Smooth and delicious, this bundt cake recipe will make you a fan of white chocolate and berries! The flavors are subtle and deep at the same time, the crumb is dense and tender and the cake lasts for several days. The white chocolate ganache on top makes it scrumptious!
Originally posted in February 2013, this post has been updated with text and images to serve you better. The recipe remains the same because we all love it!
If you haven't tried the combination of white chocolate and raspberries in a cake, this recipe will be a nice surprise. It's a wonderful and festive burst of flavors. Who knows, it might become your new favorite cake.
I can offer you a thought, a good one, when it comes to bundt cake recipes. If you find a plain recipe that works and makes a delicious cake, stick to it and try to adjust and change it around a bit when looking for different flavors that don't clash too much with the original. This is how this cake came to be. A simple vanilla cake that got dressed for the occasion.
I didn't see the need to look for a completely new recipe and save myself from the possibility of an epic failure during a time when the oven on is not a thing I look forward to.
Ingredients
- White chocolate: use your favorite baking bar, finely chopped. White chocolate chips was used by a reader with great results (I haven't tried them yet).
- Raspberries: fresh raspberries are always my first choice because they're sweeter and have less water content. But frozen work just as well and I use them a lot because I make this cake year round.
- Flavorings: lemon zest and pure vanilla extract or paste are my favorites.
- Buttermilk: it adds a tangy undertone and creates that tender, wonderful crumb we love about this cake. One third unsweetened natural yogurt or sour cream and two thirds whole milk can be used instead.
- Sugar: white, granulated sugar is what we use. Light brown sugar can be substituted if that's all you have, or want, but the crumb will be darker in tone.
- Butter: a good, unsalted one is what we love for this cake.
- Flour: all purpose flour always works, and also cake flour, which I use often.
- Baking powder: it helps the cake rise in the oven. Always make sure it's fresh so it's active. Check the expiring date.
- Eggs: large, fresh ones.
The steps
- Creaming: this is the first part of any butter cake. I use a large bowl and an electric mixer (image 1), but you can also use a stand mixer.
- Dry ingredients: they include the flour, salt, and baking powder (also called the flour mixture). I recommend sifting them (image 2) because every detail helps to create a fluffy crumb. When you add them to the cake batter, you need to go light on your beating. If using an electric or stand mixer mix on the lowest speed. Or finish the integrating with a spatula, it's easier to not over beat the batter. The more you beat the flour the tougher the cake will result because it activated the gluten. So mix thoroughly but just until it's well integrated.
- Wet ingredients: this would be the buttermilk. It's added alternating with the flour mixture, and always in the middle. That means that you begin and end with dry ingredients. It's the best way to mix the cake batter.
- Add-ins: that would be the white chocolate and the raspberries.
Preparing the bundt cake pan
If you love making bundt cakes you probably know the pain of not being able to remove it from the pan in one piece. Fat chance it never happened at least once, right? It happened to many several times, you bet!
Because bundt cake pans can be tricky, especially with all the intricate patterns that they have nowadays. I do have a foolproof way of preparing it so that the cake never sticks.
I have three ways of dealing with this:
- Butter: I use soft butter (NOT melted) to patiently cover the whole pan, every nook, and cranny, every sharp angle, every single bit of space available. I use a brush or my fingers. I then flour the pan and REFRIGERATE IT while putting together the batter. I take it out at the last moment when I need to fill it (image above) and it goes like that into the oven. It will unmold like a dream!
- Baking spray: I use a spray that is marked as having flour in it, or being specifically made for baking. It has to have flour, otherwise, you have high chances of the cake sticking when removing it. That is my experience at least.
- Recipe: whenever I find a great recipe that can be easily removed from an intricate bundt pan, even though I didn’t follow step 1 above, I cling to it like life itself! A case in point is the fabulous Orange Chocolate Marbled Bundt Cake.
Using white chocolate in a cake
Through the years I have tried to achieve different types of crumbs in cakes. And, at some point, I realized that adding some melted white chocolate made them incredibly tender without compromising the overall flavor if the amount was small.
