u003cstrongu003eCan I make this gluten-free?u003c/strongu003e

All my cake recipes work well with a 1:1 gluten-free flour like u003ca href=u0022https://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Red-Mill-Gluten-64-ounce/dp/B07FWBQB3W?crid=1UQAQGQJ898GXu0026amp;keywords=bob%27s+red+mill+gluten+free+flouru0026amp;qid=1666147367u0026amp;qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0LjAwIiwicXNhIjoiMy40NSIsInFzcCI6IjMuMjYifQ%3D%3Du0026amp;sprefix=bobs+red+mill+gluten+free+flou%2Caps%2C125u0026amp;sr=8-5u0026amp;linkCode=ll1u0026amp;tag=baranbakery1-20u0026amp;linkId=0fc3de6e320f712bdafe6ccb18f9cbbau0026amp;language=en_USu0026amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tlu0022u003eu003cstrongu003eBob’s Red Millu003c/strongu003eu003c/au003e and u003ca href=u0022https://www.amazon.com/King-Arthur-Flour-Measure-Gluten/dp/B01JJ9H1Q8?crid=3JVANVOZM8URCu0026amp;keywords=arthur+gluten+free+flouru0026amp;qid=1666147421u0026amp;qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjAwIiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3Du0026amp;sprefix=arthur+gluten+free+flour%2Caps%2C116u0026amp;sr=8-1-sponsu0026amp;psc=1u0026amp;linkCode=ll1u0026amp;tag=baranbakery1-20u0026amp;linkId=ec047f68d9c416f842fcac8ead1c064du0026amp;language=en_USu0026amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tlu0022u003eu003cstrongu003eKing Arthur Flouru003c/strongu003eu003c/au003e.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cake

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This white chocolate raspberry cake is made up of fluffy vanilla cake layers frosted with a white chocolate buttercream and tart raspberry swirls.

white chocolate raspberry cake with a slice taken out

Why you’ll love this white chocolate raspberry cake

I used my go-to 8 inch vanilla cake (adapted from my 6 inch which is my most popular and loved recipe on the website and in my family) to make this white chocolate raspberry cake.
The white chocolate buttercream is made using a Swiss meringue buttercream for the ultimate silky texture.
The raspberry cake filling is super quick and easy to make and you can make it seedless or leave the seeds in.
The recipe is very forgiving and allows for many substitutions and dietary restrictions.

If you like chocolate and raspberry, I have a dark chocolate raspberry cake as well and I think you’ll love also love my almond raspberry cake.

For all my white chocolate lovers, I recommend trying my strawberry white chocolate cookies, white chocolate raspberry macarons, raspberry white chocolate muffins and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake ice cream!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Flour: I use all purpose flour in most of my recipes and I HIGHLY recommend using a digital scale, as flour is so often over measured.
Baking Powder: I used just baking powder here because it’s more widely available. You can replace it with ¾ tsp of baking soda.
Sugar: I used granulated sugar in the cake, buttercream and raspberry filling and I don’t recommend cutting any out as it affects the texture and the flavor of the cake.
Butter: I used unsalted butter for the cake and buttercream. You can also use salted in the cake but I don’t recommend it for the buttercream. Make sure the butter is at room temperature but not soft and greasy.
- Dairy free butter also works.
Oil: I use canola oil but any type of neutral oil works well.
Eggs: make sure to use room temperature, large eggs, about 50-60 grams each (weight is without shell lol).
- Pop them in hot water for a few minutes if they’re cold.
Sour Cream: My favorite combination for cakes is half sour cream and half milk. If you’re in a pinch, greek yogurt or plain unsweetened yogurt works as well. Full-fat is best.
Milk: I generally use 2% or full-fat milk but any milk works, even dairy free.
White Chocolate: I like to use white chocolate chips for buttercream but a chopped white chocolate bar will work as well.
Raspberry: I used fresh raspberries for this cake filling. You can also use frozen raspberries and no need to thaw them.
Cornstarch: this will help thicken the filling so it’s not super runny.
Lemon: I always like to add a little lemon juice to my jams for a sharper flavor.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Start by creaming the butter with the sugar for a couple of minutes and then add the oil and beat for another couple of minutes until it’s pale.

Cream the butter and sugar together for a couple minutes

bowl of butter, sugar and oil creamed — Cream the butter and sugar together for a couple minutes

Step 2: Add the eggs, one at a time and beat at medium-high speed for about a minute, until each one is fully incorporated.

Step 3: Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix just until they’re fully incorporated.

add the eggs, one at at time, beating after each one

Step 4: Add half of the dry ingredients, stream in the milk followed by the other half of the dry ingredients, mixing just until the last streak of flour is combined.

alternate the dry ingredients with the milk

Step 5: Distribute evenly into four greased pans, about 13-14 ounces in each.

Step 6: Bake for about 25-ish minutes. When the cake is done baking, it will release itself from the edge of the pan and spring back when you press on the center. Flip the cakes over onto a cooling rack or a tea towel right away. Allow them to cool upside down until they’re room temperature.

