Triple Layer Huckleberry and White Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
A recipe for a 9-inch, triple-layer white cake with huckleberry filling and white chocolate buttercream frosting. Perfect for a birthday or special occasion!
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Servings: 20
Ingredients
White Cake
- 5 cups cake flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder aluminum free
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp white vanilla powder
- 3 cups milk whole
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 2¼ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cups sugar
- 9 egg whites
White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups Spectrum shortening
- 9-10 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp cream/milk
- 4 tbsp white vanilla powder
- 6 oz white chocolate melted and cooled to room temperature, not hardened
- food coloring optional, color of choice
Instructions
Make the White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Set the butter out on the counter and bring to room temperature.
- Melt the white chocolate using a double-boiler, stirring frequently until just melted. Once melted, remove from heat. Allow the chocolate to cool, until almost at room temperature, yet not hardening.
- While chocolate is cooling, beat the butter and shortening together in a large bowl, using a stand-mixer or hand-mixer. Scrape the bowl as needed. Beat on low until just blended.
- Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Alternate with the cream/milk. Add the white vanilla powder. Blend on low until mixed and smooth. Scrape the bowl, as needed. Add more powdered sugar and/or milk to achieve desired consistency.
- Pour the cooled white chocolate into the frosting mixture. (**be sure the chocolate has cooled enough, or it will affect the frosting consistency**) Beat until light and fluffy.
Make the White Cake
- Pre-heat the oven to 325° F.
- Line the bottoms of three, 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper. To do so, trace the bottom of the pan on a piece of parchment paper; cut out the circle. Spray the pans with a butter spray and lightly flour.
- In a large bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and white vanilla powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together milk, sour cream, and white vinegar. Set aside.
- Using a stand-mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on low speed, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl, as needed.
- On low speed, add the egg whites, approximately one at a time. Mix until the egg whites are incorporated. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour and the milk/sour cream mixtures to the butter, sugar, and egg white mixture, alternating between batches. Start with approximately a third of the flour mixture, then add a third of the milk/sour cream mixture. Repeat and end with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl, as needed. Mix until just incorporated, try not to over mix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 325° F, approximately 45-55 minutes. After about 40 minutes, check the cakes with a toothpick; remove cakes from the oven when it comes out clean.
- Place the cakes on cooling racks. Leave the cakes in the pans to cool, until almost cooled completely!
- Once cakes are almost completely cooled, flip over onto the cooling rack; remove from the pans. Peel off the parchment paper and leave cakes on the rack to cool completely.
- Wrap each cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least one hour, prior to frosting. (The cakes may also be wrapped and frozen, if they will not be frosted within a few days to a week.)
Make the Huckleberry Filling
- Combine jars of the huckleberry preserves and jam in a medium bowl. Mix together. Cover with plastic wrap or place in an air-tight container and refrigerate until chilled. This can be done while the cakes are baking.
Assemble; Fill & Frost Cake Layers
- Remove the cakes from the refrigerator and unwrap. The bottom of the cake will already be flat from being in the pan. Lay the cake so the flat bottom of the cake is placed on the counter. Use the cake leveler to slice off the top of the cake, to your desired thickness, which can be adjusted with the leveler. Repeat for the remaining cakes.
- Place one of the cakes on a cake board. Prior to placing the cake on the board, you may add a dollop of frosting to the board. This helps the cake to stay put!
- Add a layer of the White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting to the top of the first cake layer and smooth. Use a large offset spatula to smooth out.
- Add a layer of the huckleberry mixture on top of the frosting. Even out the berries across the entire layer.
- Repeat with the remaining cake layers. (The cake layers may move around a little bit at this point, because of the huckleberry mixture in the layers. That is fine, you can adjust to straighten. The cake will firm up a lot once it is crumb coated.) You may add another layer of huckleberries, then frosting, on the top, prior to crumb coating.
Crumb Coat the Cake
- Fill a small-medium bowl with some of the frosting. You may be getting crumbs and berry mixture into this frosting, so you'll want to separate from the other frosting, which you'll want to remain pretty for the outer and final layer.
- Spread a thin coat of frosting around the cake, to fully cover the sides and top of the cake. Fill in any gaps with frosting at this point. Use the large offset spatula and a small offset spatula to smooth and add frosting to the cake.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. This helps the frosting firm up for the last coating.
Finish Frosting & Smooth the Cake
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator.
- Reserve a small amount of frosting. Add to a small bowl and mix with purple food coloring, or color of choice. Set aside.
- Add remaining white frosting to the sides and top of cake with the offset spatula. Make sure it is evenly applied to the whole cake, about the same thickness.
- Use a stainless steel scraper, or other scraper, to smooth the sides and top. With the cake placed on a cake wheel, use one hand to slowly spin the cake wheel as you use the scraper in your other hand to smooth the sides. Clean the excess frosting off the scraper and return to the bowl of frosting. Use a warm bowl of water to clean off the scraper between spins; the water helps to smooth the frosting. Continue to scrap the sides and top of cake, cleaning between spins, until the desired look is achieved.
- Fill a pastry bag with the purple frosting, or other accent color, if wanting to further decorate. Use a tip of your choice. Complete your decorating! Return cake to the refrigerator to chill, until ready to serve.
Notes
The frosted cake will store in the refrigerator for up to one week. I think this cake tastes the best about a day after it has been frosted. The huckleberries really soak into the cake layer on top of it and the frosting locks in the moisture of the cake.