In this bundt cake recipe, I use it finely chopped or shaved (from a block with a kitchen knife) and the result is amazing. Some white chocolate flavor and a silky crumb. The best of both worlds.
The white chocolate glaze gives this cake the extra white chocolate flavor boost it needs to live up to the name (image below). It is a simple white chocolate ganache, which means that hot cream is poured over the chopped chocolate and mixed until smooth and creamy.
Raspberries in this cake
Using berries in cakes, and bundt cakes, in particular, can be tricky, as they tend to go to the bottom. It depends a lot on the type of batter, the denser they are the better they hold the berries in place. Most of the time.
For this recipe, I use raspberries because they pair fantastically with white chocolate. And it's that time of the year when we want to see some holiday colors, isn't it?
I like to use frozen berries as they can be kept year-round. Besides, they will be hidden inside this white chocolate bundt cake. Fresh one can also be used; simply mix them with a few tablespoons of the allotted flour in the recipe before adding them to the batter. That way they will move less when the cake is baked and will be better distributed.
Variation: feel free to use other berries, such as blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries. They also pair wonderfully with white chocolate.
Top tips
- Organization: always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes are as accurate as I they can be, but keep in mind that it might take more or sometimes less. You can use an oven thermometer to check that your oven is the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how our oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- White chocolate: grate it or chop it very finely or process it. You can use white chocolate chips too. The idea is for the chocolate to become part of the crumb, that's why we need it to be finely ground.
- Raspberries: I use frozen because I always have in the freezer, but fresh ones work too. They will bake as they want inside the cake, here and there. Use a tablespoon or two of the flour in the recipe to coat them before adding to the batter. This will help them to distribute better and not sink to the bottom and sides of the cake.
- Liquid: I love buttermilk because it tenderizes the crumb and adds tanginess that balances the sweetness of the chocolate and sugar, but you can easily substitute it. Simply mix ¼ cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt with 1 cup of whole milk. This will make the 1 ¼ cups of liquid needed for the recipe. Mix well and use as if it were the buttermilk.
- Batter: take the time to cream butter and sugar well, but refrain from mixing it too much after adding the chocolate and berries. Unless you want the raspberries to stain the whole cake. It might be fun too.
- Bundt pan: my favorite way of preparing the pan that never failed me is to use soft butter (not melted) and patiently grease the pan well, every sharp angle or pattern detail. Then flour it, shake off excess, and refrigerate it while making the batter.
- Keeping: this cake keeps well for several days, wrapped in plastic wrap, and freezes beautifully for a month. But I recommend freezing the plain cake for best results, and glazing it when you plan to eat it. The plastic wrap will crush the raspberries and the ganache will loose its shine. But if you need to freeze leftovers, just know what will happen. The cake will still be delicious.
- Serving it: you can decorate the serving plate with extra fresh raspberries around or filling the middle hole, with some mint leaves for a touch of green. Very festive and great for special occasions. I like it at a cool room temperature, because the flavors are more vivid.
Variations
- Flavor variations: though I love this particular combination, you can use blueberries or blackberries and get great results also.
- Birthday cakes: you can make this as a layer cake, more suited for celebrating a birthday some might say. It is more laborious as you have to fill and frost. I suggest two 9-inch layers. Simply mix the cake batter until you add the white chocolate but without adding the raspberries. Pour half of the batter in each of the prepared pans and then sprinkle the raspberries on top of each, dividing evenly. Bake, let cool, fill, and frost. Use a white chocolate frosting like a buttercream for example, or a good raspberry jam for the filling would work great. Cream cheese frosting with raspberries might be another alternative, and simpler to make than buttercream. You can use this blueberry cream cheese frosting substituting raspberries.
