This White Chocolate Raspberry Cake combines white chocolate cake layers with a white chocolate swiss meringue buttercream, fresh raspberries, and raspberry jam. A perfect flavour combination!
Hi everyone! Sorry it’s been so long since my last post/recipe — this was not intended. For those of you who don’t know, we got a puppy at the end of June and it’s been pure chaos ever since. I knew that puppies were a lot of work, but this is a whole ‘nother level of craziness.
I actually made this White Chocolate Raspberry Cake weeks (months?) ago with the intent to post it in July. That obviously didn’t happen.
In addition to the puppy (who we named Zelda, after our mutual love of the video game franchise), we were also dealing with some unplanned renos due to a water leak in a neighbor’s unit that flooded our basement in early June.
I exaggerate a bit when I say flooded — it was a slow leak in a cracked pipe that cause water to seep up from under the floorboards. But still, one wall and the entire floor had to be ripped up and replaced which finally just happened last week, so we were living in a construction zone for 2 months.
This might not seem like that big of a deal, but the basement is actually where we hang out the most. It’s a walkout with huge windows and a view — it’s where we have our tv, and it’s generally the coziest room in the house. If we had a fireplace down here, I’m convinced we’ve never leave! It’s also the main puppy space, so the whole reno was really disruptive.
Ryan and I opted to do the demo and move all our furniture to save a bit of time/money. We have some rather large pieces of furniture down here that we had to move (giant sectional + chaise, book cases, tv, etc). It was a lot of work! Poor Zelda was confined to her pen for the better part of a weekend, and then got shuffled upstairs while the work was being done.
I’m complaining. I tend to do that. In the grand scheme of things, it could have been a lot worse. None of our stuff was damaged, insurance paid for the whole thing, and we have a nice new floor down here now (the old one was terrible).
Zelda though, she’s a handful omg. Potty training has been a nightmare. I think (hope) that’s mostly due to all the disruption we’ve had with the unplanned renos (literally the worst timing for that to happen). She’s been moved around from downstairs to upstairs and back again. Hoping things calm down a bit in that regard since the renos are officially done (YAY!). Now that that’s settled, I’m hoping to get a bit more consistency for her with everything.
The worst part, though, has been the biting. I know that puppies bite. But she BITES. Like, draws blood if you let her (and sometimes even if you try not to), with those razor sharp puppy teeth. I know it’s her way of playing/teething, but omg, it is brutal. My arms and hands are just shredded and bruised from those puppy teeth. It’s SO painful. Literally nothing we try has worked. We’ve tried redirecting her to toys, disengaging, yelping (which only gets her more hyper). There was honestly a point this weekend where I was like, this is hell. Wtf did we do??
But then there are times where she’s so cute and adorable I can’t imagine that I was ever mad/frustrated with her. My friend Eva said to me yesterday, “Puppies are as cute as they are for survival purposes – otherwise you’d kill them.” There has never been a more accurate statement.
Anyhow, let’s talk about this White Chocolate Raspberry Cake, because it’s crazy delicious.
I’m actually not a fan of white chocolate. It’s not really chocolate after all. It contains no cocoa solids and is made up strictly of cocoa butter, sugar, and milk. But I had a request in my Facebook Group for a White Chocolate Raspberry Cake, and who am I to turn that down? It makes perfect use of those summer berries, too.
Honestly, this cake is now one of my favourites. The white chocolate flavour is there, but it’s not overpowering like straight up white chocolate can be. And the sweet/tart fresh raspberries are a perfect compliment.
How to make this White Chocolate Raspberry Cake
To make this white chocolate cake, I modified the recipe from my White Chocolate Candy Cane Cake. Technically the ratio of sugar in this recipe is too high, because the white chocolate also has sugar in it. I didn’t find it overly sweet though, and I loved the texture, so I’m leaving the recipe as-is. Note that the cake will bake up with a darker golden crust due to the extra sugar. If you like, you can reduce the granulated sugar in the recipe to 1 1/2 cups instead.
I used raspberry jam between the layers along with fresh raspberries for an extra hit, but you can leave the jam out if you like. I used store-bought seeded jam (I like the seeds), but you can use any you like, or even homemade if you prefer!
The decorating style of this White Chocolate Raspberry Cake is very simple. I kept the sides semi-naked and did a design on top similar to my Lemon Elderflower Cake. I piled some fresh raspberries on top, and added some thyme sprigs for a pop of green.
This truly is a delicious flavour combination, and the fresh berries make it so perfect for summer!
Looking for more berry desserts?
