White Velvet Cake
This three-layer White Velvet Cake has an ultra plush, melt-in-your-mouth crumb, whipped vanilla buttercream, and a white chocolate drip.
Servings: 10
Ingredients
For the White Velvet Cake
- 2 ½ cups (315g) cake flour
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened, diced
- ½ cup neutral oil avocado or canola
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 large egg whites
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Whipped Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted as needed
- 2 to 4 tablespoon heavy cream
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the White Chocolate Drip
- 190 grams white chocolate about 1 cup chips
- ¼ to ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon bright white gel food coloring
Instructions
To Make the White Velvet Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 6-inch cake pans and set aside
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter, a few tablespoons at a time, until the butter breaks up into small pieces, no larger than a peanut, and gets coated in flour.
- Mix together the oil and half of the milk in a spouted cup. Turn the mixer up to medium-low and stream in the milk mixture. Continue to mix until the batter is evenly moistened. Stop the mixer and thoroughly scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. The batter will not be smooth.
- Combine the remaining milk with the egg whites. Working in batches with the mixer on medium-low speed, pour in about ⅓ of the eggs at a time. After each addition of the eggs are absorbed into the batter, stop the mixer and thoroughly scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. The batter will look lumpy at first, but should smooth out by the final addition.
- Evenly distribute the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 23 to 26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a wire rack for 10 to 20 minutes before removing them from their pans.
To Make the Whipped Buttercream
- Using a stand (or hand) mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, 1 minute.
- Turn the mixer off and add the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of cream, vanilla, and salt. Begin mixing on low speed until the ingredients come together - scraping the bowl occasionally.
- Turn up the speed and mix at medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until the buttercream is light, airy, and nearly white. If needed, add the additional cream until desired consistency is achieved. The buttercream should spread smoothly without tearing the crumb of the cake but thick enough that it holds shape when piped and spread between the layers.
- If using to ice a smooth cake, vigorously stir with a wooden spoon or stiff spatula to knock out some of the air bubbles.
To Assemble
- Place one layer of cake on a cake board or serving plate. Dollop about ¾ cup frosting on top and spread out until smooth with an offset spatula. Place the next layer of cake on top and repeat.
- Flip the last layer upside down and place it on top of the cake. Crumb coat the cake in a thin layer of frosting. This traps in all of the loose crumbs and keeps them from getting in your final layer of frosting. Chill the crumb coated cake for 15 minutes.
- Make the white chocolate drip (instructions to follow)
- Drip the ganache around the edges of the cake then smooth it over the top.
To Make the White Chocolate Drip
- Chop the white chocolate (even the chips) and place in a heat-safe bowl.
- Microwave the cream for 45 to 60 seconds until warm.
- Pour ¼ cup cream over the white chocolate and gently whisk to melt.
- If needed, microwave the whole bowl at half power for 5 to 10 seconds at a time until fully melted. Add more cream if it is still too thick.
- Whisk in the white gel food coloring.
Notes
Tips for White Chocolate Drip:
- Always make a test drip to check the consistency. It should be smooth and flowy, but not warm or it could melt the cake. If it is too thick, it won't slide down the sides of the cake.
- Start with a chilled cake. A cold cake with chilled buttercream will help slow the drop for better control.
- If the ganache thickens too much before you are done, briefly microwave to warm (5 seconds at a time on half power).
- Use a spoon to drip the ganache around the edges instead of pouring over the side of the cake. This gives you lots of control and much easier to clean that a squeeze bottle.
- Use white chocolate, not candy melts.
- For a bright white, use white gel food coloring. It makes a huge difference!