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White Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling





     Last weekend was my Mom's birthday. My philosophy is that everyone needs cake on their birthday. So I made her a cake, a special cake. Just for my MOM! If you read my last post about Raspberry Jam, if not you can read it here, I explained that I had a recipe in the works to use with this Jam. This is the recipe! I wanted it to be a surprise for my mom. The thought process on what kind and how was weeks in the making. The tries were tedious, but well worth it, even getting up at 5am on Saturday morning to remake the cake that I made the night before because I didn't think that it had the right texture; but worth it. She is a special lady and deserves the best, so if getting up at 5am to remake cakes then by golly I was going to do it. I did it, and it was SPECTACULAR!


     The cake was a layer cake flavored with decadent white chocolate, filled with semi tart raspberry jam, and frosted with a white chocolate cream cheese frosting. The flavors all complemented each other nicely. And was it delicious. Think white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. The frosting for the cake is not overly sweet it balances with the cake and does not overpower the other flavors. It is very complementary. The filling is a nice surprise. You have a sweet cake and then the fruity tart filling that floods your flavor senses. My mouth is watering, even though I have eaten this cake all week and should be sick of it by now. I am not, it is that good. Remind you that I had cakes one and two to eat too, PLUS the pieces that my mother MADE ME take home of her cake, so I should be full of cake and thinking or typing about it should make me cringe. I say: BRING ON MORE CAKE!




WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE

3 c. all-purpose flour 
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks butter, room temperature 
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c heavy cream
11 oz. white chocolate, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter at low speed until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla. At low speed, alternately beat in the dry ingredients and the milk in 2 additions. Add the melted white chocolate and beat just until incorporated. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pans and smooth the surfaces.
Bake the cakes in the center of the oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Chill.
Slice each cake in half and spread the raspberry jam on three of the cake halves, stacking one on top of the other as you go. Chill cake again. Once the cake is fully assembled, you will want to keep refrigerated. Let cake slices warm up to room temperature for best taste. Store cake in the refrigerator after slicing.


WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature
12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
3 c. confectioner sugar
11 oz white chocolate, melted

Mix butter and cream cheese together until creamy. Slowly add confectioner sugar, one cup at a time. Add the melted chocolate and stir until incorporated. Chill slightly and then frost the entire cake.




RASPBERRY JAM FILLING


5 c. fresh or frozen red raspberries
4 c. white sugar
1 lemon, juiced
1 box pectin

In a large saucepan add sugar, berries, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and cook until sugar and berries have dissolved, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Add pectin. Boil for 15 minutes and remove from heat. You may add to hot sterilized jars and seal at this point, or cool slightly and transfer to containers to freeze or store in the refrigerator.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMA CRUMBS...!!!

Raspberry Jam


  Homemade Jam. Mmmm! There are so many uses for jam. Not only is it made for slathering on morning toast, it provides a great filling base. Check out the Summer Blueberry Pie post and you will see what I mean. There are many things to do with jam. Monte Crisco sandwich anyone? I recently have been eating it with cheeses. Cheese and jam or honey is a big thing right now. I tried it at a cooking confrence that I attended and have been addicted ever since. I love it. My cheese plate is not complete without jam.

This jam recipe is simple and easy. It is a little on the tart side, but there was a method for this madness. I have a recipe in the works and this jam is going to be used in it. I will be posting this at a later date. Until that time I am going to keep you in suspense. Trust me it won't be long and even though it is agonizing it will be worth the wait. 

Red Raspberry Jam

5 c. fresh or frozen red raspberries
5 c. white sugar
1 lemon, juiced
1 box pectin

In a large saucepan add sugar, berries, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and cook until sugar and berries have dissolved, stirring occassionally to prevent scorching. Add pectin. Boil for 15 minutes and remove from heat. You may add to hot sterilized jars and seal at this point, or cool slightly and transfer to containers to freeze or store in the refrigerator.