- Strawberry Cake with Mascarpone Buttercream
- Vanilla Custard Cookie Cups
- Raspberry Mango Cake
- Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Blueberry Shortcake
Tips for making this White Chocolate Cake with Raspberries
- The ratio of sugar in this recipe is high due to the addition of the white chocolate. This will give a darker crust. I did not find it overly sweet, but you can reduce the sugar to 1 1/2 cups instead.
- Try to use the best quality white chocolate you can find. White chocolate chips will do, but the flavour will be better with good quality white chocolate.
- If you don’t like raspberries, this white chocolate cake would be just as delicious with blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries.
- Be sure to check my Swiss Meringue Buttercream post for tips and troubleshooting.
- To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, check out my Flat Top Cakes post!
White Chocolate Raspberry Cake
Ingredients
White Chocolate Cake:
- 6 oz white chocolate chopped (or white chocolate chips)
- 2 cups milk
- 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla
White Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- 6 large egg whites
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 oz white chocolate chopped, melted, cooled
Assembly:
- 500 g fresh raspberries divided
- 6 Tbsp raspberry jam seeded or seedless (optional)
Instructions
White Chocolate Cake:
- Heat milk and chocolate until melted and combined, cool to room temperature.*
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 8" 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 approx. 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 white chocolate and whip until smooth.
Assembly:
- Reserve 1/3rd of the prettiest raspberries (160g) for the top of the cake. Very roughly chop remaining 2/3rds of the raspberries (330g). I basically just made sure each was cut in half.
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread approx. 3 Tbsp of raspberry jam evenly across the layer, right to the edges. Top with 1 cup of buttercream and spread evenly. Press half of the chopped raspberries evenly into the frosting. Repeat with next layer.
- Top with final layer of cake and crumb coat. Add 1 cup of buttercream to the very top and smooth until it hangs over the sides. Use an icing smoother to smooth the sides and create a lip on the top with the frosting.
- Dollop a bit of frosting on the top and spread out in a rustic manner. Top with fresh raspberries and thyme sprigs if desired.
Recipes You May Like
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.
Donna Snape says
Hi,
Could this be converted to bake in one tin and then sliced into 3? (eg 8 x 4 inch tin. Also can I just check that it’s definitely 1 tablespoon of baking powder?
Thank you 😊
Olivia says
Hi Donna! You could try and bake it in one 8 inch round, but I worry that 4″ tall isn’t quite enough. It will be close anyhow, you can give it a try 🙂 Also, it will need much longer in the oven and worry that the cake edges might dry out because of that. Again, give it a try and let me know how it works out 🙂 And yes, just 1 Tbsp (3 tsp) baking powder.
Dani says
Hi. I would like to try this for my daughters birthday but she’s 4 and loves frosting so I’m thinking the naked cake look won’t go over well.
Does this make enough icing to fully ice the cake normally?
Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Dani! I would use these amounts to be safe:
8 large egg whites
2.5 cups granulated sugar
2.5 cups unsalted butter room temperature
10 oz white chocolate chopped, melted, cooled
This might make a bit too much but I always prefer to have extra frosting rather than too little!
Jess says
Hi Olivia, I love your recipes, they’re my go to cakes for a special occasion, but always find the Swiss meringue buttercream just ends up tasting too buttery. Is it possible to reduce the quantity of butter without compromising the texture?
Thanks
Jess
Olivia says
Hi Jess! Thank you! It is definitely more buttery than an American buttercream would be, but be fire to really give it a good whip once all the butter is added. It should be light and fluffy and not taste like you’re eating a stick of butter :). That being said, you can definitely reduce the amount of butter too!
Gina says
Can I use frozen berries in between the layer? Thanks.
Olivia says
Hi Gina! You can give that a try. I would thaw the berries first and they will be a bit more liquidy/mushy, but they’ll be between the layers anyhow so I think it would be ok 🙂
Saachi says
Hi Liv! Your cakes look so amazing and I’m hoping to make this cake for my sister’s 25th birthday 🙂
I just have a few questions:
1. I’m currently in the UK, would it be okay to use plain flour? – I looked at some of the comments but I’m still a bit confused as to what I should use
2. I only have and electric hand mixer – does this change any of the instructions (i.e. creaming the butter and sugar for longer or the timings for the swiss meringue buttercream)/ would I have to make the batter in batches?
3. Should I put simple syrup on the cake?
4. When assembling the cake should I pipe on the frosting or spread it with a spatula/spoon (does this make a difference?)
5. You mentioned to use a high quality white chocolate – do you have any brand recommendations (would callebaut be okay?)
Thank you so much! (Sorry for the many questions)
Olivia says
Hi Saachi! I answered a couple of your questions below so I’ll just answer the other ones now.
