Dark Chocolate Cake with White Chocolate Frosting

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with cooking parchment paper. In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another small bowl, beat water and cocoa with whisk until well blended. Set both bowls aside.
2. In large bowl, beat 2/3 cup softened butter and the granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes or until fluffy, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. On low speed, beat in one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition, just until smooth. Repeat with flour mixture and cocoa mixture, ending with flour mixture. Scrape side of bowl occasionally. Beat in sour cream until blended. Spread batter evenly in pans (about 2 cups batter each). Tap pans on counter 2 to 3 times to eliminate air bubbles from batter.
3. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave white chocolate uncovered on High 30 seconds; stir. Continue to microwave in 15-second increments until white chocolate is melted and can be stirred smooth. Cool 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup softened butter with electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Beat in cooled melted white chocolate. On low speed, beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until frosting is smooth and creamy.
6. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread 3/4 cup of the frosting on top; top with second cake layer. Spread 3/4 cup of the frosting on top; top with third cake layer. Frost sides with a thin layer of frosting so sides are covered but cake is still showing through. Spread thin layer of frosting on top of cake.
7. Place remaining frosting in decorating bag fitted with medium star tip. To pipe rosettes, apply steady pressure to bag while squeezing, and pipe in tight circle to make rosette flower. Stop squeezing, and quickly lift bag off. Pipe rosettes in different sizes to cover top of cake. Pipe small stars to fill in empty spaces. Use photo as guide. Refrigerate uncovered 2 hours.
8. Store any remaining cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

Tips

• We tested this recipe using Hershey’s™ Special Dark™ cocoa. What a rich dark cocoa look and taste!
• For best results in this recipe, use the white chocolate bar, and not white vanilla baking chips. We tested this recipe using Lindt™ classic recipe white chocolate bar.
• The “half-dressed” or thin layer of frosting on the outside of a cake allows the layers to show through. It’s impressive and easy!
• No wrong way to decorate the top of this cake! Have fun piping different sizes of rosettes and stars to create your own fun look.

Nutrition Information