This white chocolate cake features layers on layers of incredible flavors and textures that make it simply exquisite! A firm white cake is filled with white chocolate mousse, then covered in a buttercream and white chocolate ganache. White chocolate on top of white chocolate on top of… more white chocolate! Monochrome dessert has never looked so good!
Our white chocolate cake is a rich and decadent dessert that is perfect for any special occasion. It’s beautiful and impressive, an elegant cake with elegant flavors.
The white chocolate mousse filling adds a light and fluffy texture that pairs perfectly with the rich buttercream frosting and the silky white chocolate ganache. Top this cake with pretty white sprinkles for an extra classy finishing touch. This is a white chocolate cake recipe for any special celebration!
What is the flavor of white chocolate?
White chocolate has a flavor that is somewhat similar to vanilla, along with rich and buttery notes that are irresistible in this extra sweet treat!
If you’re not used to baking with white chocolate, this cake will showcase everything there is to love about it! (Another one of our favorite white chocolate desserts is this Raspberry White Chocolate Mousse, a must-try!) If you are looking for a semi-sweet chocolate cake, check out our homemade chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting.
Cake Ingredients:
To make a white chocolate cake, you will need:
- White chocolate
- Egg whites
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- Sifted cake flour
- sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Butter, softened
- White Chocolate Mousse Cake Filling
- White Chocolate Ganache
- Italian Meringue Buttercream
- White sprinkles (optional)
The Step-by-Step Process:
We break this process down into simple steps, which will look similar to this (for the full recipe and all the details, scroll to the bottom of the page):
- Make the white chocolate cake batter: Preheat the oven and prep your cake pans, making sure to line the bottoms with parchment paper (this ensures easy cake removal). Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler. Combine the egg whites, 1/4 cup milk and vanilla, then combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the butter and remaining milk into the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed, then increasing speed to beat the mixture until well combined. Gradually add the egg white mixture in three batches, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the melted white chocolate.
- Bake the cakes: Divide the cake batter between the two cake pans and bake 25-35 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes. Loosen the cake from the pan by running a thin knife or metal spatula around the edges, then invert the pans onto greased wire racks. Flip them again so they are right-side-up.
- Make the frosting/caking filling: While the cake layers are baking and cooling, make the white chocolate mousse, the white chocolate ganache and the Italian meringue buttercream. (See the recipe notes in the buttercream recipe for instructions on adding white chocolate).
- Assemble the white chocolate cake: Once the cakes cool, place one on a platter, spread on the white chocolate mousse, then place the second cake on top. Cover the cake in the buttercream (set aside enough buttercream to pipe on top of the cake later). Chill the cake for 45 minutes (or freeze for 20-25).
- Decorate the cake: 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. Pipe swirls of buttercream on top of the cake and around the base, then decorate with sprinkles if desired.
If you like this recipe, you will love our white chocolate cupcakes. They are filled with white chocolate ganache and frosted with a cream cheese buttercream.
To Make the White Chocolate Ganache Drip:
The white chocolate ganache drip gives this cake an impressive and elegant look, and while it’s quite simple to do, be sure to follow the instructions closely for the best results.
A few tips for creating the drip effect on the cake:
- Make sure the white chocolate ganache is at the right temperature. If it sits too long after you make it, it will become too thick. Thin it out by slowly re-heating over a double boiler or microwave it in 3-5 second intervals. (Be careful when microwaving, as this can over-heat the ganache very quickly).
- Refrigerate the cake after spreading on the buttercream. Chilling the cake will allow it to get cold enough for the ganache to have a drip down the sides. If the cake isn’t cold enough, the ganache will drip all the way down to the base.
- After creating the drip effect, refrigerate the cake a second time. Chill the cake again to set the ganache.
More Tips for the Best White Chocolate Cake:
- Choose white chocolate that has cocoa butter in the ingredient list. Don’t use white chocolate baking chips as they do not contain any cocoa butter. The cocoa butter gives this white chocolate cake a firm texture and more pronounced flavor than an all-butter cake.
- Don’t overdo it with the white chocolate! More white chocolate in this cake will add more cocoa butter to the recipe and could result in the cake being overly-dense in texture.
- Cool the cakes right-side-up. Since the cakes are delicate when warm, you’ll want to cool them right-side-up. If they cool upside down on the curved tops, they will be more prone to cracking.
- Serve at room temperature. It’s okay to store this cake in the refrigerator but make sure you let it sit at room temperature before serving. This allows the cocoa butter and butterfat to soften and the cake will have a better texture. It should be firm and somewhat dense, similar to pound cake. (For a light, airy and soft cake, try out our hot milk sponge cake!).
This white chocolate cake recipe makes one beautiful cake that is such a treat. It’s the cake you need for your next special occasion! Happy baking, friends!
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Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:
- Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting: There’s a reason this cake combination is such a classic! This all-butter yellow cake is topped off with a rich and chocolate-y frosting. It’s so good, you’ll make it over and over again.
- Easy Vanilla Cake Filling: The easiest and fastest cake filling you’ll ever make. It’s creamy, rich, and like a cross between vanilla mousse and cheesecake!
- Instant Pot Hot Fudge Cake: Mix things up with this easy and fudgy chocolate cake in the Instant Pot! This one is decadent and delicious, and similar to a pudding cake.
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The cake recipe was adapted from The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum.
White Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the white chocolate cake
- 6 ounces white chocolate
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups 360 grams sifted cake flour
- 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar 240 grams
- 4-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 9 tablespoons butter softened (128 grams)
To finish the cake
- White Chocolate Mousse Cake Filling
- White Chocolate Ganache
- Italian Meringue Buttercream
- Optional: white sprinkles
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. Set aside.
- Combine egg whites, 1/4 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 3/4 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
- Use white chocolate that has cocoa butter in the ingredient list. If you use white chocolate baking chips the texture will not be the same as there is no cocoa butter in white chocolate baking chips.
- The cakes will be fairly delicate while they are still warm, if you let the cakes cool upside down on the curved tops, they will be more prone to cracking. To prevent them from cracking, re-invert them on the cooling racks so they rest on the flat, bottom surface of the cake.
- Use bleached cake flour. According to Rose Levy Beranbaum, unbleached cake flour will cause the cake to dip.
- Nutrition calculation does not include the mousse, buttercream, or ganache. Refer to those specific recipes for further nutrition values.
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 our hot milk sponge cake.
Chantal
Tuesday 5th of March 2024
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?
Chantal
Tuesday 5th of March 2024
@Dahn Boquist, thank you so much for answering me so quick 🥰
Dahn Boquist
Tuesday 5th of March 2024
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.