3. You can if you like! Totally up to you.
5. I like to use Callebaut but any good, couverture chocolate will work. For grocery store brands Lindt is fine too though!
Saachi says
Hi Liv! Thank you so much for this recipe, it was a massive hit!!
The plain flour in the UK worked perfectly, and making the swiss meringue buttercream with an electric hand mixer worked out very well too :))
The cake tasted so amazing, and was finished the same night!
I love your recipes and will be definitely trying out some of your other cakes at some point.
Thank you for answering my questions too!!
Olivia says
Yay!! So happy to hear that 😀 Thanks so much for your tips! I can’t wait to hear what you try next 🙂
Asmita says
Hi there! The recipe says to use a high quality white chocolate – can you give some brand suggestions?Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Asmita! I like to use Callebaut but any good, couverture chocolate will work. For grocery store brands Lindt is fine too though!
Saachi says
Hi Liv! Your cakes look so amazing, and i’m hoping to make this cake for my sister’s 25th birthday (feeling a bit nervous because I’m inexperienced haha) :))
I just have a few questions:
1. I’m currently in the UK, would it be okay to use plain flour? – I looked at some of the comments but I’m still a bit confused as to what I should use
2. I only have an electric hand mixer – does this change any of the instructions (e.g. creaming the butter and sugar longer) / would i have to make the batter in batches?
3. Should I put simple syrup on the cake?
4. When assembling the cake should I pipe on the frosting or spread it with a spatula/spoon (does this even make a difference?)
Olivia says
Hi Saachi! Thank you!
1. I *think* plain flour is the same as AP, but haven’t tried it myself. You could also use cake flour (not self-raising though).
2. A hand mixer will be totally fine for the cake batter, just make sure to cream the butter and sugar well. I don’t recommend using it for the buttercream though as it would take a long time of whipping to whip up the meringue and then again once you add the butter. It’s doable, but might take up to 30mins or so and be very tiring.
3. I spread the frosting because I hate filling piping bags, but either way works! If you were to add a lot more raspberry jam though, you should pipe a buttercream dam along the edges to hold it in.
I hope that helps! Let me know how it goes 🙂
Martha says
Hey Liv!
I’m a bit confused. Is the sponge white chocolate too? I don’t see when you add the white chocolate into the batter? I read it three times to make sure and you didn’t mention it. Unless I’m definitely not reading it throughly.
Olivia says
Hi Martha! The chocolate is melted with the milk in step #1 and that’s what’s used in the cake batter 🙂
Rosemary E says
Thanks for this great recipe!
Do you have any idea if this recipe would accommodate 2 heart shaped baking tins? They each hold 12 cups. Thanks on advance!
Olivia says
Hi Rosemary! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html I would double the recipe for two of those heard pans.
Rosemary E says
Thank you so much!
Irene says
Hello, thanks so much for the detailed instructions. To store assembled for the day, would you refrigerate or leave on counter?
Olivia says
Hi Irene! I always refrigerate my cakes, but it should be totally fine on the counter for a day or so.
Gayathri Dharmavaram says
Hello,
I was wondering if the same cake and buttercream quantities listed in the post would suffice if I were to use four 6 inch (15cm) 3 inch deep pans instead of three 8 inch pans?
Olivia says
Hi Gayathri! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
Gayathri says
I tried changing the recipe to cater to the 6 inch tin and that didn’t work. However, I found a 6 inch recipe on your website and it turned out delicious! Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Gayathri! So happy you liked it!
Saleha Khatun says
Hi Olivia,
I really want to make this but only have 2 20cm cake tine – could i not just use my tins and have a 2 layered cake instead?
Olivia says
Hi Saleha! I think that would be fine but be sure to increase the baking time. Also, you might have a bit too much batter — don’t fill the pans more than 2/3 full or so.
Pamela McDaniel says
I made this cake & it’s wonderful. A little time consuming, but worth the extra time. In the past I have ordered a similar cake from a food supplier, it was expensive – $106 for two sheet cakes that was two layered – good but expensive. This recipe was adapted into sheet cakes and homemade raspberry sauce was plated below the cake. Wonderful!!!
Olivia says
Hi Pamela! So happy to hear you loved it! Thank you for the great feedback 🙂
Freya Spencer says
Hi!
Thank you for the recipe! It’s such a beautiful cake.
We just had problems with the icing. It didn’t curdle as such – but seemed very loose. It wasn’t stiff as we tried to ice it, it ran across the cake. We made sure the meringue was stiff before adding the cubed butter, so where do you think we could be going wrong? Unfortunately we didn’t get the smooth rustic look and looked a bit wet and sloppy. Would love to know how to improve!
