This White Chocolate Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream is out of this world. Decorated with cranberries, it’s a great holiday dessert but it’s really perfect all year round.
When I was younger and starting my family, my friends were also having babies and they knew they could could count on me for one thing…and it wasn’t just a cocktail! I used to sew a lot; I made my own clothes, my kids clothes, Halloween costumes, gifts…you name it and I was probably making it!
So when I was pregnant with my first child, I made most of the accessories for her room including her baby bumpers, a quilt, pillows, a cover for her changing table and a second quilt I used as a wall hanging. My friends loved them so much they made no secret of wanting a quilt of their own and I delivered; each one made in colors chosen for the new baby’s bedroom. So in my own twist on delivering a patchwork quilt I made an edible one out of this White Chocolate Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting!
This White Chocolate Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream is a decadent and amazing cake from my friend Lana at Never Enough Thyme; she a full blown Southerner and I am simply one that will forever hold the South dear in my heart…that’s where both of my babies were born. It fell into the realm of perfect for this endeavor.
All of the cupcakes are the same cake base and frosting but have just been decorated to create a patchwork; some with coconut, some with grated dark chocolate and some with my favorite…sugared cranberries. Though it was fun decorating those little quilt pieces I have to admit; I was over it after a dozen and the cake is just as lovely without near as much decorating work. If I can keep from digging into it, my blogging group might get a bite next Saturday. If. Big IF!
The sugared cranberries that I made to decorate both the cupcakes and the cake are so pretty; it’s a bonus that they are so fun to eat. It’s like a little touch of softened cranberry that explodes when you bite into that crispy sugared shell. Very easy to make too but if there is one thing that requires constant looking after this is it. Still; 3 minutes of cooking, c’mon you can do that!
I also tried VERY hard for someone who is so used to girly girl stuff to keep this more suited to a boy in all ways but guess what happens when cranberries get mixed with sugar…ahem, pink. So I went with it on the cupcakes…I smushed some of those berries and mixed them up with sparkling sugar and for future reference have a great way to colorize sugar naturally.
I loved having both cupcakes and a cake and this cake is pretty enough that it might happen again for the Christmas holiday; it’s no secret I LOVE cranberries and these sweet little crunchy ones? Absolutely addictive. You’ll see.
White chocolate cake with coconuts, toasted pecans; covered with a white chocolate frosting and either shaved chocolate, coconut or sugared cranberries? I know you want some!
Congratulations Rachel…I know you are so excited about your new addition and I hope this cupcake ‘quilt’ I made to accompany this amazing White Chocolate Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream gives you more than a virtual feeling of the love that surrounds you. XOXO
An Uninvited Guest!
Sooo, I guess my ‘little one’ wanted to come to the party? I heard my dog Abbie behind me in the family room and realized she was eating something; of late she has pulled graham crackers out of the cupboard and managed to snag an apple from the table so when she hurriedly finished her ‘score’ I had a sneaking suspicion and I was right. She can not typically get things off of the table; that girl was determined! This quick snap with my phone proves she must like coconut?
Love sugared cranberries like I do? Seems I have several desserts when I thought them necessary!
- Red Wine Chocolate Cake with Sugared Cranberries
- White Chocolate Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream and Sugared Cranberries (You’re Here!)
- Cranberry Cake with Warm Butter Rum Sauce and Sugared Cranberries
- Pumpkin Roll with Sugared Cranberries
Calories
Fat
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Serves 1
A delicious, decadent, comfort food cake rich with butter and full of white chocolate, pecans, and coconut.
30 minPrep Time
1 hr, 30 Cook Time
2 hrTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 3/4 cup combination granulated and sanding sugar
- 8 oz. white chocolate
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs, separated
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup coconut
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 lb butter, room temperature
- 1 lb powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 4-6 Tbsp half and half or whipping cream
- 8 oz white chocolate
Instructions
- Combine sugar and water in a small pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add cranberries and cook on medium low heat until some of the cranberry skins just start to pop and water starts to turn pink; 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl. Place sanding sugar on a cookie sheet and gently put the cranberries on the sugar and roll them until coated. Let them stand in a single layer at room temperature until dry, about 1 hour.
- NOTE: Do not refrigerate; putting them in the refrigerator may ruin the hard shell of the sugar. Use immediately.
- Have all ingredients at room temperature. Grease and flour a tube or Bundt pan. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Melt 8 ounces of the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler or a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water stirring until chocolate has completely melted.
- In a large mixer bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg yolks one at a time beating until each is incorporated before adding the next. Slowly beat the melted chocolate into the creamed mixture.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. With mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk to the chocolate batter mixture. Stir in the pecans, coconut, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a tester inserted halfway between sides of pan comes out clean. Begin checking the cake at the 1 hour, 10 minute mark. Cooking time will vary depending on your oven. (Since I split up my batter; I baked the cupcakes for approximately 18-20 minutes and the cake for about 40-45 minutes as the volume was considerably less than a pan with all of the dough)
- Remove cake from the oven and place on a cooling rack. After about 15 minutes, carefully run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Allow the cake to completely cool in the pan.
- Cream butter and alternately add sugar and cream.
- Mix to correct consistency.
- Melt chocolate and let it cool down but not completely cool.
- Pour into frosting and beat for five or six minutes. Put the frosting in the fridge for a few minutes if the warmed chocolate affects the consistency.
- Frost the cake and/or cupcakes and leave plain or decorate with your favorite toppings.
- If using the cranberries; build a stage using aluminum foil if necessary inside the inner circle of the cake. Mound the sugared cranberries on top of the foil.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Southern Junior League Cookbook
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