Recipe: White Chocolate Fantasy Cake with Raspberry Filling

White Chocolate Fantasy Cake
with Raspberry Filling
From Better Homes & Gardens, Feb 1994

4 egg whites
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. finely shredded lemon peel
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 oz. white baking bar, chopped
3/4 cup half-and-half, light cream, or milk
1/3 cup margarine or butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 egg yolks
1 cup fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries
3 Tbsp. raspberry liqueur (optional)
1 recipe White Chocolate Frosting (recipe to follow)
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 recipe White Chocolate Curls (optional)
1/2 cup fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries (optional)
Powdered sugar (optional)

In a medium mixing bowl let egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a small mixing bowl stir together flour, lemon peel, baking powder, and salt. Set flour mixture aside.

Melt the 3 ounces white baking bar with 1/4 cup of the half-and-half, light cream, or milk in a small heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly till baking bar starts to melt. Immediately remove from heat and stir till baking bar is completely melted and smooth. Stir in remaining half-and-half, light cream or milk; cool.

In a large mixing bowl beat the margarine or butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or till softened. Add sugar and vanilla; beat till combined. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating till combined. Alternately add the flour mixture and the white baking bar mixture, beating on low to medium speed after each addition just till combined.

Wash beaters. In a medium miffing bowl beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed till stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Spread batter into 2 greased and ligtdy floured 8xl 1/2 inch round baking pans.

Bake in a 350F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till a wooden toothpick inserted near the center of cakes comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool cakes completely on racks.

In a small bowl combine the 1 cup berries and raspberry liqueur, if using. Set aside till needed.

Prepare the White Chocolate Frosting. To assemble cake, place one cake layer on a cake plate. Drain liqueur from berries, if using, and drizzle liqueur over cake layer on plate. Stir jam to soften. Spread jam, over cake layer. Top with one-third of the White Chocolate Frosting. Spoon the 1 cup berries atop.

Top the berries with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides with the remaining frosting. Gently place the White Chocolate Curls on the frosting on top of cake or all over top and sides of the cake. At this point, you can carefully cover the cake loosely with, plastic wrap and chill, for up to 24 hours.

Just before serving, sprinkle cake with the 1/2 cup berries and sift powdered sugar lightly over cake, if desired. Makes 10 servings.

White Chocolate Curls: Carefully draw a vegetable peeler across the broad surface of two or three 2-ounce white baking bars (or a 4- to 6-ounce chunk of white baking bar). This works best if baking bar is at warm room temperature. Use immediately or carefully place on paper towels in a covered storage container in a single layer. Store at
room temperature or chill.

WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
(Fix it just before frosting the cake.)

4 oz. white baking bar, chopped
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 Tbsp. cold water
1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin
3 Tbsp. sugar

Chill a medium mixing bowl and the beaters of an electric mixer. Place the white baking bar and 1/4 cup of the whipping cream in a small heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly till baking baking bar starts to melt. Immediately remove from heat and stir till smooth. Cool completely.

In a 1-cup glass measure combine the cold water and unflavored gelatin. Let stand for 2 minutes. Place cup in saucepan of boiling water. Heat and stir till gelatin is completely dissolved. In the chilled mixing bowl beat the remaining 1/4 cups whipping cream and sugar with the chilled beaters on medium speed while gradually drizzling gelatin over the whipping cream mixture. Beat till soft peaks form. Continue beating, gradually adding cooled baking bar mixture till stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat! Use immediately to frost cake. Makes about 2 1/2 cups frosting.