Freya 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Freya! Is it possible the meringue was still warm or the butter too soft when you added it? That can cause a soft buttercream but it is very fixable with some time in the fridge. Have a read through my tips and troubleshooting here: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Nisha says
Hello, this cake looks lovely and I am going to be using it for an event this week. How does this work with fondant? Can I cover the cake with fondant?
Olivia says
Hi Nisha! It should work great with fondant. Just be sure to chill the cake first so the frosting firms up.
Nisha Venkatesan says
Thank you. The cake tasted delicious , I guess the best white chocolate cake I ever had. I guess I did one mistake though, I put the cake in the freezer before covering it with fondant. The meringue below started melting after a few hours. Would you recommend just putting it in the refrigerator and not freezer before covering with fondant?
Olivia says
So glad you liked it! I haven’t worked with fondant in a long time, but I would recommend fridge over freezer. I think there can be too much condensation from the freezer once it thaws which is maybe what happened here?
Nicolthepickle says
I divided it into two layers and used 1 tsp salt. It was amazing, probably the best “white” cake I’ve ever had. Good texture, good flavour and it stays fresh for quite a while.
Erik says
Hi,
This cake looks amazing, I would like to bake this for my mum’s birthday and was just wondering how deep do the cake tins need to be?
Thank you 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Erik! My cake pans are 2″ deep, but 3″ would work just fine too. I hope your mom loves it!
Hannah says
Delicious! How do you stop the berries juice running?
Olivia says
Hi Hannah! The berry juice from running where? Once you cut the cake?
Hannah Craib says
Hi Olivia, I mean the raspberries on top. How best do you stop juices running down your white icing. Especially for a wedding cake that might sit for a few hours. Thanks so much Hannah
Olivia says
Hi Hannah! I didn’t have any issue with juices. The raspberries were fresh, and I washed and dried them before using them on the cake. There shouldn’t be any juice unless they are cut I think?
Hannah says
I think you’re right, super fresh raspberries are key! A gave them a good pat down too to dry them off. No running! Thank you!
Olivia says
Awesome! Glad to hear it 🙂
Diana gillogly says
One of your best cakes.
Olivia says
Thanks so much Diana! 🙂
Heather D. says
I made this for my daughter’s baby shower. It was fantastic!!!! Everyone loved it!!! Thank you for the recipe.
Olivia says
Hi Heather! So happy to hear that! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Dill R. says
Hello Olivia!
I haven’t tried this cake recipe but I’m very excited to do so! I have a couple quick questions and I’m sorry if anyone else has asked before. I’m not sure how much your recipe actually makes but if I’m baking this in a 9×13 cake pan (I’m making a quarter sheet for a party I’m going too) will one batch be enough or do I need to multiply/divide? I just wanna ensure I’m mixing enough and buying enough before I start rather than constantly having to mix more batches.
Also how well does this cake bake/rise? Is it flatter on top, slightly domed? I understand many factors can contribute to the baking but a general idea is always good so I can expect something. I plan on baking this and making a double layer cake if that helps at all.
Thanks for any advice you can share! I can’t wait to try!
Olivia says
Hi Dill! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html I haven’t baked it myself in a 9×13 pan, but I would 1.5x the recipe and make cupcakes with any excess batter. Always better to have too much than too little, right? This cake is more on the denser side due to the white chocolate, and doesn’t rise as much as a chocolate cake would. All my cakes bake up flat because I use baking strips – it really helps! https://livforcake.com/flat-top-cakes/
Skye says
I made this cake using just the 1.5cups sugar, and I liked the texture (dense & heavy), but it was still too sweet for my tastes. I stirred raspberries into the batter ~1.5cups (frozen, and dusted with flour) and they added some fun color and flavor bursts in what was otherwise sort of just a generically sweet cake*. Ill definitely make this again though, maybe adding more berries and cutting the sugar even more, but it seems to be a pretty versatile recipe (change berries and/or extracts, maybe even sub in real chocolate for the white) so it should fit many occasions- especially potlucks!- without much trouble I imagine.
*Generically sweet is what I also think about most grocery store cake, so its not way sweeter than most standard cake, just not up my alley.
Olivia says
Hi Skye! Thanks for the feedback and tips. I’m so glad you liked the recipe! It should definitely be quite versatile when it comes to switching flavours and/or berries 🙂
Dawn says
Hi! I am wanting to make a naked cake and I want to use this cake but wondering if the raspberry filling will smear with the frosting?! I’d like to keep it as white as possible. Any tips or ideas on how to do it?
