I know I may have mentioned it once or twice (or a thousand) times before but I am a Birthday cake addict. I'm not fussy either. It doesn't have to be my Birthday, I just love Birthday cake. I love eating it and oh how I love to make it. Last weekend we celebrated The Twins' mum's Birthday and of course I put my hand up to make the surprise Birthday cake.
Deciding on the type of cake wasn't difficult - she loves white chocolate mud cake but I didn't want to do a plain white chocolate ganache. I don't know about you but I find it overly sweet and this cake is sweet enough.
For some reason my brain always turns to raspberries when I need something to cut the sweetness. It also helped that they'd add a lovely natural pink - the Birthday girl's favourite colour.
I wanted to do a double layer so there'd be a nice surprise icing spread between the two cakes when she cut into them so I was going to double the recipe.
That's when I saw there was 350g of butter in one cake. IN ONE CAKE! Yes this was going to be tasty. Instead I trusted my instinct and made one batch knowing I could make another if it didn't spread between the two tins. Let me tell you, one batch was plenty. If you only want a small cake I'd even advise halving the recipe although dividing 3 eggs in half may prove tricky. Maybe you could divide it by 3?
The original recipe advises you not to discard the trimmings when you even out the top of the cake. It actually tells you to eat them because they're tasty. Well who am I to not follow instructions? I may have gone to bed with a bit of a sore belly on Friday night. Don't make this cake alone if you have weak self control. It's really really moreish.
Sorry about the inside shot. I forgot to take my camera to the party and these were some terrible snaps with my phone while trying to stay out of the way of the cake eaters.
The pretty and girly theme sort of came out of nowhere when I started randomly decorating before bed on Friday night. I slightly regretted making the pearl trim when I got what I thought had to be nearly all the way around and realised I was about a quarter done. It does look rather nice though so remind yourself of that if you decide to copy mine and start to curse me.
I made the little flowers with an 8-point fat star tip and added some sugar pearls to the middle of each one. I've also done bigger versions with a Malteaser in the middle (yum!). I absolutely loved this cake and I'm not even a big white chocolate fan. To me it's really more like a white mud-cake or a chocolate mud cake for people who can't have chocolate. Enjoy!
What about you? Do you like making or eating Birthday cakes or both?
Also if you love this recipe make sure you try my chocolate mud cake recipe.
Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- 180 g 6.3oz white chocolate, chopped
- 350 g 12.3oz unsalted butter, softened
- 2 ⅔ cups caster superfine sugar
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 2 cups plain flour
- ⅔ cups self raising flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 free-range eggs slightly beaten
Icing
- 4 tablespoon butter softened
- 100 g 3.5oz raspberries, fresh or frozen and thawed
- 4 cups icing confectioner's sugar
- A few tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 140C (310F) fan-forced and grease and line two round 20cm cake tins.
- In a large saucepan, combine the white chocolate, butter, sugar and milk and stir over medium heat until smooth.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and set aside to cool for at least 15 minutes.
- In another bowl, sift the flours together and in a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and vanilla.
- Alternate between the flours and the eggs and whisk them into the chocolate mixture, half at a time. Whisk just until everything is incorporated.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two tins and bake for 1h 45m or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Leave the cakes to rest in the tins for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and creamy.
- Add the raspberries and beat until smooth.
- Slowly add the icing sugar beating until it is all mixed in.
- Add a little milk to get it to a spreadable consistency and then beat for 2-3 minutes or until fluffy.
- Slice the top off one of the cakes to flatten it out and place, bottom down, onto a serving plate.
- Ice the cut side of the cake.
- Trim the other cake then place it cut-side-down on top of the first cake.
- Ice the cakes completely then decorate as you wish.
fernanda says
hi Claire, I've made this recipe and your chocolate mud cake one! Both turned out delicious!!! But they always burn on the sides and top! Why is that?? I've done it a couple of times and tried not using the fan, tried lower temperatures... and it only takes more time but by the time it's baked inside, the outsides are all burnt.... what could be happening? thanks! xx
Claire says
Hi Fernanda. Glad you like them but that's no good about the burning. My first thought is that perhaps your pan is not quite wide enough. That can make the outside cook faster because it takes a while for the heat to get into the middle. I'd have a go using a wider tin. Good luck!
Elfie says
Hi Claire,
I'd like to make your cake for 25 people, could you be so kind to let me know the quantities needed to cover a 4 layer cake to feed 25 or more people with your raspberry icing? I find buttercream too sweet together with the white chocolate ganache and white chocolate cake. I would really appreciate it
Many thanks
Elfie
Claire says
Hi Elfie. I would probably double the recipe to feed 25. Just to be on the safe side you could make triple the icing. I hope that helps. Sorry I can't be more specific. x Claire
Rhiannon says
Hi Claire - so glad to have found your website and this recipe. Just a question, as I'm hoping to make this for my sons 1st birthday, how long does it keep without the icing? I need to make this a few days in advance if possible and then ice the night before. Thanks so much! Rhi
Claire says
Hi Rhi. I'm glad you found me! I usually give mudcakes at least 3 days. They're actually better after a couple of days I think! Happy 1st Bday to your son x
Kelly says
Hi. I just made this cake and it didnt even come close to be 10cm high. I know i havent iced it yet but its still very low. I've resorted to making another 1/2 recipe to add a third layer as it needs to feed 20-25 ppl. I followed the recipe exactly so am confused as to why it was so low. One pan was 20cm and one was slightly smaller...
