Crafting A Dreamy White Chocolate Wedding Cake

A white chocolate wedding cake is a delicious and decadent choice for your big day. White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids, resulting in a rich and creamy flavour. While it is not technically considered true chocolate due to the absence of cocoa solids, it still makes for a wonderful cake that will impress your guests.

To make a white chocolate wedding cake, you will need to incorporate white chocolate into the cake layers, frosting, and/or drip, creating a stunning monochrome effect. You can also add a layer of ganache to intensify the white chocolate flavour and create a luxurious texture. The cake layers can be baked in three 6-inch or two 8-inch pans, depending on your desired size.

When assembling the cake, you can decorate it with fresh or frozen raspberries, lemon curd, cream cheese frosting, or any combination of fillings and toppings that complement the sweetness of the white chocolate. You can also use white chocolate truffles and shavings to add extra indulgence.

Remember to chill your cake before applying the final decorations and ganache, ensuring a smooth and professional finish. With its elegant appearance and delightful flavour, your white chocolate wedding cake is sure to be a memorable part of your special day.

Baking the cake layers

The first step in making a white chocolate wedding cake is to preheat your oven to 335-350°F. While the oven is heating up, prepare your cake pans by lining three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and greasing the sides.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine your dry ingredients: 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Whisk these ingredients briefly and set the mixture aside.

In a separate bowl, melt 6 ounces of white chocolate with a small amount of hot water or milk over low heat. Stir the mixture until smooth, and allow it to cool to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together 1 cup of softened butter and 1 1/2 cups of white sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes. It is important not to skimp on the creaming time.

Now, add your eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure that all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Next, you will start to add your dry and wet ingredients to the batter in alternating increments. Begin by adding about a third of your dry flour mixture to the bowl and mix until just combined. Then, add half of your wet ingredients, which should include the remaining cup of buttermilk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Continue alternating between the dry and wet ingredients, mixing well after each addition.

Finally, slowly add the melted white chocolate mixture to the batter and gently fold it in.

Divide the batter evenly between your prepared cake pans and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Once the cakes are baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool in the pans for about 2-3 minutes before transferring them to wire cooling racks to cool completely.

Making the raspberry filling

For the raspberry filling, you can use fresh or frozen raspberries. If you're short on time, you can even use store-bought raspberry jam. If you want to use fresh raspberries, it is best to use tart ones for a nice balance of flavours.

Add the raspberries and sugar to a medium-sized saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Keep heating until the raspberry puree begins to bubble. If needed, increase the heat to medium-high.

In a separate small bowl, combine water and Clear-Jel or cornstarch and mix until you get a smooth mixture. It is important not to add the Clear-Jel or cornstarch directly to the hot raspberry puree, as it will result in lumps.

Once the raspberry puree is bubbling, add the Clear-Jel or cornstarch mixture and mix for another minute to thicken it. Then, add in the lemon juice and zest and cook for one more minute.

Transfer the mixture to a heat-proof container and let it cool to room temperature, or place it in the refrigerator to cool before using it as a filling.

Making the white chocolate ganache

Ganache is a lot more forgiving when it comes to white chocolate chips, but you can also use white chocolate bars. You will need 9 oz (1 1/2 cups) of white chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bars. If you are using a bar, chop the white chocolate into smaller pieces with a knife.

Next, add the chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in the microwave for about a minute to soften it. You can also use a double boiler or a pot on the stove to melt the chocolate. If using a microwave, heat the chocolate in 5-10 second intervals, stirring in between, until it is smooth and creamy.

In the meantime, bring 6 tablespoons (90ml) of heavy whipping cream to a simmer in a small pot on the stove. Once the cream is warm, pour it over the chocolate and make sure all the chocolate is fully covered. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes.

Now, gently whisk the chocolate and cream together until they are fully combined and you have a smooth and creamy texture. If the chocolate hasn't fully melted, you can microwave the mixture in 30-second intervals until it has. Set the ganache aside to cool completely before using it to fill and decorate your cake.

Making the white chocolate buttercream

Now that your cakes have cooled, it's time to make the buttercream. Start by adding the white chocolate to a bowl and heating it in 10-20 second increments, stirring well each time, until it's melted and smooth. Set the chocolate aside.

Next, add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. Then, slowly add half of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.

Now, slowly add the white chocolate in 5-6 batches, mixing between each addition until well combined. Adding the chocolate in smaller amounts will prevent it from clumping.

After that, add 4-5 tablespoons of heavy cream and salt and mix until well combined and smooth.

Finally, slowly add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth. If needed, add additional water or milk to get the right consistency of frosting.

Your white chocolate buttercream is now ready to be used!

Assembling and decorating the cake

Once your white chocolate cake layers are very cold (or partially thawed if frozen) and trimmed, you can start assembling and decorating your cake. Here are some general steps to follow:

Assembling the Cake:

• Place your first layer on a cake board and coat the layer with a thin layer of white chocolate ganache.
• Cover the ganache with a thin layer of white chocolate buttercream and then pipe a dam around the cake edge, making a pool to fill with your chosen filling (e.g. raspberry filling).
• Carefully fill the pool with your chosen filling, being careful not to overfill as the weight can cause leaks on the sides of your cake when you add more layers on top.
• Repeat the layering process for the next cake layers, adding ganache, buttercream, and filling with each layer.
• Give the cake an even crumb coat with your offset spatula and place it in the freezer to chill and firm up before moving on to the final coating and decorating.

Decorating the Cake:

• Once the cake is firm to the touch, apply the final coating of white chocolate frosting and smooth it with a cake scraper, then place the cake on the serving board.
• Pipe dollops of buttercream around the top edge of the cake, alternating with a fresh berry, creating a dam to keep the filling in the centre. Then, fill in the centre with your remaining filling.
• Shave leftover white chocolate with a potato peeler to create shavings.
• While the buttercream is still somewhat soft, press white chocolate shavings into the sides of the cake.
• Chill the cake for 30 minutes to allow the buttercream to set. The cake can sit out at room temperature for a few hours until you are ready to serve it.

You can also add some final decorative touches, such as white chocolate truffles or fresh berries on top of the cake.

Frequently asked questions