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Dawn! Do a border with buttercream on top of each layer and then fill the center with the raspberry filling. The border will hold it in and prevent it from leaking out. Be sure not to put too much filling though.
Lisa says
Hi Olivia,
I love the flavour combo of white chocolate and raspberries. Wondering if I could fold through frozen raspberries into the cake batter prior to baking? If so, what quantity of raspberries (in grams please as I’m writing from Australia!) And should I adjust the baking time, or other ingredients?
Thanks so much!
Lisa
P.S.
I’ve now made two of your cakes – coconut lime and salted caramel cakes, both were a huge hit! I want to make all your cakes now 😀
Olivia says
Hi Lisa! So glad you like my recipes! I usually recommend fresh berries and tossing them in flour first so they don’t sink, so not sure how the frozen ones will work. I suspect they will probably be fine though? Maybe toss them in flour just in case and do not thaw them first. For the amount, I’m not sure in grams as I usually use cups here. I’d probably recommend a cup or so. Be careful not to overmix the batter though! Baking time may need to increase as well as pan size (or height) as there will be more volume of batter).
lulu carmen says
hi, i just wanted to ask, does the white chocolate taste really come through in the cake or buttercream? i have made several white chocolate cakes and they all ended up tasting just like vanilla cake. so id like to know before giving this recipe a try. thank you in advance.
Olivia says
Hi Lulu! White chocolate is not an incredibly strong flavour on it’s own. I would say it comes through better in the buttercream than the cake. You can tell the cake isn’t straight vanilla, but the white chocolate isn’t crazy strong.
lulu carmen says
Thank you so much for your quick response. I love your blog and cake recipes!
Chloe says
Hi! Does this need to be kept in the fridge? Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Chloe! It would probably be fine on the counter for a couple days, but I prefer to refrigerate my cakes.
Tara says
This recipe was a hit! Made it for a friend’s birthday and she was obsessed. My mom just asked for it to be made again for mother’s day! Definitely a dense cake, but unique and delicious flavors.
I cut the sugar to 1.5c, made a raspberry chia jam between the layers, and add some raspberry to some of the frosting to make it pink for decorating. Today I’m trying it with califia coconut almond milk, hoping it still turns out as awesome!
Olivia says
Hi Tara! So glad to hear everyone loved it! And thanks for your tips 🙂 It should work just fine with the almond milk too!
Rachel says
What is the best way to store this cake? Can be assembled in steps? I want to make this for my husband’s birthday. We are celebrating out of town on a Saturday night and driving about 3 hours on Friday. Would baking cakes on Wednesday, assembling thursday be too far in advance?
Olivia says
Hi Rachel! You could make the cake layers and frosting in advance and freeze both. Thaw completely before decorating (the buttercream will need a rewhip). Be sure to chill the cake well before transport. Normally I’d recommend freezing it, but fresh berries do not thaw well.
Rachel Bielmeier says
thanks Liv! This was really helpful. I am going to make ahead and freeze. Would re-whipping the butter cream with a hand mixer be acceptable or does it need a stand mixer?
Olivia says
Hi Rachel! A hand mixer to rewhip should work just fine 🙂
Kimberley Choma says
How long does it take to de-thaw a cake?
Olivia says
Hi Kimberley! If just the cake layers it takes a couple hours on the counter. A whole stacked cake would depend on how large it was. For those I recommend thawing first in the fridge overnight and then on the counter.
Sheryl Rolin says
Made this yesterday for a friends bday today at our Cowboy Church potluck. I doubled it. Used 3 10 x 3” pans. I raise chickens so my eggs are very rich with yolks almost orange. I opt to poke holes in bottom & middle layer then spread rubbing in my homemade lemon curd which I make with extra butter. After that soaked in I layered with my homemade blueberry lavender jelly I make again poking more holes. My big kitchen aid had went out so I had to use my portable kitchen aid mixer. The icing snapped my whip attachment in two. Had to finish whipping by hand which was difficult. Cake was somewhat dense as others said but had a texture of almost fudgie because of of my lemon curd & jelly. It went over very well. I will say unless you have heavy duty mixers this is not a cake to make.
Olivia says
Hi Sheryl! So happy to hear that you liked it! And thanks for all your tips. I love the addition of lemon curd and blueberry lavender jelly – wow! So sorry to hear about all your mixer troubles! The frosting is definitely best made with a stand mixer :(. Glad the cake was worth the effort 🙂
Katharine says
Hi! I’m making this cake for my dad in a few weeks. How tall are the individual cakes? I have one normal sized 8-inch cake pan, but my other two are around 1-1.5 inches tall.
