Recipe: White Chocolate Cherry Torte with White Chocolate Frosting

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHERRY TORTE

"A cake becomes a torte when the layers are horizontally cut in half, making 4 thin layers instead of two.

6 oz white chocolate
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
4 large egg whites
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
White Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (if you're using dark pans, lower the heat to 325 degrees F). Coat two (9-inch) round cake pans lightly with no-stick cooking spray, such as Pam.

Melt 6 oz white chocolate over low heat or in microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) 2-4 minutes, stirring every minute. Cool and set aside.

Combine flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking soda in large bowl. Add buttermilk and butter; mix on low speed until dry ingredients are completely moistened. Stir in melted white chocolate.

Beat egg whites in clean, oil free bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold batter into egg whites. Spread batter evenly in pans. Tap pans on counter several times to remove air bubbles.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (This cake does not develop a typical brown surface.) Cool on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire rack.

WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

8 oz white chocolate
12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
2 cups Smucker's Cherry Preserves
3/4 cup sliced almonds

Melt 8 oz white chocolate over very low heat, or microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) 2-4 minutes, stirring at the end of each minute; let cool.

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl until smooth; gradually beat in chocolate; blend thoroughly. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat until smooth and fluffy.

ASSEMBLY:
Carefully slice each layer in half, with a serrated knife, to make 4 layers. Place 1 layer, cut side down, on serving plate. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting, then 1/2 cup preserves. Repeat with 2 more layers, cut side down. Spread preserves on top. Frost sides of cake and pipe or mound a border around top edge of cake. Sprinkle almonds over top of cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.