Claire says
So sorry it didn't turn out Kelly. I hope the extra layer did the trick. The only thing I can think of is that your SR flour didn't have much rise in it?
maria glekas says
Hi Claire
I am looking to make this cake for my grand sons christening and cover it with fondant. Is it okay to leave at room temperature or does it need fridge.
Claire says
Hi Maria. I leave all my cakes at room temperature unless it is super hot so I will say yes.
Ria says
Hi Claire,
I'm so happy I found your website. I was looking for a moist white cake recipe to make for my daughter's baby shower. I see your recipe serves 16. I'm preparing for 40 ladies. What I'm going to do is make the cake and make the quantity up with cupcakes. If the cake bake for 1h 45m, how long will I have to bake the cupcakes?
Awesome, thank you and have a lovely day!
Ria
Claire says
Hi Ria,
This would be a little bit of trial and error but I'd start checking them after 30 minutes and then every 5 minutes if they seem nearly cooked. Sorry I can't be more specific.
Claire
Sara says
Hi Clare,
Just wondering, I've made this recipe as a cake and cupcakes and both are delicious! The cupcakes really work well! Could I change the White chocolate to dark chocolate to make it mud cupcakes? Would I need to change anything or would it be better to use a mud cake recipe!? Also, when it says to whisk, is that with an electric one? I don't usually but wondered if it would make them fluffier?
Claire says
Hi Sara,
I'm not 100% sure that would work but you could give it a try? I'd be more inclined to recommend my best ever chocolate mudcake recipe - https://www.clairekcreations.com/2013/02/the-best-ever-chocolate-mud-cake/
Whisk - either will do the trick. I go for electric cause it's easier.
Ebony says
Thanks so much Claire! Also, if I baked the cake today but didn't ice it until say Tommorrow morning, what would be the best way to store the cake itself overnight? In the fridge wrapped in glad wrap or just on the bench in glad wrap?
Claire says
I usually just leave them on the bench in an airtight container or wrapped in glad wrap.
Ebony says
Sorry Claire, I ment to say is there a certain height that the tin is supposed to be?
Thankyou!
Claire says
Oh sorry Ebony! My tins are about 6-7cm deep
Ebony says
Hey Claire,
I couldn't find what size tin you used for the two cakes so I was just wondering if you were able to let me know?
Thank you!
Claire says
Not a problem Ebony - they were 20cm round tins.
milena says
Hi Claire,
Im looking to make this cake at least one or even two layers higher. Do you think i will need to add additional support to hold it up? As you mentioned, it is quite generous.
thanks so much! xx
Claire says
Hi Milena. It's probably a good idea to add some re-inforcement to make sure it doesn't collapse. You can do this easily with straws with skewers in them and then a cake board on top then the next layer. Good luck!
Arielle says
Hi Claire!
This is such a great recipe and perfect for my best friends birthday who loves both these key ingredients! Do you know relatively how tall/high the cake is? I am hoping it will fit into a container I have, in order for me to be able to transport it! Thanks!
Claire says
Hi Arielle. I think it is about 10cm tall. You can make it in a bigger tin and just do one layer if you prefer? Or another option would be to ice it when you get there? I hope it works out and your friend loves it!
Debbie O'kane says
Do you know if this cake is dense enough to hold up under fondant? Thanks In advance!
Claire says
Hi Debbie. Yes it should be fine under fondant.
Melissa says
I have just made this for my son's 4th bday well the mudcake and swirled colours through it to ake it a rainbow mudcake I made a white choc buttercream icing put rasberry jam in the middle and covered in freckles and smarties I hope it is nice :)
Claire says
Oh yum Melissa that sounds wonderful. I bet he loved it!
The Café Sucré Farine says
I only like really GOOD birthday cakes Claire, if I'm going to splurge, I want to be really good. This looks like my kind of cake, so pretty, I know they LOVED it! Will you make my birthday cake?
Claire says
That's true Chris it has to be worth the splurge. I sure can. When are you coming to visit?
JJ - 84thand3rd says
My teeth kind of hurt just reading that cake recipe - but it does certainly look pretty! Now go have some of that silverbeet in your crisper ;D
Claire says
Haha ok JJ back to the silverbeet
Stephanie@Henry Happened says
it's so girly and pretty! the little pearls make it stylish too :)
Claire says
I thought so Stephanie!
Jess says
Oh my - that is one very pretty cake, friend! I have absolutely no self control with baked sweets, and an invitation to nibble on the pieces...well, it would be all over for me.
Claire says
I need to find some baking buddies so I don't eat it all myself!
Hotly Spiced says
The cake looks very pretty. Such a lovely colour. I bet your friend was overjoyed. Good on you for putting up your hand to make the cake xx
Claire says
I see it more as a privilege to get to make the cake! :-)
My Kitchen Stories says
Claie this is a beautiful, girly cake and I love cake too!
Claire says
Thanks Tania!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Aww what a pretty shade of pink! And yep fellow birthday cake addict here too. In fact I'm waiting for someone to have a birthday so that I can bake a cake! *taps feet impatiently*
Claire says
Didn't the raspberries make a nice colour? Maybe we should start celebrating half Birthdays?
The Life of Clare says
This cake looks amazing! I also love cake! All kinds! However it was J's birthday this week and I failed in my foodie wife duties and didn't even think to make a cake!
Claire says
I know what you mean Clare. Will's not a big cake eater so he's not really fussed if I make a Birthday cake or not!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I love the idea of cake but when I eat it I think, "why did I make so MUCH cake?" John doesn't eat cake so it's always up to me. :)
Your cake is really pretty, Claire!
Claire says
Me too Maureen! Will doesn't really eat cake either. It's dangerous!