Olivia says
Hi Katherine! Each cake layer is about 1-1.5″ tall (at most). I think you will be fine!
Michael says
I made this at the weekend, the cake came out very, very dense, I’m not an experienced baker, but think it could be down to either the white chocolate mix being a little to warm or over mixing when adding the flour and chocolate, should I just fold the flour into the mixture? I kept my mixer running while adding the flour, so it had a really good mix, any advice would be really appreciated.
Even though it felt like I was eating a dense pudding the flavours were really good, so can’t wait to give it another go and hopefully get the texture right.
Olivia says
Hi Michael! This cake is definitely more on the dense side due to the chocolate (not light and fluffy), but shouldn’t be *that* dense. The white chocolate mix should ideally be room temperature, but overmixing is often a culprit of dense cakes. When I add my flour, I stop the mixer, add in a batch, mix on low until some streaks still show, then slowly stir in part of the milk and repeat. At the very end I usually fold the last bits of flour in by hand. I’m so glad you liked the flavours and hope that you try it again! You could also try using cake flour instead as that tends to yield lighter cakes too.
Yasemin says
Hi! This recipe looks amazing… I can’t wait to try. For the buttercream – I assume it’s ok to color it with gel colors?
Olivia says
Hi Yasemin! Yes, that will work fine!
Andrea Jones says
I’ve read over the cake instructions and have missed which step the white chocolate is added to the cake batter? Please advise. Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Andrea! It’s the first step, you melt it with the milk!
Tanya says
I ended up buying 8-inch pans and made this cake for my Daughter’s first birthday and oh boy it was a hit. This cake recipe is amazing and will now be a staple for us. Thank you!
Olivia says
Yay! So glad to hear that 🙂 Thanks for the feedback!
Tanya says
Hello! I would like to make a three layer cake using 9 inch pans, would I need to adjust the recipe for that?
Olivia says
Hi Tanya! You would need to increase the recipe. Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
Kate Birch says
Hi! Does this cake come out moist? How can I ensure that it does? Can’t wait to try it out this week!!!
Kate
Olivia says
Hi Kate! Yes, the cake is moist provided it’s not overbaked. You can always add a simple syrup on the cake layers if you want to help ensure that though!
Darlene says
How do I adjust the recipe if I only want 2 layers?
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Darlene! The recipe as is will work in two 8″ cake pans as long as they are at least 3″ tall. Or you can 2/3 the recipe by setting the Servings slider to 10 or 11 – though that will give you some odd measurements.
Megan says
Made this the other day. I made my own seedless raspberry puree to put between the layers and added fresh raspberries as well. Was told it was the best cake people had ever tasted. So thanks! So yummy. Can’t wait to try some more of your cakes.
Olivia says
Hi Megan! What a compliment, so glad you, and everyone, loved it!
Megan says
Is it necessary to change this recipe to make cupcakes?
Thanks so much!!
We are making our own wedding cake and would like to make cupcakes to share with our guests…hoping your recipe will work for both?
Megan&Audrey
Olivia says
Hi Megan! No recipe adjustments needed but you’ll need to reduce the baking time. Depending on the size of the cupcakes, I’d check them around 15mins or so.
Brittany says
I just made these as cupcakes tonight! Here are a couple of things I noted:
-They seem to bake better with fewer cupcakes in the pan. I wound up making like 32 cupcakes, but probably could have filled a few of mine a little more. Anyway, when I had a pan of 6, they seemed to get more golden overall instead of just the edges and had a better rise.
-I baked them for about 20 minutes. I started with 15, then added a few to 18, and then 20, and for me 20 minutes at 350 seemed to be just right (regardless of number of cupcakes in the pan).
-I cored the cupcakes and put raspberry preserves in them.
-This made PLENTY of buttercream…like I have a considerable amount leftover and feel like I put a generous amount of buttercream on all of them.
-I considered added some of the berries to the buttercream but didn’t. I didn’t want it to curdle, and I considered freeze dried raspberries but opted not to. I’m actually glad I didn’t because with the tart preserves in the middle, it adds the perfect bite of sweet and tart. I put a raspberry on top for garnish!
This buttercream recipe was SO easy, it’s been years since I’ve made a Swiss buttercream and I’m happy to see how it really is easy! Mine did start to get a little soupy after getting almost done with all of the butter, but I just gave it a whip on a higher speed for ~5 minutes and it was perfect again. Whipped it again for a good 30-60 seconds after adding the white chocolate, popped it in the fridge for MAYBE 10 minutes and then piped it.
Great recipe, as always!
