Description
Moist vanilla-white-chocolate layers with balanced peppermint cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups cake flour (330 g)
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder (10 g)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt (3 g)
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (170 g)
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (350 g)
- 5 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (10 ml)
- 1/4 tsp peppermint extract, divided (1.25 ml)
- 3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature (180 ml)
- 3/4 cup full-fat sour cream (180 g)
- 6 oz real white chocolate, melted and cooled (170 g)
- 8 oz full-fat block cream cheese, cool (226 g)
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened (340 g)
- 4 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar (540 g)
- 6 oz real white chocolate for frosting, melted and cooled (170 g)
- 1/3 cup finely crushed candy canes for garnish (45 g)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and line three 8-inch round pans.
- Whisk cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat butter and sugar until pale. Add egg whites gradually, then mix in vanilla and half the peppermint extract.
- Alternate the dry mixture with milk and sour cream. Fold in 6 ounces cooled melted white chocolate.
- Divide among the pans and bake 22-27 minutes, until the centers spring back. Cool completely.
- Beat butter and confectioners’ sugar until fluffy. Mix in the remaining cooled white chocolate and peppermint, then briefly beat in cream cheese.
- Fill and stack the layers. Apply a thin crumb coat, chill 25 minutes, then smooth on the remaining frosting.
- Finish the top border with restrained candy-cane crumbs and white chocolate curls.
Notes
Use real white chocolate, measure peppermint carefully, and cool every layer before frosting.