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Home » Baking & Desserts » Cakes » White Chocolate Cake

26 August 2020

White Chocolate Cake

White chocolate cake – A delicious, soft sponge cake packed full of white chocolate chips and topped with smooth white chocolate buttercream.

Skip to the recipe | Recipe FAQs

A two-layer white chocolate cake on a white cake stand.

One question I’m asked quite regularly is how to tweak my chocolate cake recipe to make a white chocolate cake.

To take out the guesswork, I decided to get into the kitchen and start testing.

It turned out that simply switching the milk chocolate in the chocolate cake for white wasn’t going to cut it. When I tested it I ended up with a cake that lacked flavour, sank in the middle and had an odd texture – definitely not something I’d be happy to share with you all.

In order to create a cake that’s packed full of white chocolate flavour and has the delicious soft sponge you all seem to love I had to start from scratch and design something completely new.

I know some of you like to understand why I do different things in different cakes – it always surprises me how carefully some of you go through my recipes spotting subtle differences and asking about them. If you like that detail then keep reading. If you’re just here for the recipe and all of my bonus tips and FAQs then jump to the section you want:

  • RECIPE
  • WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE FAQs
    • How long does this cake last for and how should it be stored?
    • Can this recipe be used to make cupcakes?
    • Can this cake be covered in fondant?
    • What have you decorated this cake with?
    • Can I make this cake without a microwave?
    • Can I use fat-free natural yogurt?
    • Can I substitute the white chocolate chips for dark or milk?
    • What is this cake free from? Who is it suitable for?

The story of this cake

One of the biggest challenges I had with this cake was filling it with white chocolate flavour. White chocolate is much more subtle that its darker cousins so you need more of it. Also, rather than the chocolate being melted or grated into the cake mixture (as I do with my regular chocolate cake) it needs to be in bigger chucks.

The addition of white chocolate chunks/chips presents a new challenge – creating a sponge that’s light and fluffy, but at the same time having enough structure to hold the chocolate chips. Many websites recommend tossing the chips in a little flour prior to adding them to the cake mixture. That is definitely useful (and something I recommend in this recipe), but alone is not enough to keep them suspended in the cake if they really want to sink to the bottom.

This led me to a complete redesign of my sponge and has resulted in a whole new cake that has the same great texture and flavour as all of my other sponge recipes, but is also capable of holding those white chocolate chips right where they should be.

A slice of white chocolate cake on a plate.

So, how does this sponge recipe differ from my usual cake recipes?

More flour

To suspend the chocolate chips in the cake it needs more structure and a great way to add structure is to increase the amount of flour.

Switching from using the all-in-one method to the creaming method

However, increasing the amount of flour can lead to a cake that’s dense and heavy. To counter this, I switched from my usual all-in-one method (where I chuck everything in one bowl at the same time and mix), to the creaming method. Using the creaming method, the butter (or margarine) and sugar are beaten together and then the eggs are slowly added. This method adds more air into the cake mixture, helping to give the sponge a good rise and make it light and fluffy.

Increasing the cooking temperature and reducing the cooking time

Increasing the cooking temperature means that the cake sets more quickly giving the chocolate chips less time to wander down through the cake. To ensure the cake doesn’t dry out, the cooking time is shorter than you will see for many of my other recipes for cakes of the same size.

Sprinkling the chocolate chips in a little flour

This is a well known method for helping bits in cake to stay put. As a bonus, to help this work even better, I pop the chips into the microwave for 10 seconds before tossing them in the flour. This 10 second burst is enough to make the outside of the chips a little tacky (but still solid, defined lumps) which helps the flour to stick.

Sprinkling some of the chocolate chips on top of the cake mixture

When I make this cake I mix most of the chocolate chips into the cake mixture. However, I like to keep back roughly one third to sprinkle on top of the cake before it bakes. This helps to give the most even distribution of chocolate chips in the sponge. You will find that this gives the top of your cake a rather uneven finish (as the cake rises around the chips), but once you’ve added your buttercream you won’t notice.

If you’d rather have a smoother finish to your cake, you can mix all of the chocolate chips into the cake mixture, but be warned, you’re likely to end up with a slightly less even distribution.

How the undecorated sponges should look. The top is slightly uneven around the chocolate chips.

Switching some of the eggs for yogurt

For a 20cm sponge I’d usually use four eggs. However, in this recipe I’ve switched out some of the eggs for natural yogurt. When I tested this recipe using just eggs the chocolate chips fell through the cake and ended up in a (rather delicious) layer at the bottom. However, switching out half the eggs for yogurt helps to suspend them in the cake.

I’ve tried and tried to figure out why this works but I’m yet to discover the secret. I had originally thought it was down to the relatively density of eggs and yogurt, but they’re almost identical so it’s not that. Any genius suggestions in the comments would be most welcome as I love to really understand what’s happening when I bake.

