Sunday, December 20, 2009

Cake Slice - White Chocolate Cake or should I say cupcakes!


This month The Cake Slice Bakers decided to make a white chocolate layer cake, which is just perfect for Christmas in my opinion. The recipe calls for either 3 x 8" cake tins or 2 x 9" cake tins, and guess what? I only have 2 cake tins and they are both 6". So I headed out to the local supply store to get some 8" tins only to discover that they were $12 each!!! Ouch! Way too much money for me at the moment, so I decided to make cupcakes instead.

I have to say this cake was not what I expected. The cake was moist and light in texture, but I could barely taste the white chocolate. The icing on the other hand was great a delicious combination of cream cheese and white chocolate.


White Chocolate Cupcakes (adapted from Nancie McDermott)
Makes 30 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:


2 ½ cups cake flour, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
½ cup boiling water
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups caster sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

For the frosting:

6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
¾ tsp vanilla extract
3 cups icing sugar

Method for the cupcakes:
  1. Heat the oven to 180C and line 3 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake cases.
  2. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl, and stir with a fork to mix them well.
  3. Bring 3 inches of water to an active simmer in the bottom of a double boiler or a saucepan that will accommodate a medium heat proof bowl so that it sits snugly over the water. Melt the white chocolate in the top of the double boiler or in the bowl over the simmering water. Stir often, and then pour in the ½ cup of boiling water and stir to mix well. Remove from the heat.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine the butter and the sugar and beat with a mixed at medium speed to mix them together well. Add the egg yolks, one by one, beating each time to keep the mixture smooth. Add the white chocolate and the vanilla, and stir well to mix.
  5. Add about a third of the flour mixture, and then about half of the buttermilk, beating with a mixer at low speed just long enough after each addition to make the flour or buttermilk disappear. Mix in another third of the flour, remaining buttermilk and then the last of the flour.
  6. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites at medium speed until they are foamy and opaque. Continue beating at high speed until they swell into thick, pillowy mounds and hold peaks that are stiff, but not fry. Add one third of the egg white mixture to the bowl of batter, and fold it in gently using a spatula. Add the remaining egg whites and continue to fold with a light touch, until the egg whites are blended in well, with only a few streaks showing.
  7. Transfer the batter to the cupcake cases and bake for approximately 20 minutes until the cupcakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  8. Allow the cupcakes to cool.

Method for the White Chocolate Frosting:
  1. In the top of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl, melt the white chocolate over hot, not simmering, water, stirring often. Remove from the heat once melted and let cool to lukewarm.
  2. Transfer the melted white chocolate to a large bowl, and add the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Beat together at medium speed until you have a smooth sauce.
  3. Add the confectioners sugar and beat until smooth.

27 comments:

Cupcake Crazy Gem said...

These look cute and festive! and the icing sounds delicious!x

Rose said...

so nice and christmasy!

Gala said...

Nice! Of course you HAD to make cupcakes...and how fitting was it that the pans were so expensive, so you practically had no choice! :)

That frosting sounds great btw.

Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets said...

Mmm all these white chocolate recipes are making me crave this sweet that I haven't had in months. These look wonderful as usual!

symphonious sweets said...

Your cupcakes look great!

Karls said...

You are evil! All this white choc is going straight to my arse!

Renata said...

Reeeealy beautiful!!!

Jamie said...

That looks great.
I remember making white choc cupcakes that tasted nothing of choc as well. Weird isn't it?
Very moist cakes though.

Christy

apparentlyjessy said...

I wouldn't be paying for new cake tins this time of year either!
The cupcakes look lovely, and I am intrigued with the frosting recipe, I like the sound of white chocolate and cream cheese together!

Future Grown-Up said...

It was definitely your destiny to make cupcakes after the prices on those pans. Ouch.

That said, someday when I am a grownup baker, I want to be able to frost and decorate as nice as you. Your cupcakes look great.

Paris Pastry said...

I've made white chocolate cupcakes before and the taste was minimal. I would suggest adding some mini-marshmallows, to add a bit of flavor!

Brandy L said...

mmmmmmm these cupcakes are making me hungry :D

emma wallace said...

Sounds wonderful! The cupcakes sound like they had such a delicate flavor and the icing sounds aaaamazing!

iamemmamusic.blogspot.com

Katie said...

Your cupcakes look fab and I love the festive red and green spinkles. Wish I had thought of doing cupcakes as a whole white chocolate cake was a bit much.
Happy Christmas!

Rebecca said...

Oh wow, I'm so glad I found out about your blog - everything looks amazing! I'm such a sucker for sweets and baked things. :) I got your card from Emma's swap and thought I'd pop in to say hello. I'll definitely be following along from now on!!

Ash said...

Simple, cute and christmassy! love them!

Miss Dot said...

Ohhhh my mouth is watering. Cream cheese white chocolate frosting? Girl, you speak right to my stomach-- er, heart.

oneordinaryday said...

Oh, I'm such an awful Cake Slicer. I missed the last two months! Between Thanksgiving and Christmas and visiting relatives and traveling....
Oy. Just couldn't squeeze the cakes in with everything else!

Your cupcakes look delicious. Very festive with the sprinkles on top.

Jennifer said...

Very cute! Love the chocolate combination! Merry Christmas!

Gaia said...

It seems so delicious! you are my truly inspiration!
merry Christmas!

emma wallace said...

Just received your holiday card! Love it! And please extend my gratitude to Clive for his lovely illustration.

I hope you and your loved ones have a completely wonderful holiday week!

iamemmamusic.blogspot.com

Sugar Daze said...

wow, this sounds delicious! I'm a big white chocolate fan and will have to try this sometime. Happy Holidays!

Erin @ SYL: Slipcover Your Life said...

My tummy is now growling... Requesting these ingredients to be ready when I get to my parents house!

Allison said...

I agree with you. This cake was a pleasant surprise. Not super sweet like most things made with white chocolate are. I love the festive decorations you added to your cupcakes. Happy Holidays!

Amanda said...

White chocolate cake... I want.

Ingrid_3Bs said...

I think a lot of people thought that. They were please with the cake but didn't get the white chocolate or thought they were really sweet. As usual your cupcakes look lovely!
~ingrid

kanishk said...

how fitting was it that the pans were so expensive, so you practically had no choice!

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