carine! This should be totally fine in a sheet pan and stackable. I would recommend chilling the cake before cutting & stacking. So glad you like my SMBC! <3
Michael says
Can I make this with Cake Flour as opposed to All Purpose Flour?
Olivia says
Hi Michael! Yes, that should work totally fine.
Angela says
Hi Olivia, do you have a metric version of this recipe to share ? I’m based in the UK and had to use a converter for cups to grams and ml and the cake came out a little dense and firm! Still tasted good which is always a plus but would love to try again with metric guidance. Thank you.
Olivia says
Hi Angela! There is a metric converter below the list of ingredients. Does that match the amounts you used?
Betty says
This cake is amazing! The batter was gorgeous 2. Thank you I’m glad I settled on this to bake today my mind was all over the board 1st thing this morning
Olivia says
Hi Betty! I’m so happy you loved it Thanks for the feedback!
Violet says
Hi,
I’m thinking about making this cake as it looks so good and I love white chocolate! How would I go about it if I want to make a small 3 layer cake by 4”?!
Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Violet! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
Mae says
Hi, I love white chocolate cake, I tried to make this just last night but my cake did not rise at all and when I cut it, the inside is not soft but hard, and the texture is similar to that of a cheesecake. Please advise where I went wrong, I really want to get this right as my sons love white chocolate.
Olivia says
Hi Mae! Did you make any changes to the recipe? Is your baking powder fresh?
Angelica says
Is the batter suppose to be really thin?
Olivia says
Hi Angelica! No, it’s not. It should be like a normal scratch cake batter.
Angie says
Hi , i want to try this recipe soon, just wondering why it doesnt carry oil?? What keeps the cake from drying out? Is it the chocolate?
Angelica says
Hi , this recipe sounds so delicious i would love to try it, just wondering why it doesnt carry oil? As oil keeps the cake from drying out, what keeps it moist? is it the white chocolate? I would definitely love to know more as ive never baked a white chocolate cake before and would love to try this one thank you.
Olivia says
Hi Angelica! I don’t use oil in my cake recipes but you can sub some of the butter for oil if you prefer 🙂 I don’t find the cakes to be dry unless they are overbaked, but you can always use simple syrup on them to add moisture either way.
Mary says
Hi! We made this cake and it was AMAZING. I just was wondering if 928 calories is the whole cake or per piece?
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Mary! So happy you liked it. That is per slice (unfortunately! hah)
Natalia says
If you were going to freeze it with the frosting on… how would you wrap it to place in the freezer?
Olivia says
Hi Natalia! I would refrigerate or freeze the cake on its own first to firm up the buttercream, then gently wrap in plastic wrap.
Anna says
Hi,
I have a question about the icing… it says granulated sugar in the icing, won’t that make the icing grainy. If you could get back to me ASAP that would be great! Thanks so much!
Olivia says
Hi Anna! This is a meringue-based frosting — the sugar dissolved when you’re cooking it with the eggs.
Monica says
Omg, this is so good! I’ve never really gone for white chocolate cake but man it is underrated. I trialled this recipe & so did a third of it all – it came out perfect. I even used a gluten free flour and still amazing. Would definitely recommend this recipe 🤤
Olivia says
Hi Monica! Thanks for the amazing feedback! I’m so happy you loved this one 🙂
Kath Robinson says
I was interested in your responses to the queries about substituting cake flour for the A/P flour in the recipe. I do tend to use cake flour (we call it Self Raising flour here in UK). If I were to use cake/SR flour instead of A/P flour do I still need the Baking Powder?
Looking forward to trying this for my grandson’s birthday-he’s requested a white chocolate cake!
Thank you.
Olivia says
Hi Kath! Self-raising in the UK is different from our cake flour here as it already has a raising agent. Do you usually use baking powder/soda with self-raising flour? You definitely shouldn’t use the full amount at any rate as it will be too much and cause your cakes to rise quickly and then collapse.
Kath Robinson says
Thanks for that clarification. Unless you were making a cake using the all in one method, rather than creaming butter & sugar then folding in flour, you wouldn’t usually add baking powder. -I think I’ll give it a go without any baking powder & using Self Raising flour. I will let you know how I get on!
Trudy says
Amazing cake. Everyone loved it at my nieces baby shower. Going to be my “go to” recipe especially the frosting..
Olivia says
So glad you liked it, Trudy! 🙂
Ami says
Hi, can you please let me know the shelf life of unfrosted cake at room temperature.
Olivia says
Hi Ami! It should be fine for a day or two depending on how hot it is in your place.
