Raspberry & White Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 500 g Butter or baking spread (softened, unsalted)
• 500 g Caster sugar
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 9 Eggs (large)
• 500 g Self raising flour
• 300 g Fresh raspberries
• 150 g White chocolate chips
• 350 g Butter (softened, unsalted)
• 700 g Icing sugar
• 175 g White chocolate (melted)
• 2 tbsp Milk
• 100 g Raspberry jam
• 16 Fresh raspberries
• 2 tbsp Freeze dried raspberries
• White chocolate curls (or grated white chocolate)

Instructions

1. 1

   Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4, and grease and line three 8" cake tins that are at least 2" deep

2. 2

   Make the sponge by mixing the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl, ideally with an electric mixer, until fluffy and pale

3. 3

   Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk until fully incorporated

4. 4

   Add the self raising flour and whisk in gently until you can't see any flour anymore

5. 5

   Toss the fresh raspberries and white chocolate chips in a a spoonful of flour, just enough to lightly coat them (this will help them stop sinking), then fold them in gently with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon

6. 6

   Divide the mixture between the tins, use scales for accuracy if you like

7. 7

   Bake them for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave them to fully cool either in the tins or on cooling racks

8. 8

   Make the buttercream by mixing together the butter on it's own for a few minutes, then add the icing sugar and milk and mix to combine, then add the melted white chocolate and mix until smooth. You can do this by hand or with an electric whisk. You can add more milk if the buttercream is too stiff

9. 9

   If the cakes have domed on top, level them off with a cake leveller or a knife

10. 10

    Put one of the sponges on your plate or cake stand, and pipe a border of buttercream rosettes around the edge of the sponge. Fill the centre with more buttercream and smooth it out into an even layer, and then add the raspberry jam over the top of the central flat layer of buttercream

11. 11

    Add the second layer and do the same as above

12. 12

    Add the final layer, pipe larger rosettes all around the edge and smaller ones in the centre, then decorate with the fresh raspberries around the edge, and sprinkle the freeze dried raspberries and white chocolate curls all over

13. 13

    Serve immediately, store leftovers in an airtight container in a cool place and eat within 3 days