Adding a little bicarbonate of soda

As I’m using yogurt in this cake, which is slightly acidic, I’ve added a little bicarbonate of soda to give the cake an extra lift.

A white chocolate cake on a cake stand.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE FAQS

If it’s your first time making this recipe or you have a question then please take a moment to have a read through my white chocolate cake FAQs for lots of extra tips, suggested ingredient substitutions (if you need to make any) and allergen information.

  • How long does this cake last for and how should it be stored?
  • Can this recipe be used to make cupcakes?
  • Can this cake be covered in fondant?
  • What have you decorated this cake with?
  • Can I make this cake without a microwave?
  • Can I use fat-free natural yogurt?
  • Can I substitute the white chocolate chips for dark or milk?
  • What is this cake free from? Who is it suitable for?

If there’s something you’d like to know that I’ve not answered here then please let me know in the comments.

How long does this cake last for and how should it be stored?

This cake will last for up to a week stored in an airtight container.

❄️ Suitable for freezing

This cake is also suitable for freezing, either just the sponges or the buttercreamed cake (minus any sprinkles).

To freeze just the sponges, I recommend wrapping them in clingfilm to protect them and then freezing.

To freeze the finished cake, either:

  • Pop it into a freezer-safe airtight container or
  • Put it into the freezer uncovered for a couple of hours (until the buttercream is firm) and then wrap the cake in clingfilm.

If you take the second approach, I’d recommend removing the clingfilm before the cake has defrosted as that’ll help to keep your buttercream neat.

I would recommend eating this cake when it’s freshly made rather than freezing it. It freezes well, but we found the chocolate chips were a bit firmer after it had been defrosted and preferred the texture before freezing.

Can this recipe be used to make cupcakes?

Yes.

The mixture is enough to make 16 cupcakes. As they’re smaller they’ll only need to be baked for approximately 18 minutes rather than the 25 recommended in the recipe.

Can this cake be covered in fondant to make a birthday/celebration cake?

Yes.

The sponge is firm enough to support a layer of fondant.

What is the cake decorated with?

How you choose to decorate your finished cake is up to you, but I’ve used a sprinkling of freeze-dried raspberries (to add a bit of colour) and some white chocolate shavings.

Can I use fat-free natural yogurt?

I wouldn’t recommend using fat-free yogurt as the fat content in the yogurt helps to ensure you get a moist, fluffy sponge. Using a fat-free version may leave you with a sponge that’s a little dry.

I don’t have a microwave, can I still make this cake?

Yes.

In the recipe I recommend popping the white chocolate chips into the microwave for 10 seconds before tossing them in flour and adding them to the cake mixture. The purpose of giving them a very brief blast in the microwave is the make the outsides ever so slightly tacky which helps the flour to stick. This in turn helps the chocolate chips to remain suspended in the cake.

The recipe will works perfectly well without this little blast in the microwave, however you may find the chocolate chips are a little more likely to sink during baking.

Can I substitute the white chocolate chips for dark or milk?

Yes.

I’ve designed this cake as a white chocolate cake, but any type of chocolate chips will work equally as well.

What is this cake free from? / Who is this cake suitable for?

The ingredients I used to make this recipe are all free from the following allergens. However, please check any labels carefully for allergens you need to avoid as brands can vary, and product recipes can change over time.

  • Suitable for Vegetarians
  • Tree-Nut Free
  • Peanut-Free
  • Sesame-Free
  • Sulphite-Free
  • Lupin-Free
White chocolate cake on a cake stand.

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White chocolate cake on a cake stand.

White Chocolate Cake

White chocolate cake – A delicious, soft sponge cake packed full of white chocolate chips and topped with smooth white chocolate buttercream.
5 from 9 votes
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Active Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
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INGREDIENTS

For the white chocolate sponge

  • 240 g self-raising flour - plus an extra ½ tsp of flour to mix with the chocolate chips
  • 200 g margarine or butter - if you're using butter, make sure it's soft and at room temperature
  • 200 g caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 80 g full-fat natural (or greek) yogurt
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 200 g white chocolate chips - or finely chopped white chocolate
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract

For the white chocolate buttercream

  • 175 g butter - soft and at room temperature
  • 175 g icing sugar
  • 140 g white chocolate
  • A little milk - if needed to get the buttercream to the right consistency

