This white chocolate and raspberry cake combines moist, tender vanilla cake with sweet Duncan Hines raspberry filling and white chocolate buttercream frosting to create a rich, decadent dessert that no one will realize is gluten-free!
This rich cake uses my vanilla bean cake recipe as the base. It's a super moist and tender cake with a classic vanilla flavor that makes it the perfect vehicle for the sweet raspberry filling and rich white chocolate buttercream.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake
- White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake Video
- Ingredients
- Flavor Substitutions and Variations
- Equipment
- How to Make White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake
- Tips for the Best White Chocolate Raspberry Cake
- Storage
- What to Serve with White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake
- More Cake Recipes
- FAQ
- Related
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You'll Love This White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake
- Moist and Tender: This cake is moist and tender with a wonderful crumb that everyone will love.
- Wonderful Flavor: The vanilla cake, raspberry filling, and white chocolate buttercream frosting are a trio of classic flavors that work incredibly well together.
- The Perfect Dessert for Special Occasions: Making this easy cake is fancy enough to be the showcase for any party or special occasion.
- Easy to Make: The cake and buttercream are incredibly simple, and the filling is pre-made.
White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake Video
Ingredients
For the Cake
- Gluten-Free Flour: I use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour because I find it gives baked goods the best texture.
- Almond Milk and Apple Cider Vinegar: These combine to create homemade buttermilk that adds a nice hint of tang to the cake and makes it even more tender.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: Vanilla bean paste adds a bolder vanilla flavor than regular vanilla extract. I prefer Singing Dog Vanilla bean paste for its high quality and deep, rich vanilla flavor.
For the Frosting and Filling
- Butter and Powdered Sugar: Butter and powdered sugar create the rich, sweet base of the buttercream frosting.
- White Chocolate: Melted white chocolate transforms basic buttercream frosting into white chocolate frosting. I prefer Lindt white chocolate, but you can use any brand you like.
- Vanilla: Singing Dog Vanilla gives the frosting its deep vanilla undertones.
- Raspberry Filling: Raspberry filling adds a sweet, bright, summery berry flavor to the cake.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact quantities.
Flavor Substitutions and Variations
- Buttermilk: If you don't have dairy restrictions, you can use traditional buttermilk instead.
- Cake Flour: For those of you who don't have gluten sensitivity, cake flour is the perfect choice for this delicious cake.
- Filling: Use any Duncan Hines berry pie filling to create different flavors for the cake.
- Dairy-Free: You can use my dairy-free vanilla bean cake to make this a gluten-free AND dairy-free dessert.
Equipment
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Stand mixer
- Wire cooling rack
- Parchment rounds
- 8-inch round baking pans
- Rubber spatula
- Piping bag
How to Make White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake
For the Vanilla Cake
1: Combine the milk and apple cider vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside. Then, add parchment paper rounds to the bottom of two 8-inch round baking pans and grease with coconut oil.
2: Cream the butter and half the sugar until light and fluffy. Then, add the remaining sugar and oil and mix until fluffy.
3: Add the vanilla bean paste and 2 eggs. Mix until just combined, then add the other 2 eggs, scrape the bottom of the mixer, and mix again until just combined.
4: Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well.
5: Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until almost combined. Then, mix on medium-high until fully combined.
6: Add the milk mixture and the remaining dry ingredients and mix until there are no clumps. Be careful not to overmix.
7: Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. I like to weigh the batter to ensure even layers using a food scale. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8: Cool the baked cakes on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then, turn them out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
For the White Chocolate Buttercream
1: Melt the chocolate at 20-second intervals, stirring after each until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
2: Beat the butter in a stand mixer on medium speed until creamy. Then, slowly add the powdered sugar while beating on low.
3: Add the vanilla and melted white chocolate and mix for 90 seconds. Then, add the heavy cream and salt and mix on medium until combined.
Assemble
1: Add a cake to a cake stand or plate and pipe the outside of the top with white chocolate buttercream frosting. Then, fill in the center with a small layer of raspberry filling.
2: Add the second cake layer and frost the entire cake with the white chocolate buttercream frosting.
3: Using a star tip, pipe dollops of white chocolate buttercream frosting around the outside edge of the top of the cake and add a decorative border to the base. Top with fresh raspberries on each frosting dollop.
Tips for the Best White Chocolate Raspberry Cake
- Bring all of your cold cake ingredients to room temperature. This makes them easier to mix and creates a better cake texture.
- Mix your cake ingredients until just combined. Although this cake is gluten-free, overmixing can still make the cake less tender.
- Be sure your cake is FULLY cooled before frosting it. If the cake is even slightly warm, the frosting won't stick to it.
