Recipe: White Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling and White Chocolate Coconut Frosting

This cake is for white chocolate lovers…. It started out as a White Chocolate Cake with a Raspberry Jam Filling and Frosted with a Cream Cheese and White Chocolate Frosting… it was at the last minute I decided to add coconut to the frosting…. So if you’re not a coconut lover… you can just leave it off… but if you are..... you will love this cake… it is to die for!

This cake is put together pretty quickly … the frosting takes the longest and that isn’t too bad either.

This recipe uses a cake mix… (I can hear the blog snob now… a boxed mix!...) … not everybody has the time or inclination to spend hours making meals and desserts….. I fully realize my readers don’t always want to make things totally from scratch… so I think it’s important to have some recipes like this one… ones that use shortcuts….besides no one will know it wasn’t totally from scratch unless you tell them.

This recipe is very similar to the recipe I posted lasted year for Coconut Cupcakes with White Chocolate and Cream Cheese Frosting. The cupcake in that recipe is flavored with coconut… this cake is not… this cake is flavored only with vanilla and white chocolate.

TIPS

When melting my butter in the microwave, I cut it into “pats” of 1 tablespoon in size… this helps the melting process.

Make sure you even out the layers if they are a little higher in the middle… otherwise you will have the filling slide off the sides.

Make sure the cake is completely cooled before frosting.

If the frosting is a little too thin put it in the fridge for about 15 minutes and it will be easier to work with.

When putting a layer of frosting in the middle… make a ring (easiest to do this with a pastry bag) around the edge of the layer… this will help keep the raspberry jam from seeping out.

Put the raspberry jam in a small bowl and stir vigorously with a spoon until smooth… this will make it easier to spread on the frosting… but it will also make it runnier… so when you put the layer of jam on … put a generous amount in the middle of the cake and work outward spreading it gently toward the edge. Stop about ¼ - ½ inch before you get to the edge

If you decide to cover the frosting with coconut… put a layer of frosting all over the cake, then take handfuls of the sweetened coconut flakes and sprinkle the entire cake with them…. then gently press the coconut into the frosting… put the cake in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes… bring it out and fill in any spots that don’t have enough coconut… then return to the fridge.

Make sure you refrigerate the cake at least a couple of hours before serving to be sure the frosting has set otherwise when you cut it the layers can slide….

This looks much harder than it is… you just need to take it a step at a time…. it makes a spectacular presentation and is absolutely delicious!








Recipe: White Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling and White Chocolate Coconut Frosting

All you need:


1 package white cake mix
10 squares (1 ounce each) white baking chocolate, divided
2 sticks of butter (1 cup), softened and divided
1 cup whole milk
3 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla, divided
1 pkg. (8 ounces) cream cheese
Pinch of salt
2 cups powdered sugar
½ cup seedless raspberry jam
1 ½ - 2 cups shredded sweetened coconut

All you need to do:

To make the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans. Set aside.


Put 6 squares of white baking chocolate and 1 stick butter in a microwavable bowl and cover with waxed paper (to catch any splatters should they occur. Microwave on medium high (70%) for 1 ½ minutes or until all the chocolate and butter is melted. Time will depend on the microwave. Stir after each 30 second interval. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.




In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, milk, eggs, ¾ teaspoon vanilla and the white chocolate mixture by beating at low speed for 1 minute. Then beat the mixture for high speed for 2 minutes.









Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans, dividing evenly.


Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F. or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes… then turn out of the pans and onto a cooling rack.
Cool completely before frosting.

To make the Frosting:

Melt the remaining 4 squares of white chocolate in the microwave. Stir after every 30 second interval until all the chocolate has melted and is smooth. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes.



Beat the remaining softened butter (1/2 cup or 1 stick) and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Make sure the butter has softened but is not runny. Beat until they are well blended.




Add the remaining ¾ teaspoon vanilla, salt and the melted white chocolate and beat until well blended.

Add the powdered sugar in at least two increments and beat on low to combine. (You should add the sugar slowly to keep the powdered from going everywhere otherwise you’ll be snorting powdered sugar). Beat on medium speed until light and well blended.

To Assemble the Cake:

Cut about three 4 inch wide waxed paper strips and place them on the cake serving plate so the all the sides are covered with waxed paper.

Place one layer in the middle of the serving platter and on the waxed paper. Make sure all the sides of the cake are on waxed paper.

Top with frosting… make a ring on the edge of the cake with icing (a little icing “wall”) so the jam won’t run out when you put it on.

Spread the jam over the frosting … stop about ¼ - ½ inch away from the edge … so the jam won’t seep out the sides of your cake.

Put the second layer on top of the bottom layer.

Frost the cake completely.

Take handfuls of the sweetened shredded coconut and press it into the cake frosting...don't worry about the mess... and it will be messy... the waxed paper catches everything... well most everything... expect some on the counter too.

Put the cake in the fridge for about 10 minutes… remove the cake and fill in any bare spots with coconut…

Remove the waxed paper.

Refrigerate before serving.

** I strongly recommend you read the TIPS section in the post.