This raspberry, rhubarb and white chocolate cake is as delicious as it is pretty! Layers of buttery raspberry and rhubarb cake are sandwiched together with cream cheese icing and raspberry coulis. The cake is then coated with a white chocolate ganache, dehydrated raspberries, white chocolate bark and roses. This cake is quite tricky but definitely worth the effort! 

RASPBERRY, RHUBARB & WHITE CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

INGREDIENTS

RASPBERRY & RHUBARB CAKE
510 grams butter, softened
1 1/2 cup caster sugar
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
9 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
510 grams standard flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
9 tablespoons cream
2 cups rhubarb, chopped into 1cm pieces
1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen

RASPBERRY COULIS
1 1/2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen
3 tablespoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

CREAM CHEESE ICING
375 grams cream cheese, softened
225 grams butter, softened
480 grams icing sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
A few small drops of pink gel food colouring

WHITE CHOCOLATE DRIP
180 grams of good quality white chocolate, I used Whittakers
105 grams of cream

WHITE CHOCOLATE BARK
150 grams white chocolate
Dehydrated raspberries, I used Fresh As 

TO DECORATE
Pink roses
Raffaello Coconut Balls
Dehydrated raspberries

4 x 23cm cake tins

METHOD

RASPBERRY & RHUBARB CAKE
Preheat the oven to 180°C.

In a food processor or electric mixer, mix sugars and butter until light and creamy. Add the eggs one by one, mixing in between, then add the vanilla essence. Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix until smooth, while also slowly adding the cream. Gently fold through the rhubarb and raspberries. 

Grease cake tins and line with baking paper. Divide cake batter between four tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until skewer comes out clean. 

Cool cakes in tins and remove gently once completely cool. Using a serrated knife, level the cakes off so they are flat on the tops.

RASPBERRY COULIS
Place the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a pot and cook over a over a low heat. Stir regularly, sugar should dissolve and raspberries should break down. Continue to cook for 10 minutes and then set aside to cool and thicken. 

CREAM CHEESE ICING
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and beat again until icing is smooth and light in colour. Add a tiny bit of gel food colouring at a time until you have the desired pink. 

WHITE CHOCOLATE BARK
Line a baking tray with baking paper. 

Place a large glass or metal bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bowl isn't sitting in the water. Add the white chocolate, once completely melted remove from heat. 

Pour the white chocolate onto the baking tray. Using a spatula, smear the chocolate out evenly and sprinkle over crushed dehydrated raspberries.  Place in the fridge to harden then break into large pieces. 

WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
Place a large glass or metal bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bowl isn't sitting in the water. Add the white chocolate chocolate, once completely melted remove from heat. Warm cream in the microwave for 20 seconds, add to melted chocolate and stir. The chocolate will appear to go lumpy but just keep stirring it will eventually come together. Place in a jug and refrigerate for 20 minutes. 

TO ASSEMBLE
Place one of the cakes on a cake stand or flat surface that you can turn easily. Take two large spoonfuls of the cream cheese icing and smear right to edges with a palette knife. Don't place the spatula back into the bowl of icing, as you'll end up with crumbs through the icing. Take ⅓ of the raspberry coulis and smear on top, leaving a 3cm space around the edge of the cake.

Repeat the above steps with the three remaining cakes, but do not place the raspberry on the top layer. Make sure your cakes are perfectly aligned. 

With one hand, align a clean spatula vertically with the edge of the cake, gently press against the cake and rotate the cake stand with the other hand. As you go around, the overhanging icing should smooth out around the cake. I tend to go around the cake touching up any holes and then do a final turn to smooth it all out. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. 

Using the remaining cream cheese icing, smear one more coat of icing over the cake and refrigerate for another 20 minutes. 

Take the white chocolate ganache and pour over the edges of the cake, then fill in the centre. 

Decorate with pink roses or edible flowers, crushed dehydrated raspberries, white chocolate bark and coconut balls.