- Be sure you give your melted white chocolate time to cool. Adding hot white chocolate to the buttercream will curdle it.
Storage
Store this cake at room temperature in a cake container for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 5 days.
To freeze the cake, flash freeze it, then wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Place the cake in the refrigerator overnight to defrost it.
What to Serve with White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake
This delicious cake is a great centerpiece to a dessert table with other sweet, fruity treats like chocolate strawberry cupcakes, grape cake, or peach ice cream.
The classic vanilla cake with raspberries and white chocolate also pairs well with meals like this pasta with chorizo and chicken or gluten-free chicken piccata to cap of a hearty meal with a touch of sweetness.
More Cake Recipes
If you love rich, decadent cakes like this one, then try these other delicious recipes.
FAQ
Buttercream frosting doesn't have to be refrigerated if it will be used in two or three days. That means a buttercream-frosted cake won't have to be refrigerated either.
Unless the cake uses a cream cheese frosting, you don't have to refrigerate it. In fact, you shouldn't. Refrigerating the cake will dry it out.
If you don't fully soften your butter, it will be difficult to adequately whip it, resulting in grainy frosting.
★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below! I would love to hear back from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for more delicious recipes.
Related
📖 Recipe
White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Vanilla Bean Cake
- 2 ¼ cups Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour + 1 tablespoon more
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ cup butter room temperature
- 4 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Singing Dog vanilla bean paste
- Raspberry filling
White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 6 oz white chocolate
- 2 sticks butter softened
- ¼ cup heavy cream plus 1 tbsp
- 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 1 ⅓ teaspoon Singing Dog Vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Vanilla Bean Cake
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, Then, line the bottom of the pan with parchment rounds and lightly grease the sides of the pan with coconut oil using a pastry brush. If you don't have parchment rounds, lightly grease the bottom of the plan as well.
- Next, mix the milk and apple cider vinegar in a measuring cup to create a buttermilk, then set aside.
- Then, cream ½ cup butter and half the sugar with a paddle attachment in a stand mixer until light and fluffy - about 1 minute. Then, add the other half of the sugar and the oil and mix for another minute until fluffy.
- Next, add the vanilla bean paste and two eggs and mix for 20 seconds. Then, add the other two eggs, scrape the bottom of the mixer with a rubber spatula, and mix for another 20 seconds.
- Then, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Next, half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low until almost combined, then on medium until fully combined. Add the milk mixture and the remaining dry ingredients and mix for 90 seconds until there are no clumps.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 2 cake pans and bake for 33 to 38 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. I like to weigh these on a food scale to ensure both pans will bake evenly.
- Finally, cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then, run a knife along the edge of the pans, place a wire rack over the top of the pan, and gently turn out the cakes. Cool the cakes completely.
White Chocolate Buttercream
- Melt the chocolate at 20-second intervals, stirring after each until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
- Beat the butter in a stand mixer on medium speed until creamy. Then, slowly add the powdered sugar while beating on low.
- Add the vanilla and melted white chocolate and mix for 90 seconds. Then, add the heavy cream and salt and mix on medium until combined.
Assemble
- Add a cake to a cake stand or plate and pipe the outside of the top with white chocolate buttercream frosting. Then, fill in the center with a small layer of raspberry filling.
- Then, add the second cake layer and frost the entire cake with the white chocolate buttercream frosting.
- Using a star tip, pipe dollops of white chocolate buttercream frosting around the outside edge of the top of the cake and add a decorative border to the base. Top with fresh raspberries on each frosting dollop.
Notes
- Store at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Flash freeze the cake, then store for up to 2 months wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil.
- Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
- Bring to room temperature before serving.
- Bring all cold cake ingredients to room temperature before mixing for the best texture.
- Mix your cake batter until there are no visible dry ingredients and no further. This avoids a tough cake.
- If you use traditional flour, I recommend cake flour for a super tender cake.
JC says
This was so delicious and elegant. Perfect for my party yesterday!
Jacqueline says
This is a fabulous gluten free cake. It's both delicious and elegant. I made it for my sister's birthday. She loved it!
Swathi says
White chocolate and raspberry cake is delicious and perfect treat. I am going to make it more often.
Juyali says
I love white chocolate and raspberries so I absolutely had to try this cake. Amazing! Another great recipe from your site. 🙂
NKendrick says
Thank you so much!
Krystle says
The sweet white chocolate and tart raspberries are the perfect combo. My go to birthday Cake!
Jeri says
I made this white chocolate and raspberry cake for my daughter's birthday and it turned out amazing! It was so moist, and the raspberry filling with white chocolate buttercream frosting was SO GOOD!
NKendrick says
LOVE THIS!! thank you for sharing!