Description
This White Chocolate Raspberry Poke Cake combines a moist vanilla cake infused with a luscious homemade raspberry sauce and silky white chocolate ganache. Topped with a fluffy white chocolate mousse, fresh raspberries, and white chocolate curls, this dessert is a delightful blend of tartness and sweetness, perfect for special occasions or any time you want to impress with an elegant treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 2 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 6 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 and 1/4 cups milk or buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
For the Raspberry Sauce:
- 1 recipe homemade raspberry sauce (raspberries, sugar, lemon juice) – see instructions
For the White Chocolate Ganache:
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- Few drops white gel food colouring (optional)
For the White Chocolate Mousse:
- 3 oz. best-quality white chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 and 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled and divided
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For Decoration:
- White chocolate shavings or curls
- Fresh raspberries
Instructions
- Prepare Raspberry Sauce: Make the raspberry sauce by blending fresh raspberries with sugar and a splash of lemon juice, then strain to remove seeds. Set aside to cool completely.
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan: Position oven rack to the middle and preheat to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×13 inch cake pan with nonstick spray.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt then whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Cream Butter: In a stand mixer with paddle attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add Sugar & Sour Cream: Slowly add sugar while mixer runs and beat until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Mix in sour cream until combined.
- Add Egg Whites: Scrape down bowl sides, reduce speed to medium-low and add egg whites one at a time, mixing fully after each addition.
- Prepare Liquid Mixture: Mix oil, vanilla, and almond extract into the milk or buttermilk and set aside.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add one third of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, then add half the liquids and mix. Continue alternating dry and wet ingredients until all are combined, mixing gently after each addition.
- Scrape and Mix Thoroughly: Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
- Pour Batter and Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool Cake: Remove cake from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Melt White Chocolate Ganache: Combine white chocolate chips and 1/3 cup heavy cream in a heat-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Add white gel food coloring to whiten ganache if desired. Set aside to cool.
- Melt Chocolate for Mousse: Place chopped white chocolate and 1/4 cup heavy cream in a bowl, microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Cool completely.
- Whip Heavy Cream: In a medium bowl, whip remaining 1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream with a handheld mixer to soft peaks.
- Add Sugar and Vanilla: Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract to whipped cream and beat to stiff peaks.
- Fold in White Chocolate: Gently fold cooled white chocolate mixture into whipped cream until fully combined. Set aside.
- Poke Cake Holes: Using a large straw or skewer, poke rows of holes across the cooled cake.
- Fill Poke Holes: Alternate spooning raspberry sauce and white chocolate ganache into the poke holes row by row.
- Spread Mousse: Evenly spread the white chocolate mousse over the entire cake surface.
- Drizzle and Swirl: Drizzle extra white chocolate ganache and raspberry sauce over the mousse. Use a toothpick to swirl the drizzles for a marbled effect.
- Decorate: Top with fresh raspberries and white chocolate curls. Make curls by shaving a room temperature white chocolate bar with a vegetable peeler. Refrigerate overnight if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Make sure all your ingredients like butter, eggs, sour cream, and milk are at room temperature for best mixing results.
- The jelly or gel white food coloring is optional and only needed if you want a pure white ganache.
- You can prepare the raspberry sauce a day ahead and refrigerate it to save time.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, use milk plus 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes before using.
- Ensure the cake cools completely before poking holes to avoid breaking the cake.
- Refrigerate the assembled cake overnight for the flavors to meld and the mousse to set nicely.
- Use high quality white chocolate for the best flavor and texture in the ganache and mousse.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking, Whipping, Poke Filling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of cake)
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: White Chocolate Poke Cake, Raspberry Cake, White Chocolate Raspberry Dessert, Poke Cake, Raspberry Sauce Cake