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the white chocolate sponges

  • Pre-heat your oven to 180°C/160°C fan.
  • Line two 20cm round sandwich tins with greaseproof paper or reusable baking liners.
  • Microwave your white chocolate chips (200g) for 10 seconds – you want them to be tacky around the edges, not melted.
    Add ½ tsp of flour to the white chocolate chips and toss the chocolate chips in the flour until they coated in it.
  • In a large bowl, cream together the butter/margarine (200g) and caster sugar (200g) until it's light in colour with a fluffy texture.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together your eggs (2 large), natural yogurt (80g) and vanilla extract (¼ tsp) with a fork until just combined.
    Gradually add the egg and yogurt mixture into the butter and sugar. Beat in each addition well before adding more – don't panic if the mixture starts to look a little split (thats' down to the yogurt).
  • Add the self-raising flour (240g) and bicarbonate of soda (½ tsp) and fold into the other ingredients.
  • Finally add roughly ⅔ of the white chocolate chips and fold them into the cake mixture.
  • Divide your cake mixture between the two prepared tins. Use the back of a spoon to spread the cake mixture evenly in the tins.
    Sprinkle the remining chocolate chips over the top of the cake mixture.
  • Bake the cakes for approximately 25 minutes, until a skewer entered into the middle comes out clean.
  • Once baked, leave the cakes to cool in their tins for about 10 minutes, before removing them from the tins and putting them on a wire rack to cool completely.

While your cakes are cooling, make the white chocolate buttercream

  • Break the white chocolate (140g) and melt it over a bain marie (in a bowl over a pan of simmering water) or in short bursts in the microwave.
    Once the chocolate has melted, allow it to cool to room temperature (but make sure it's still runny).
  • Once the chocolate has cooled, beat together the butter (175g) and icing sugar (175g) until combined.
  • Gradually add the melted, cooled white chocolate, beating constantly to combine it with the butter and sugar.
  • Check the consistency of your buttercream – it should be a soft, spreadable consistency, but not runny.
    If the buttercream is a little stiff, add some milk (no more that 1 tsp at a time) until you have the consistency you want.
    If the buttercream is a little too soft, pop it into the fridge for a short while to firm up a bit.
  • Once your buttercream is ready, build your cake. Place one layer of sponge onto your serving dish. Add half of the buttercream and spread it across the sponge – I use a small palette knife. Repeat with the second sponge.
    Add your preferred decoration – I use freeze-dried raspberries and white chocolate shavings.
    Enjoy!

NOTES

If this is your first time making this recipe then I’d recommend having a read of the main blog post as this contains lots of extra tips as well as the answers to some recipe FAQs.
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NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Calories: 581kcal | Carbohydrates: 60.9g | Protein: 6.1g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 15.5g | Sodium: 246.5mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 47g

Any nutritional information provided is the estimated nutritional information per serving. Please refer to my guide to Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen nutritional information if you would like to learn more about how this is calculated.


Author: Charlotte Oates

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Angela says

    February 19, 2023 at 3:04 pm

    Hi,
    Could this be made as one large cake then cut, rather than in two sandwich tins? If so, what size tin would you recommend please?

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      March 01, 2023 at 1:00 am

      I would strongly recommend using 2 tins as using one large tin can result in a dry crust and undercooked centre.

  2. Lynette says

    February 17, 2023 at 11:06 am

    HIya, I usually use raspberry jam and buttercream in vanilla sponge cakes, would raspberry jam be suitable for this cake, or would you stick with just a buttercream filling?

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      March 01, 2023 at 12:59 am

      Sounds like a delicious addition!

  3. Anna says

    January 26, 2023 at 8:50 am

    Hi, I wonder if I can use this recipe to make a chocolate cake – replace white chocolate chunks with milk chocolate and add some cocoa powder. Would that work? I only need one layer of the chocolate sponge that would sit between the white chocolate sponges.

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      January 30, 2023 at 11:58 pm

      I would recommend using my Easy Chocolate Cake recipe for the extra layer to make sure the balance of flavours and texture is just right.

  4. Jenny Doyle says

    October 20, 2022 at 6:07 pm

    Can this recipe be adapted to small square sized cake like your chocolate cake can?

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      October 23, 2022 at 7:08 pm

      It’s not something I’ve tested. What size of tin were you looking to use?

  5. Kath Burke says

    September 11, 2022 at 3:32 pm

    Is it possible to make the cakes and then freeze them in advance of the occasion, to save time? Thanks

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      October 03, 2022 at 7:48 pm

      Yes

  6. Toni says

    September 10, 2022 at 11:40 pm

    Would this cake be suitable for colouring? I’m making a Spider-Man cake and hoping to make red and blue sponges. Also what food colouring would you recommend using please?

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      October 03, 2022 at 8:19 am

      It is. I’d use a good quality gel colour.

  7. Ruth says

    July 14, 2022 at 10:07 am

    Hi, could I add grated white chocolate (I don’t want chunks) & is this cake suitable for fresh fruit and a liquor soak/syrup. Thanks so much for the tutorial

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      July 27, 2022 at 8:11 pm

      It should work but it’s not something I’ve tested so cannot be certain of the results.