- Cake mix: someone asked if you could use store-bought white cake mix and add raspberries and white chocolate to create a similar cake. You can of course, but the batter might be too thin to hold the raspberries. Maybe use sour cream instead of the Iiquid used in the instructions of the box to create a thicker batter. I never tried it, but I leave it as an idea. Please give me a shout out if you do!
Related recipes you might like:
Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
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Raspberry White Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 oz white chocolate, very finely chopped or grated (or use mini white chocolate chips)
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk (or whole milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice). See Notes below for substitutions.
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest, optional
- ¾ cup fresh or frozen raspberries (I use frozen a lot as they are available year-round)
For the frosting:
- 6 oz white chocolate, chopped
- ¼ cup whipping cream
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF/180°C.
- Brush a 9 or 10 cup (26cm) bundt pan with shortening (not butter), covering every angle and surface, and coat with flour, shaking off excess. Put the pan in the refrigerator while making the batter. This is my way of preparing the bundt pan. Alternatively, spray with baking spray that has flour in it or use cake goop (google it, there are many recipes).
- Transfer 2 tablespoons from the total flour amount and put them in a bowl. They will be used to coat the raspberries right before adding them to the batter so they don't sink to the bottom.
- Sift the rest of the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. I have the ingredients measured and sift them directly over the batter.
- In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Slowly add sugar and beat for 2 minutes. Use an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and then beat for 1 minute.
- Beginning and ending with dry ingredients, add them in 3 parts alternating with buttermilk and vanilla in 2 parts.
- Fold in raspberries with the reserved flour and add to the batter, together with the lemon zest and white chocolate, and mix with a spatula a few turns. Don't use the beater, and don't mix it too much. We want the chocolate to be incorporated but the raspberries to remain whole, coated as much as they can in flour, and not stain the batter much.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, spreading evenly.
- Bake about 45-50 minutes, or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. It might take more depending on the oven and pan you're using.
- Let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack and then move and lightly shake the pan grabbing it by the sides with both hands (and a kitchen towel since it's hot!). That way the cake starts to loosen. If it doesn't I use a small smooth bladed knife to separate the batter from the sides and center. The raspberries sometimes stick to the walls of the pan.
- Once you make sure it can be removed, do so over a wire rack and let cool completely.
For the frosting:
- Finely chop white chocolate and put in a bowl.
- Heat cream until it is about to get to the boiling point, remove and add immediately to the chocolate, covering it. It will seem too much chocolate for so little cream, and there is a point there. But it will melt and you will be able to mix it. We want a thick ganache, and for that we need more chocolate than cream.
- Let stand for a minute and whisk until smooth. If bits of chocolate remain, microwave in 5-10 seconds bursts and whisk every time until the mixture is smooth.
- Put the cold cake on a wire rack with a parchment paper underneath or on a smooth surface like the kitchen counter or marble.
- Let the ganache cool until it thickens a little but it's still pourable. Otherwise it will be too thin. Pour over cold cake and let it drip down the sides. It will drip onto the paper or surface. Most times I do scrape the drippings up into the bowl and use them again to add a second layer or fill some holes or thin parts. You can also pour half of the ganache, wait a little until it almost stops dripping and then pour the other half. That will create a thicker layer of glaze.
- Decorate with chopped or whole raspberries if you want. I used frozen for the photo because it was Winter, but I try to use fresh if I can. Keep in mind that most berries lose their shine and start releasing liquid, so decorate right before you serve it for best results.
Notes
Organization: always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!
Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes are as accurate as I they can be, but keep in mind that it might take more or sometimes less. You can use an oven thermometer to check that your oven is the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how our oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
White chocolate: grate it or chop it very finely or process it. You can use white chocolate chips too. The idea is for the chocolate to become part of the crumb, that's why we need it to be finely ground.
Raspberries: I use frozen because I always have in the freezer, but fresh ones work too. They will bake as they want inside the cake, here and there. Use a tablespoon or two of the flour in the recipe to coat them before adding to the batter. This will help them to distribute better and not sink to the bottom and sides of the cake.
