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Front view of whole bundt with white chocolate and raspberries, white and grey background

Raspberry White Chocolate Bundt Cake

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4.9 from 37 reviews

Smooth and delicious, this white chocolate cake with raspberries will make you a fan of this irresistible combination. The flavors are subtle and deep at the same time, the crumb is dense and tender, and the cake lasts for several days. It's a beautiful recipe for Christmas, bridal showers, baby showers and Mother's Day. You'll love this recipe if you like the Nothing bundt cakes version of this flavor combo!
 
  • Total Time: 3 hours
  • Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

Units

For the cake:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 oz white chocolate, very finely chopped or grated (or use mini white chocolate chips)
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup buttermilk (or whole milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice). See Notes below for substitutions.
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, optional
  • 3/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (I use frozen a lot as they are available year-round)

For the frosting:

  • 6 oz white chocolate, chopped
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream

Instructions

For the cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF/180°C.
  2. 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).
  3. 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. 
  4. Sift the rest of the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. I have the ingredients measured and sift them directly over the batter. 
  5. 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. 
  6. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and then beat for 1 minute.
  7. Beginning and ending with dry ingredients, add them in 3 parts alternating with buttermilk and vanilla in 2 parts.
  8. 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.
  9. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, spreading evenly.
  10. 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. 
  11. 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.
  12. Once you make sure it can be removed, do so over a wire rack and let cool completely.

For the frosting:

  1. Finely chop white chocolate and put in a bowl.
  2. 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. 
  3. 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.
  4. Put the cold cake on a wire rack with a parchment paper underneath or on a smooth surface like the kitchen counter or marble. 
  5. 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. 
  6. 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 1/4 cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt with 1 cup of whole milk. This will make the 1 1/4 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.

  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cooling time: 90 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Cakes
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American