Laura says
Hi Olivia! Thank you for all of your amazing recipes! I was wondering if I could use Americolor gel to color the cake layers, buttercream, and ganache? Do you think the various components would take the color well?
Olivia says
Hi Laura! You can dor sure, but be sure not to overmix the cake batter. I like to add some color during the butter creaming stage to avoid overmixing at the end. The buttercream does not take color as well as an American buttercream, but works well for lighter shades. The ganache should take color fine.
Lisa says
This cake base is amazing. Used it with a lemon and raspberry curd filling and raspberry frosting. SO GOOD!
Olivia says
Hi Lisa! So happy to hear you liked it 🙂
Marilyn says
Does this cake freeze well?
Olivia says
Hi Marilyn! Yes, the cake freezes great! If you plan to freeze the whole finished cake though I would skip the drip and do that after. I’ve had drip crack on me in the fridge/freezer.
Tara says
This cake was absolutely delicious and a massive hit at both Christmas and my birthday the following day. It’s so rich and moist, you only need a tiny sliver which basically served 30 people at two parties and still had left overs for me to take home 🙂 I incorporated another recipe to make this cake a Christmas theme by melting white chocolate to look like that of birch bark which I placed all around the cake and made a little nativity scene on top with trees, birds and a deer 🙂 It was so beautiful and honestly one of the best cakes I have ever tried and i am a major dessert feine and have eaten a lot of cake in my time! It took me about 3-3.5 hours from start to finish and people were impressed that I could create something like that in such a short time frame! SO this cake will help show how creative and talented you are too, lol. I used Lindt white chocolate in the cake and bark and white chocolate chips for the buttercream. I love white chocolate so this cake is a definite for the white chocolate fans. I will save this recipe for future, thank you so much for sharing it!
Olivia says
Hi Tara! Your cake sounds beautiful! I would love to see a photo if you took one 🙂 I’m so happy you loved the recipe. Thanks so much for the amazing feedback and happy belated birthday!
Tash says
Hey Liv, I’m not keen on SMBC, is there a way to incorporate white chocolate into a regular ABC?
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Tash! You should just be able to add it at the end no problem. Just make sure it’s no longer warm to the touch. Add as much or as little as you like. Just note that if chilled, the frosting will firm up more than a normal one would.
Marianne Brabant says
Can you assemble the cake in advance and freeze it for a couple of days?
Olivia says
Hi Marianne! For sure! I would do the drip the day-of though, I’ve had drips crack on me once frozen.
Cecilia says
Hi! I am so excited to make this cake! However, I only have buttermilk right now. Would it be okay to substitute the milk for buttermilk? I was just curious because I wasn’t sure if it would work with the white chocolate. Thanks so much!
Olivia says
Hi Cecilia! I haven’t tried it with buttermilk myself. I think, flavour and texture wise it would be best with milk, but if you only have buttermilk you can give it a try. I don’t think it would be a disaster at any rate! The cake might be a bit more dense and have a bit of a tang to it.
Cecilia says
Thanks so much! I can’t wait to bake today!
Victoria says
Cake was great fresh out of the even but turn really dense after refrigeration overnight. Any ideas as to why?
Olivia says
Hi Victoria! Did you let the cake come to room temperature again? It will become more dense in the fridge (and is a more dense cake in general), but should soften at room temp.
Sue says
A huge hit! I was told that this cake was more delicious than one from a bakery. 5 stars!!
Olivia says
Wow! That is high praise, so glad you liked it 🙂
Christine Chapdelaine says
Made this cake for my husband birthday and the crowd went wild,my nephew loves white chocolate so requested I make him one for his birtday🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗the only changes I did was sugar reduction on to both the cake and meringue,I did on 2 round pans and it turn out beautiful.thank you for the recipe
Olivia says
Hi Christine! So happy to hear everyone loved it!
Michele says
Hi Olivia
I’m going to be making this cake today for a friends granddaughter birthday, can you confirm it is 2 1/2 tablespoons of baking powder and not tea spoons.
Olivia says
Hi Michele! It is TEASPOONS, not Tbsp. Does it still say tablespoons somewhere? I had made that error in the recipe initially but I thought I changed it!
Michele says
Thank you for your reply,
Just got a little confusing as there are two recipes still on the internet .
I will let you no how the cake turns out
Adela says
Hi! I have a question. Is it 40 minutes for both three 6-inch cakes and two 8-inch cakes? I’ve read somewhere that smaller cake pans require less time. Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Adela! If you make not adjustments to the recipe then the baking time will be relatively similar.