Liquid: I love buttermilk because it tenderizes the crumb and adds tanginess that balances the sweetness of the chocolate and sugar, but you can easily substitute it. Simply mix ¼ cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt with 1 cup of whole milk. This will make the 1 ¼ cups of liquid needed for the recipe. Mix well and use as if it were the buttermilk.
Batter: take the time to cream butter and sugar well, but refrain from mixing it too much after adding the chocolate and berries. Unless you want the raspberries to stain the whole cake. It might be fun too.
Bundt pan: my favorite way of preparing the pan that never failed me is to use soft butter (not melted) and patiently grease the pan well, every sharp angle or pattern detail. Then flour it, shake off excess, and refrigerate it while making the batter.
Keeping: this cake keeps well for several days, wrapped in plastic wrap, and freezes beautifully for a month, also well wrapped, but I recommend freezing the plain cake and glazing it when you plan to eat it. The plastic wrap will crush the raspberries and the ganache will loose its shine. But if you need to freeze leftovers, just know what will happen. The cake will still be delicious.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cooling time: 90 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Adapted from Kiss My Bundt, by Christa Wilson
MinnesotaBaker says
Made this today and it is really excellent! Moist and a good crumb quality in the cake. Lots of good flavor/texture from the buttermilk. Will definitely make again. The only modification I made was that I added slightly more raspberries (an extra 1/2 cup) and felt like it still wasn't quite enough. I also had to bake it for closer to 60-65 minutes.
Paula Montenegro says
Happy to hear it worked out! Extra raspberries sound like a great addition.
kaya says
hi thank you for the great recipe , can i make half the recipe for smaller bundt ( 6 cups )
also how i can make the same recipe to 12 cups ? i dont know how to increase the ing
thanks
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Kaya, you should have no problem halving the recipe and using a smaller pan. This is already a large bundt, and if you want to make it bigger maybe do an extra third of the recipe? Keep in mind that sometimes very large bundt cakes take a long time to fully bake and the outer layer dries out too much. Hope this helps!
Jen says
Paula:
I used a silicon Bundt pan to make this cake and only the outermost part of it cooked. Should I adjust the oven temperature and bake time when using this type baking pan.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Jen! I tried a few silicon bundt pans a while ago and they just never worked for me. Mostly because the cakes couldn't be removed easily, but also the way they baked was not always predictable. So I don't have many answers. I just stopped using them. I recommend using a metal one if you ask me. Here's an article in Fine Cooking about it; apparently uneven baking is to be expected. And here's another article about Baking with silicone.
I hope this helps. Have a great day!
Liz says
Hi, great recipe. How long can this cake be left at room temperature? Or does it need to be refrigerated? Thanks.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Liz! It's OK to leave it out for no more than 2 days because it has fruit and it can start to ferment at some point, especially if the environment is warm. Always cover it so it prevents it from drying up. After that, you can refrigerate it or freeze it, always well wrapped.
Emily S. says
Am I able to make this recipe as a cake ?
Paula Montenegro says
It is a bundt cake. What type of cake do you mean? You can make it as two or three 9-inch layer cake.
Crystal says
I could not find the raspberry pie filling so i purchased a raspberry preserves, will this work also
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Crystal, I'm a bit confused because it doesn't have raspberry pie filling, only raspberries. How did it turn out?
Tammy M Sparks says
Hi.
I made this for my husband and son this past week and it was amazing.
I did make a raspberry sauce to put on the serving plates as I served it and it really complimented it very nicely.
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe.
Paula Montenegro says
So happy to hear that Tammy! Some extra raspberry flavor is a great idea. Have a great week!
Linann W says
Can this be made in mini Bundt pans?
Paula Montenegro says
Yes Linann, it can. Make sure the pans are very well-buttered, floured, and cold, as explained in the recipe. Check the baking time, as a guide it'll be around 30 minutes probably.
