White Chocolate Holiday Cake Recipes

HOLIDAY WHITE CAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add candy coating and extracts; beat well. Combine the flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in coconut. , Pour into two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Frost between layers; frost top and sides of cake.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, combine butter, water and white chocolate; cook and stir over low heat until melted. Remove from the heat; stir in the buttermilk, eggs and extracts. , In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour and pecans. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, baking soda and remaining flour. Gradually beat in butter mixture. Stir in pecan mixture. , Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a microwave, melt white chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter. Gradually beat in melted chocolate and extracts. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth., To assemble, spread 2 tablespoons of jam over one cake layer; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat layers twice. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of torte. Warm remaining jam; drizzle over dessert plates. Top with a slice of torte.

WHITE CHOCOLATE HOLIDAY BARK

Steps:

• Tempering the chocolate for the bark requires a double boiler. If you don't have a double boiler, improvise one by using a saucepan and a stainless steel bowl: Nestle the bowl into the saucepan, allowing a few inches of space to remain between the bottom of the bowl and the bottom of the saucepan. Keep an extra bowl of a similar size on hand to transfer the chocolate for cooling. Rest the chocolate thermometer on a towel. Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Pour a couple inches of water into the bottom half of the double boiler and heat over medium-low to just below a simmer. Put the chocolate in the top half of the double boiler and set over the hot water. Slowly melt the chocolate, stirring with a heat-resistant rubber spatula. As the chocolate melts, check the temperature periodically to make sure it stays between 82 and 86 degrees F. If it starts to rise above this temperature, quickly transfer the chocolate to the bowl on reserve and stir briskly to reduce heat. Return bowl to double boiler to maintain heat between 82 and 86 degrees F.
• Remove bowl from over the hot water just before all the chocolate melts. Stir vigorously until the chocolate melts completely. Check temperature again. Stir in the oil until evenly blended. Chocolate is now tempered and ready to use. Keep within the 82 to 86 degree F range, returning bowl briefly to the double boiler if necessary.
• Quickly stir the fruit and nuts into the chocolate. Spread chocolate mixture out on the prepared baking sheet so it's about 1/2-inch thick and the fruit and nuts are coated. Set bark aside at room temperature to harden. Break into angled pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

BEST WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter two 10-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Chop chocolate.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.
• Combine chopped chocolate with 1/2 cup cream in a heavy, medium saucepan over low heat; stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Mix in remaining 1/2 cup cream, 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons milk, and vanilla. Remove from the heat.
• Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with white chocolate mixture.
• Using an electric mixer fitted with clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Continue beating until stiff, but not dry.
• Fold egg whites into the cake batter in two additions. Divide batter among the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the oven until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in the cake pans for 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto a wire rack, peel off parchment paper, and let cool completely, about 15 more minutes.