  8. Sue (cambridge foodies) says

    June 07, 2022 at 2:41 pm

    Thanks this I have researched extensively and your recipes are well explained and tested! Quick question- I wish to use either freeze dried raspberries or fresh ( small quantity only due to density) in the cake . What do you suggest?

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      June 30, 2022 at 10:17 pm

      I haven’t tested this with either, Freeze-dried will definitely work as they’re light so will hold well in the sponge along with the chocolate chips. I would also expect raspberries to work, but you may find they sink due to the additional weight.

  9. Helen says

    May 27, 2022 at 9:14 am

    Hello, this sounds yummy! Would it work using gluten free flour and raising agent? Thanks

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      May 28, 2022 at 8:10 pm

      I haven’t tested it, but I would expect it to work fine.

  10. Elizabeth E. Robinson says

    May 22, 2022 at 5:33 am

    5 stars
    Hello Charlotte,
    I do appreciate your allergy safety list, thank you!
    What is lupin? I am in the US, so I thought it might be something from abroad. As we have many allergies in our family, I did look it up. The internet was of no help, and our library is still closed. Would you be so kind?
    Thank you!
    Elizabeth R.

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      May 22, 2022 at 7:58 pm

      Here’s some information about it.

      https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/lupin-and-allergenicity-frequently-asked-questions

      I don’t think I’ve ever actually come across anything with it in in the UK, it’s more common in continental Europe.

  11. Susan says

    March 30, 2022 at 3:41 pm

    Hi there,
    What cake tins should be used for this recipe. Every time I try to bake white chocolate cakes they burn. Should I line my tin with brown paper to prevent the burning before it is cooked.

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      March 31, 2022 at 3:56 pm

      I use these Delia Smith light silver tins made from aluminium. Using darker tins can result in a darker bake. I also use Bake-o-Glide reusable liners which prevent any sticking. I hope that helps.

  12. Kara says

    February 20, 2022 at 11:37 pm

    Hi
    Could I use nestle milky bar white chocolate in the sponge if I cut them into small crumbs or grated?

    Reply
    • Chloe Edges says

      February 27, 2022 at 11:30 pm

      You can use a bar of any white chocolate and yes, cut or break it into small pieces before melting.

  13. Anne says

    January 19, 2022 at 8:32 pm

    How much more ingredients for a 9 inch or 10 inch cake please

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      April 03, 2022 at 8:12 am

      I haven’t tested this cake in a large tin so I cannot guarantee what the results would be.

      However, for a 9″ tin you need to increase the ingredients by 25% and for a 10″ tin by 50%.

  14. Sophie says

    November 20, 2021 at 8:43 pm

    Hi Charlotte,
    This is now the second time I’ve made this cake and it is delicious. I’m a little bit concerned as the mixture seems quite stodgy when splitting it between tins and when I take it out of the oven, the middle sinks but the edges are crusty (almost burnt), and when I take it out of the tin, the edges crumble. I am hoping to use this recipe as a middle tier for a wedding cake but need to get it right before I can think of that. Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      November 23, 2021 at 10:55 pm

      I’m not too sure. How are you lining your tins and what type of oven do you have?

  15. Vickie Wood says

    October 28, 2021 at 9:56 pm

    I don’t see a link to the calculator so I could do this in 2 x 25 cm tins.

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      November 01, 2021 at 10:10 pm

      I’ve not tested it in a larger tin, but if I was going to give it a go I’d increase the ingredients by 50%.

  16. Helen Woolley says

    October 27, 2021 at 1:33 pm

    I would like to bake this cake in two 18 cm tins. What would the recipe be,

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      November 01, 2021 at 10:10 pm

      I’ve not tested it in 18cm tins so cannot guarantee the results, but I would use 75% of the ingredients listed in the recipe if I wanted to give it a try.

  17. Debbie jones says

    September 28, 2021 at 8:08 am

    I want to make a three layer 6″ cake, I guess this amount of recipe would be just right but do you have any suggestions for baking times? I’m guessing quicker than 25 minutes but longer than for cupcakes?

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      September 28, 2021 at 3:15 pm

      Splitting the mixture (using the quantities given in the recipe) between three tins will actually result in slightly deeper cakes that using 2×8″ tins. Therefore I would expect the cooking time to rise slightly from that given in the recipe. I’d check them after 25 minutes, but expect them to need to be popped back in for a few more minutes.

  18. Sophie Cunningham says

    September 18, 2021 at 11:48 am

    Hi, would this cake be suitable to freeze?

    Reply
    • Charlotte Oates says

      September 21, 2021 at 5:44 pm

      Yes, there’s information about freezing the cake in the FAQs. You can jump straight to the right section with this link:

      https://charlotteslivelykitchen.com/white-chocolate-cake/#Q1

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