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This white chocolate cake keeps things simple and stunning. Real white chocolate gives it a rich, buttery base with a soft, pound cake–style crumb that slices clean but still melts in your mouth.
Stacked with white chocolate mousse filling, a decadent white chocolate ganache, and Italian meringue buttercream, it’s a layered dessert that delivers on texture and flavor without overcomplicating a good thing.
Here is Why This White Chocolate Cake Recipe Works
Real white chocolate: Using actual white chocolate with cocoa butter gives this cake the flavor and structure that baking chips just can’t touch.
Balanced richness: It’s luxurious without being cloying. Thank the airy mousse and smooth buttercream for keeping things in check.
Texture goals: Think somewhere between a classic layer cake and a pound cake: firm enough to slice cleanly, tender enough to impress.
Layered decadence: Mousse, ganache, buttercream. This cake isn’t messing around. Every bite hits all the creamy, dreamy notes.
Recipe Tips
Use the good chocolate: Real white chocolate includes cocoa butter and that makes a difference with the texture. Baking chips won’t melt or mix properly.
Don’t skip the parchment paper: It’s the insurance policy your cake layers deserve. Grease, flour, and line the pans. Yes, all three.
Re-invert the cakes: Letting them cool right-side-up keeps the tops from cracking.
Measure carefully, especially the flour: Cake flour packs tighter than you think. Weigh it if you can. If not, spoon and level. No scooping straight from the bag.
Chill for the drip: A cold cake makes the ganache behave. If it’s too warm, your beautiful drip becomes a ganache puddle.
Let it come to room temp before serving: Cold butter and cocoa butter firm up like bricks. Give the cake time to soften for the best texture and flavor.
Optional swap: For a fruity twist, try using my raspberry white chocolate mousse instead of the classic version. It adds a tart pop that plays really well with the sweetness of the cake.
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate: Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let slices sit at room temp for 20–30 minutes before serving for the best texture.
Freeze: You can freeze individual slices (wrapped tightly in plastic and foil) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
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White Chocolate Cake
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Ingredients
For the white chocolate cake
- 6 ounces white chocolate
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup milk, 240 grams
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups cake flour, sifted 360 grams
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, 250 grams
- 4 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoons salt
- 9 tablespoons butter, softened 128 grams
To finish the cake
Instructions
Bake the cake layers:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper for best results.
- Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or short zaps in the microwave. Go slow, white chocolate scorches easily, and if it seizes, it’s game over. Stir frequently and pull it off the heat as soon as it’s smooth. Set aside.
- Combine egg whites, ¼ cup milk, and vanilla in a bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir well to distribute the dry ingredients.
- Add the butter and the remaining ¾ cup milk. Beat on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides.
- Gradually add the egg white mixture in 3 batches. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the melted white chocolate and beat until well incorporated.
- Divide the batter into the two cake pans. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Run a thin knife or metal spatula around the inside edge of the cake pans to loosen the cake from the pan. Invert the pans onto greased wire racks. Re-invert them so they are right-side-up to prevent them from cracking.
Assemble the cake:
- While the cake layers are baking and cooling, make the white chocolate mousse, white chocolate ganache and the Italian meringue buttercream. There are instructions in the notes of the buttercream recipe if you want to add white chocolate to the buttercream.
- Once the cakes cool, place one cake on a platter and spread the white chocolate mousse on top. Place the second cake on top of the mousse layer.
- Cover the cake in the buttercream (reserve some of the buttercream to pipe on top of the cake) then put it in the fridge for about 45 minutes or in the freezer for 20 to 25 minutes. This will get it cold enough for the ganache to have a drip effect down the cake (if the cake is not cold then the ganache will drip all the way to the base of the cake).
- While the cake is chilling, make sure the white chocolate ganache is at the right temperature. If it sits for too long after you make it then it will thicken up. You can thin it out by slowly warming it up over a double boiler or zapping it in the microwave in 3 to 5-second intervals. (Be careful if you use the microwave as it can over-heat the ganache pretty quickly).
- When the cake is well chilled, drizzle the ganache down the sides of the cake to make a ‘drip’ effect then spread it on top of the cake. Place the cake back in the fridge to firm up the ganache.
- Use the remaining buttercream to pipe swirls on top of the cake and around the base. Finish the cake with white sprinkles if desired
Notes
About white chocolate
Cocoa butter gives this cake a firmer texture and more pronounced flavor than an all-butter cake. Don’t be tempted to add more white chocolate than the recipe calls for or the cake will have an overly dense texture. If you store the cake in the refrigerator, let it sit at room temperature before serving it. That will allow the cocoa butter and butterfat to soften up and give the cake a better texture. The texture in this cake is similar to a pound cake. If you want a light, airy, and soft cake then try my hot milk sponge cake. The cake recipe was adapted from The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!From Scratch Cake with White Chocolate
This white chocolate cake isn’t just pretty, it delivers serious flavor and texture thanks to real-deal ingredients and smart technique. If you’re going to bake a cake from scratch, make it one that people actually remember.
This cake also plays well with my vanilla cake filling for a simpler but equally delicious twist.
Can this cake be frozen?
Yes, it freezes well. Thanks for the question.
I want to make this cake this weekend for my nieces birthday and was wondering if there was a way to make the cake more moist like adding an ingredient that will help the process? I am guessing that the reason this cake is more firm/dense is because of the white chocolate in it?
The white chocolate and butter make this a more dense and firm cake. It gets softer if it sits at room temperature for a few hours so the butterfat softens but it won’t be as soft as a cake made with oil. You could experiment by replacing some of the butter with oil but I don’t recommend experimenting for your nieces birthday. You may want to try our vanilla cake which has some oil in it to soften the crumb.
@Dahn Boquist, thank you so much for answering me so quick 🥰
You’re welcome! I hope the birthday cake turns out fabulous! Have fun baking!
Combine the egg whites with other ingredients means not making a meringue? Add the milk and vanilla straight to unbeaten egg whites and then beating until just combined or try to beat for longer and add more air?
Correct! You’re not making a meringue with this recipe. You will mix the egg whites with the milk and vanilla just until incorporated. Set that mixture aside. After you finish step 5, you will gradually add that egg white mixture to the reversed creamed cake batter.
Great recipe and very clear instructions. It is a lot of steps relatively, but the product is elegant and delicious. I made it a 3-layer cake and adjusted the cook time accordingly. The proportions were perfect, many times a recipe will leave you with a bunch of extra icing or filling. The amounts were just enough without much waste. This one is a keeper!
Thanks for the comment, Larry. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Can you add color gel to the white chocolate ganache?
Yes. Make sure you add the food coloring after you mix the chocolate with the cream. If you mix the color with the chocolate first then the chocolate will seize. It won’t seize if you mix the coloring in last. You don’t have to worry as much if you use an oil based Gel food coloring but it is still best to add the coloring last.
Can i use whole eggs, instead of just egghites?
Hi, Suzette: Yes, you can use the entire egg but you will not have a “white” cake as the yolks will tint the cake batter. It is the lack of egg yolks that makes a white cake. Thank you for your question, the cake will be delicious either as a white or yellow cake.
Hello!
Any changes in baking temp/ time is using cake strips around the pan? Thank you!
It doesn’t change the baking time by more than a couple of minutes. Keep an eye on the doneness with a toothpick test.
Please respond ASAP what does it mean combine the egg whites etc then add in three parts? No beating them!
combine the egg whites with the milk and the vanilla extract. Add that mixture gradually, in three separate batches, mixing in between each addition.
This is a masterpiece, Dahn. I have never seen a white chocolate this beautiful and tempting!
angiesrecipes
http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com
Thanks Angie!