White Chocolate Raspberry Wedding Cake

White Chocolate Raspberry Wedding Cake

I am doing the wedding cake for my brother Johnny's wedding this summer!  His lovely bride picked a few flavors and this being one of them--White Chocolate Raspberry Cake!  But since Raspberries are not in season yet I am making this trial run with Strawberries and then will be using Raspberries from their garden for the wedding.  This cake has several steps and is more complicated than most.  But I have broken this recipe down and adapted it to make it more approachable.  Enjoy!

White Chocolate Cake

3 oz white chocolate chips or bar-chopped

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 2/3 cups whipping cream

3 eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

¼ teaspoon vanilla

White Chocolate Frosting

3 oz white chocolate chips or bar chopped

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons butter softened

¼ teaspoon vanilla  extract

Fresh Strawberry Filling**

·         2 1/2 cups of strawberries sliced

·         1/4 cup sugar

·         1/2 cup water

·         2 tsp. cornstarch  

**You can omit this step by simply using sliced fresh fruit but see the notes below on how to do so.

·         Crush 1/2 cup berries; add water; cook 2 minutes in a sauce pan.   Mix sugar and cornstarch; gradually stir into berry juice. Cook, and stir till thick and clear. Cool slightly; pour over sliced strawberries. Cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge for 20 minutes, then use as cake filling.  Before you use your filling put it in a strainer to get rid of any excess liquid.  

Directions

• Prepare Raspberry or Strawberry filling  and refrigerate until chilled.  You can omit this step by simply using fresh sliced strawberries or fresh raspberries.  But see the step below in regards to sandwiching the fresh fruit between the White Chocolate Frosting.

• Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour bottoms and sides of three 6 or 7 inch round cake pans. In saucepan, melt 3 ounces white chocolate over low heat, stirring occasionally; cool.

• In medium bowl, mix flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, the baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside. In chilled large bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form; set aside.

• In medium bowl, beat eggs on high speed about 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored; beat in melted cooled white chocolate and 1 teaspoon almond extract and ¼ teaspoon vanilla on low speed.

• Fold egg mixture into whipped cream. 

• Add flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, folding--NOT STIRRING gently after each addition until blended. Pour into pans.

• Bake 8-inch rounds about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. For this cake I do three 7 inch pans-cook for about 20 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 1 hour.

For White Chocolate Frosting: 

• In saucepan, melt 3 ounces white chocolate over low heat, stirring occasionally; cool. Beat melted white chocolate and remaining frosting ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and spreadable. If necessary, stir in additional whipping cream 1 teaspoon at a time.  

For Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

         1/3 Cup Soft Butter**

**If you want to use ALL butter that is fine.  Just substitute equal amounts of butter for the shortening.  

         3 TBS Shortening 

         1 teaspoon vanilla

         4 1/2 Cups powdered sugar

         4-6 TBS Heavy whipping cream or whole milk

Directions:  Combine all ingredients.  Beat on med/high until creamy.  The frosting needs to be soft enough to spread.  So add 1 teaspoon at a time of milk/cream until you have your desired consistency.  

To Assemble Cake:

• Make sure the cake is complete cooled.  Place your first layer of cake on your decorating plate.  Spread a thin layer of the White Chocolate Frosting on it.  Spread a layer of your Strawberry Filling on top of that, but only in the center, leaving about a one inch at the edges without strawberries so the strawberries don't bleed out.

• Take your next cake layer and flip it upside down.  Spread a layer of White Chocolate Frosting on it.  Flip it over and place the frosting side on top of the strawberry layer. Putting the fresh berry mixture between two layers of white chocolate frosting will protect it from bleeding into the cake.  

• Repeat with the next layer.  Then frost the whole cake with Vanilla Buttercream frosting.  Spread frosting over side and top of cake. Decorate as you please. 
• Chill in the fridge 2 hours before serving. 

 Enjoy!! Love Tata!!!