Lyndi Miller says
Hi Olivia, can’t wait to try this! Just a quick question. I prefer a lighter cake and was wondering if I substitute cake flour for the APF, would the measurements be the same?
This is gonna be my birthday cake😊!
Thanks, Lyndi
Olivia says
Hi Lyndi! You can try with cake flour for sure, same measurements, but I think the cake will still be on the denser side due to all the white chocolate. Let me know how it turns out!
Lyndi miller says
I will, thanks for the quick response!
Sarah Eagles says
Love this cake, so much so I’ve been asked to use it for my brothers wedding cake. I followed you advice and used 2x 8″ rather than the 3x 6″ pans, but how would you scale the recipe for both 10″ and 12″ cakes?
Olivia says
Hi Sarah! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
Gowmee says
I tried this today and it came so well and tasty too.. Thanks for sharing such a scrumptious recipe. Can add simple syrup to it before frosting..
Olivia says
Hi Gowmee! So happy you loved it. You can totally add a simple syrup to the cake layers if you like.
Maggie says
I made this yesterday for my daughters birthday and it looked and tasted excellent! Thank you for doing the hard work and sharing it 😊 I had a question regarding apf vs cake flour ? What differences have you noticed and how to choose one over the other – also my cake itself tasted kind off like a pound cake – is that how it’s meant to be ? Just curious –
Olivia says
Hi Maggie! So happy to hear you loved it. Cake flour makes for lighter cakes, but I tend to bake with AP only because it’s what I (and most people) most often have in their pantry. For certain recipes though, that I know tend to be more dense (banana based cakes) I often use cake flour to try and lighten them up. My cake recipes in general tend to be more on the dense side (vs light and fluffy), because that’s how I prefer them 🙂
Elise says
2 1/2 tablespoons baking powder? Not teaspoons?
Olivia says
Teaspoons!! Yikes. Thank you for catching that. Recipe updated!
Elise says
Glad to help! Thanks for the recipe!
Koula says
This recipe seems very similar to what we here in Australia call a Mud Cake, except all wet ingredients are combined and then added to the dry ingredients. We also use both Plain Flour (all purpose flour) and Self Raising Flour. It’s baked at a lower temperature for over an hour. The result is a very tight crumb, it’s moist and it holds it shape making it excellent for carving which is why it is commonly used for 3D cakes by cake decorators. It’s added bonuses are that it lasts for a week and the taste gets better with age.
I’m very curious now how this white chocolate cake compares to my go to white chocolate mud cake. Does it have the same properties, similar taste, etc. I wonder if yours leans more towards s sponge cake in comparison to a dense cake. Only one way to found out and I’m excited to give it a try. You’re cakes are amazing and I’m sure this won’t disappoint.
Olivia says
Hi Koula! I’ve had Mud Cake before, but only once and it was chocolate (my sister lives in Sydney btw!). This one isn’t as dense as those. It’s more of a denser sponge with white chocolate flavour. I look forward to hearing what you think about it and the differences!
Erin says
Just when we were contemplating what to make with the white chocolate in the pantry…this cake appears on your website! You must be psychic 🙂 You always seem to know exactly what your readers would love and want to make. Considering the amount of white chocolate in this cake, I know two things: (1), I am going to completely and utterly LOVE this cake, and (2), I’m gonna need to go over to Vancouver and have a shopping spree at The Gourmet Warehouse (I checked that store out one time while in Vancouver, after reading about it on your blog, and I could practically live in there) and purchase one of those 2 kilogram bars of white chocolate. My eyes practically popped out of my head when I saw those ginormous chocolate bars, and any excuse to buy one…I’m taking it.
Olivia says
Haha, I try! 😉 Glad the timing was good for this one and I hope you love it. LOVE the Gourmet Warehouse! I don’t get out there too often (it’s a bit out of the way) but when I do I stock up. It’s hard not to walk out of there with bags of goodies and their chocolate selection is particularly amazing. I hope you plan another trip soon!
Sarah says
I feel myself being pulled towards the kitchen already. I ADORE white chocolate! And I’ve always wanted to make a cake like this, but I’ve never found a recipe! How could I make this work for 3 9-inch round pans though? I don’t own any 6 or 8-inch pans. This cake looks amazing 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Sarah! So glad you’re in the white chocolate LOVE camp! I would 2x the recipe for three 9″ pans. You can just double the Servings and it should update all of the amounts. Let me know how it turns out!