Olivia says
Thanks so much for all your tips Brittany!! I really appreciate them, as I’m sure other readers do too. I’m so glad they worked well for you!
Jaqueline Burns says
Hi. Your cake looks amazing. I have a gluten free wedding cake to make. I am looking to add fresh raspberries to the batter. Baking the cake on the Thursday, ganache and fondant then delivering the cake on the Saturday. Do you think The timescales would work. Or could I make it and freeze then decorate on the Thursday?? Thank you
Judles says
Hi, I’m from the UK. This looks a delicious recipe. I’m not that sure what all purpose flour is. We have self raising and plain flour here. As you use baking soda in the recipe I’m wondering if all purpose would be the equivalent to our plain flour which is generally used for biscuits, dough etc. What do you think? Also we usually follow ounces/grams and note that you include a conversion (thank you) but the baking soda is in ml – we usually use teaspoons of those – maybe I could find something small to measure that in ml on Amazon. Thanks in advance
Olivia says
Hi Judles! I’m honestly not totally sure. I would be inclined to say plain flour, but I baked a cake with plain flour before when I was in Sydney and it was a total fail (dense and dry), but it also shouldn’t be self raising flour. If you take a look through the comments on my Lemon Elderflower Cake (https://livforcake.com/lemon-elderflower-cake/) there is a lot of discussion about UK flour and troubleshooting.
The baking powder should be about 12g, not sure why it shows in ml!
Martina says
Is it a very sweet cake? Any way to reduce the sugar without compromising the recipe?
Olivia says
Hi Martina! It is more sweet due to the white chocolate. You can try to reduce the sugar to 1.5 cups instead.
Annie says
Made this for a family celebration, went down a treat! A real crowd pleaser! Was catering for 24 so increased quantities by 1.5 and despite everyone having generous servings there were still some leftovers so it goes far! I found the cake light and refreshing and although it took a little while to make I didn’t run into any problems during the cooking process. Will definitely make it again, thanks for the great recipe!
Olivia says
SO happy to hear it turned out and thank you liked it!
Emily says
Hi , just wanting to know I making this for a wedding cake, how long can I make the butter cream before hand is 3 days ok?
Olivia says
Hi Emily! Yes, that’s totally fine. Just refrigerate it and bring it to room temperature before using on the cake. You’ll need to rewhip it as well.
Yvonne says
Hi there, I love this recipe, the only issue I had was the batter formed a strong crust on the tops and I had to tort them to remove that layer. I made 4 9” cakes and made two batches of the recipe with the same result. Do you have a suggestion as to the culprit? The sponge is delicious however and I made a layer with raspberry syrup and folded in fresh raspberries and it came out pink and lovely. I turned it into a four layer cake with raspberry buttercream flavored with syrup, homemade raspberry lemon jam and white chocolate ganache, so each filling is different. It is wonderful
Olivia says
Hi Yvonne! The crust is due to the extra sugar in the recipe from the white chocolate. You can try and reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe to 1.5 cups or even a bit less. That should help with the crust. So glad you liked it though!
Hannah says
Hi, I tried this recipe and it turned out really well, however i added freeze dried raspberries to the batter. They all floated to the top of the cake, is there a way of stopping the raspberries from going to the top and keeping them evenly dispersed throughout the cake? Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Hannah! So glad you liked it. Additions to cake batter are notorious for sinking but the FD raspberries are so light they must have floated up! You can try tossing them in some flour first next time and gently folding into the batter to see if that helps them stay put.
Hannah says
Thanks! I’ll try covering them in a little bit of flour next time.
Tania says
I loved this cake. I just made it this past weekend for my daughter’s 25th birthday. She loved it as well. It was a hit! Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Tania! So glad to hear you both liked it!
LORI says
How do you make the crumb?
Olivia says
Hi Lori! I’m not sure I understand your question. Can you clarify what you mean?
Kate says
I love this recipe! How long can you make the cake and have it iced in advance?
Olivia says
Hi Kate! It will keep for a couple days in the fridge.
Katie says
Hi! I was wondering if I could make the cake two days in advance and ice the day before an event? I want to make it for my daughters birthday but won’t have much time on the day of the party! Yummy recipe by the way!
Olivia says
HI Katie! That should be fine, just store it in the fridge and take it out 2-3 hours before serving.
Jennifer says
I only baked the cake portion of this recipe – the crumb was beautiful and the white chocolate taste was delicate but so delicious!
I doubled this recipe and baked in two 10″ tins that were 3″ in height. The two tins torted to equal 4 perfect layers! I baked at 300F for 30 minutes and then upped the temperature to 325F and baked until done.