Step 7: Make the raspberry cake filling by cooking the raspberries with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and salt until it thickens like a jam. The cornstarch will make the mixture look cloudy at first but as it activates it becomes transparent. I cook it to 210F (99C).

ingredients for raspberry filling mixed in a pot

Step 8: If you want it seedless, remove from the heat and press it through a sieve to strain the seeds out. If you don’t mind the seeds, use as is. Cool completely to room temperature before assembling the cake.

raspberry cake filling straining the seeds out

finished seedless raspberry cake filling

Step 9: Make the Swiss meringue buttercream by gently cooking the egg whites and sugar over a double boiler until all the sugar is dissolved. Whip the eggs and sugar at full speed for 5-10 minutes until they’re fluffy, have reached stiff peaks and are no longer warm.

egg whites and sugar cooking over a double boiler

cooked egg whites and sugar looking frothy — egg whites and sugar cooking over a double boiler

Step 10: Reduce the mixer to medium speed and add the butter in 2 Tbsp at a time, waiting for each chunk to incorporate before adding the next. Turn the mixer to full speed and beat until the buttercream comes together.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream — swiss meringue buttercream emulsified

Step 11: Meanwhile, gently heat the white chocolate in the microwave for 15 second intervals, stirring between each interval, just until it’s melted and smooth. Cool for 5-10 minutes before adding the buttercream.

Step 12: Layer the cake with the white chocolate buttercream and swirl in some raspberry filling into each layer of buttercream.

vanilla cake with white chocolate buttercream and raspberry swirls

Step 12: Refrigerate the cake for 15-30 minutes and frost the outside, creating swirls of buttercream on top. Then swirl in some more raspberry sauce and top with fresh raspberries and white chocolate shavings.

Other Buttercream Options:

I chose Swiss meringue buttercream because I wanted a really fluffy and silky texture and I wanted a white buttercream to look like white chocolate (despise the photos still looking kind of yellowish lol). If you have any issues, make sure to check out that blog post for any trouble shooting tips.

Some other white frosting options without any eggs (I know they’re hard to come by nowadays) are Ermine Buttercream (boiled milk frosting), Cream Cheese Frosting, or American buttercream.

To help brighten the color

make sure to whip the butter for 5-10 minutes, scraping the edge of the bowl every few minutes. This will significantly lighten the color of the butter.
Using cheaper, low quality butter is much more pale in color than butters like Kerry Gold (granted they don’t taste as good lol).
Using half or all shortening instead of butter will make the whitest color because there’s no yellow hue like butter (which certainly won’t taste better than butter).
Add vanilla beans to the buttercream – the black speckles will give it a cool toned perception but it’ll be speckled up close.
Add a TINY drop of purple food coloring to cool down the hue.

If you just want to use whole eggs, you can download the guide below to get my whole egg buttercream recipe below or adapt it from my chocolate peanut butter cake (just add white chocolate instead of peanut butter and brown butter).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this dairy free?

You can use dairy free butter, sour cream/yogurt, milk to make any of my cakes. You can also use dairy free butter and white chocolate to make the buttercream.

Can I make this gluten-free?

All my cake recipes work well with a 1:1 gluten-free flour like Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Flour.

Can I make this in a different size pan?

You can make this cake in:
To make a six inch cake, follow my 6 inch vanilla cake recipe and then just use this idea of white chocolate buttercream with raspberry sauce.
Three (or four) round or square 8 inch baking pan
Two (or three) round or square 9 inch baking pan (will be thinner than the cakes in the photo) – reduce bake time by 5-10 minutes
A 9×13 inch pan – increase bake time by at least 10-15 minutes, look for cues – frosted with white chocolate buttercream and dollop swirls of raspberry filling on top.
Cupcakes – use my vanilla cupcake recipe and fill cupcakes with raspberry filling and frost with white chocolate buttercream.

How do I know when it’s done baking?

Just like all the rest of my cakes, I test if it’s done baking by pressing gently on the tallest part of the cake. The cake will spring back if it’s done baking. If it stays indented, give it a few minutes in the oven, before testing again.
You can also insert a toothpick into the center of the cake (the tallest part) and make sure it comes out clean or with a few crumbs but without any batter on it.

What if I want to decorate the cake with frosting

You can double the recipe for the buttercream if you want to decorate the outside more than I did. I had just enough to cover the cake.

How to make ahead

To make the cake ahead of time you can make the cakes even a few weeks in advance. When you remove them from the oven, let them cool for about half an hour and then wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Then place them in a freezer bag, squeezing out all the excess air.

You can frost them while they’re frozen but the buttercream may start to set so you’d have to work quickly. It’s best to let them sit out at least 30 minutes before frosting.

To make the buttercream ahead of time: You can make the buttercream 1-2 days in advance and stored at room temperature or even weeks in advance and refrigerated/frozen in an airtight container/bag. Thaw before frosting and you may need to re-whip.

The raspberry filling can be made even a week in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

How to store finished cake

I usually just cover my cakes with a cake dome or place it in an airtight container and store it at room temperature for 1-2 days.

It’ll stay well covered in the fridge for 4-7 days but it dries out quicker than the freezer so I recommend freezing after 2-3 days.

To freeze the whole cake, refrigerate it until it’s firm. Then wrap it in plastic wrap so it’s completely covered. Then wrap it in aluminum foil and freeze.

To freeze slices, place the slices in an airtight container and then place the container in a freezer bag, squeezing out all the excess air or do the above with each individual slice.

Bring it back to room temperature by thawing at room temperature for a few hours before serving.

Thanks so much for reading today’s post, if you have any questions just comment down below. Make sure to leave it in the comment section because I can’t answer in the rating section.

If you make this gorgeous white chocolate raspberry cake, I’d love it if you left a star rating for me. If it’s less than five stars, please let me know why! 🙂

As always, have a blessed day and happy baking!

Love, B