Ulfa says
I am not sure what I’m doing wrong but the cake was still uncooked after 50 mins. Added another 20 mins and seems ok! It’s pretty moist!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Ulfa! Pans and ovens all differ. There's always room for difference, especially in baking times. Bundt cakes are usually large and dense, so they might take more time. Hope this helps. Have a great weekend!
Athena says
Do you thaw the frozen raspberries before you add to the batter?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Athena, no, I use them directly.
Margaret says
Could use freeze dried raspberry powder to decorate if fresh fruit unavailable
Paula Montenegro says
Absolutely!
Mona says
hi thanks for this great recipe, Q/ how can i make this in a 12 cup bundt pan? i tired it in 12 cup pan and it was a little flat :\
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Mona, glad you liked it! It's meant for a 10-cup bundt pan. For a larger one, you can try making 1 recipe and 1/3
Jessica Verret says
I was wondering what you used to decorate the top of the cake for the photos; are those fresh raspberries?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Jessica, I used chopped frozen raspberries because it was winter. If I have access to fresh ones I use them also.
Aynur says
Hi Paula,
I have made this cake several times now. Comes out perfect everyone! Thank you for such a lovely recipe!
Just wondering, I am hoping to make this cake for my son's birthday. Can I pour the batter into three 9 inch cake time to make a tiered cake??
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Aynur, so glad you like it! Yes, you should have no problem baking it in layers. I would recommend doing so a day ahead to give the crumb time to settle and be sturdier when you fill it.
Emma says
I am a completely inexperienced baker and this cake came out perfect! It was a huge hit and all of my friends absolutely loved it!
Paula Montenegro says
So glad to hear that Emma!
Leah says
Will this work with raspberry pie filing?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Leah, pie filling is too wet and I don't think is the best option.
You can probably add a ribbon of it by pouring half the cake batter in the pan, spreading a few tablespoons of the pie filling on top and adding the rest of the batter. I haven't tried it so not sure how it will distribute.
Sandra says
Great! Thank you for your response . Good to know I can freeze for future as well. I wrapped it tightly on Saran Wrap
Sabrina says
I’ve made this cake already numerous times and my family and I love it. It’s delicious and I haven’t had any issues with it. Quick question, can I make this batter ahead? I was wondering if I could leave the batter overnight in the fridge and bake it the following morning.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Sabrina, glad you all like it! I never leave batters that long, and I never tried out and see what happened. I probably should because lately a lot of people are asking that question. Once you add the baking powder it will eventually start to act and at some point, it will start to lose its power, especially after so many hours. You might try not to add it until you're ready to bake, but I can't guarantee the result.
Angie O. says
I made this cake today as a gift to a neighbor whose favorite Nothing Bundt flavor is white chocolate raspberry. Obviously they aren't visiting the shop these days (thanks, COVID-19). I did have an issue with some berries settling to the bottom (top of the cake), which led to some messy breakage, but I covered it up as best I could with the icing. Maybe I should have waited longer to remove from the pan? Overall, I think the flavor checks out and I will definitely make this again.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Angie, you can mix the fruit with a tablespoon of flour before adding it to the batter and it will prevent that to some extent. Waiting to remove the cake isn't always the best way as the sugars in the fruit cool down and stick more. Using the refrigerator method when preparing the pan helps with this. Hope this helps!
Angie O. says
thanks, and yes, i followed all of your recommendations. could very well have been that those berries were on the bottom to begin with . no biggie- the neighbors loved it!
Tina says
Made this to take for Mother's Day it came out absolutely beautiful. Thank you for an incredible recipe.
Paula Montenegro says
Thank YOU Tina! Have a great Sunday!
Sandra says
Hi Paula
I’ve made this cake several times now and everyone loves it. I always advise them to keep refrigerated due to the berries on top . Is that correct or would it be ok to leave outside at room temperature?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Sandra, so glad you like it! I agree with you and recommend refrigerating after the first day. Fruit tends to ferment, so it's always a good idea to keep it cold. It's essential that it's well covered though so it dries out as little as possible. I sometimes freeze it if I know it won't get eaten in the next few days.