Thank you for another great recipe, Liv!
Olivia says
Hi Jennifer! Thanks for the great feedback and tips, I’m so glad you liked it!!
Stephanie Browne says
It looks like a delicious cake. I was wondering can the cake (without the frosting & filling) be frozen?
Olivia says
Hi Stephanie! The cake layers can totally be frozen! I do that with all my cakes. Double wrap in plastic wrap once the cakes are cool then freeze for up to 3 months.
Stephanie Browne says
Brilliant, thank you!
Jo says
I had lots of fun stacking the cakes as my daughter doesnt like fruit so we just had the meringue buttercream and jam. the weight of the cakes pushed some of the meringue out. I still wrapped the cake in the buttercream but added a nest milk chocolate cake sleeve and bourbon crumbs sprinkled on top to finish. I loved the contrast of colours and everyone loved the flavour. Thanks for sharing such a yymmy sponge and buttercream mix.
Olivia says
Thanks so much for the feedback, Jo! So glad you guys liked it 🙂
Lauren says
How should this be stored? Just made it but not serving until tomorrow. It looks great
Olivia says
Hi Lauren! I like to refrigerate all my cakes and take them out 2-3 hours before serving. I hope you liked it!
Claudia says
I’m a teacher and today our staff had our first day back together for the school year. I made this to celebrate our return to school and everyone loved it! I used your design idea here — I used a sour cream lemon cake instead of your cake — the buttercream along with the jam and fresh raspberries was delicious! I love your elegant and simple designs!
Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada
Olivia says
Thanks so much Claudia! And hello fellow Canadian! I grew up in Edmonton 🙂
Chloe says
Hi liv, someone has asked me for a white chocolate mud cake. Would this be classed as a mud cake?
Olivia says
Hi Chloe! I’ve never actually made a mud cake before so I’m not sure. I don’t think it’s as dense as mud cakes tend to be though.
Lezzlie says
Hi Liv,
I made the cake and the batter came out dense and chewy. Is that how its suppose to be? Or did I do something wrong?
Olivia says
Hi Lezzlie! The cake baked up that way or the batter was too thick?
April says
I am using 12 inch cake tins and want a 2 tier cake, hopefully about 5/6 inches high. Will doubling this recipe be enough?
Olivia says
Hi April! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
Amanda says
Can raspberries be added to the batter? Will that work? Would I need to toss them in flour?
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! Yes, that should work fine! Fresh or frozen (not thawed) tossed in some flour. Let me know if you try it!
Mary East says
Looks great Liv. When do you use buttermilk instead of milk. Is it ok to use low family.
Olivia says
Hi Mary! Buttermilk vs milk is just a flavour preference — the one with milk will be a bit sweeter.
online cake says
This looks delicious, and I will be making them for my upcoming housewarming party!
Always love reading your recipes for inspiration.
Olivia says
Thanks!
Cindy Rodriguez says
What a gorgeous summer cake! There’s always one or two people in your group that love white chocolate so I can definitely see a reason for this cake. I’m sure it’s delicious. And I totally feel you on the puppy growing pains. Our new dog, Bailey, was a small pup when we got him and definitely a hand full. But that unconditional puppy love, puppy kisses and cuddles help lessen the biting pain. It takes patience, for sure!
Olivia says
It’s true! The puppy love makes up for it. Patience is not one of my virtues, so I’m working on it! 😉
Kim H says
Hi Liv. This cake looks delicious! And so beautiful. I love the raspberries peeping out between the layers. I love your puppy story. I love dogs. But puppy teeth are vicious. So painful. But puppies are soooo cute. What can you do. Teeth and potty training are part of the puppy package.
Olivia says
Hi Kim! She IS super cute — I’m sure I will miss the puppy phase when it’s gone 🙁
N. Geragi says
Reading through the recipe I note peppermint extract being added to the cake ….I’m assuming that is a typo and should be vanilla….please confirm as I want to make this for the weekend. Thanks!!
Olivia says
Hi! Yes, that should be vanilla 🙂 I’ve updated the recipe! Please let me know how you like it 🙂
GiGi says
Can you half the batter recipe for two 6 inch layers?
Olivia says
Hi Gigi! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html I suspect that half would make three 6″ layers or you could try two but they would be taller (adjust baking time if so).
Virginia Raffin says
Another delicious filling and topping is 50% white chocolate and 50% vanilla yoghurt. Melt the chocolate and mix it gently with the yoghurt. Could we call it white ganache?
Olivia says
Ohhh I love that, I’m going to have to try it! Similar to a ganache for sure. Thanks for the tip 🙂