White Chocolate Cake

White chocolate gives this cake a firm texture and exquisite flavor. The cake is filled with white chocolate mousse then covered in white chocolate frosting and ganache.

4.79 from 37 votes

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Prep Time: 40

Cook Time: 35

Additional Time: 30

Total Time: 1 45

Servings: servings

Calories: 211kcal

Author: Dahn Boquist

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

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.

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