White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE:

• 2 ½ cups (325g) all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup (175g) unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 3 oz. (85g) white chocolate, very finely chopped or grated (or use white chocolate chips and process them a bit)
• 3 eggs, at room tº
• 1 ¼ cup (300g) buttermilk (or whole milk with 1 Tbs lemon juice)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• Zest of ½ a lemon (optional)
• ¾ cup fresh or frozen raspberries (I almost always use frozen as they are available year-round)

FOR THE FROSTING:

• 5 oz (140g) white chocolate, chopped
• ¼ cup whipping cream

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE CAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF/180°C.
2. Brush a 9 or 10 cup (26cm) bundt pan with soft butter, covering every angle surface, and coat with flour, shaking off excess. Put the pan in the refrigerator while making the batter.
3. Alternative spray with baking spray that has flour in it.
4. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. I have the ingredients measured and sift them directly over the batter.
5. In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Slowly add sugar and beat 2 minutes.
6. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and then beat for 1 minute.
7. Beginning and ending with dry ingredients, add them in 3 parts alternating with milk and vanilla in 2 parts.
8. Add raspberries. zest if using, and white chocolate and mix with a spatula a few turns. Don't use the beater and don't mix it too much. We want the chocolate to be incorporated but the raspberries to remain whole and not stain the batter too much.
9. Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
10. Bake about 45-50 minutes, or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean.
11. I let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack and then move and lightly shake the pan grabbing it by the sides with both hands (and a kitchen towel since it's hot!). That way the cake starts to loosen. If it doesn't I use a small smooth bladed knife to separate the batter from the sides and center. The raspberries sometimes stick to the walls of the mold.
12. Once you make sure it can be unmolded, do so over a wire rack and let cool completely.

FOR THE FROSTING:

1. Finely chop white chocolate and put in a bowl.
2. Heat cream until it is about to get to the boiling point, remove and add immediately to the chocolate, covering it.
3. Let stand for a minute and whisk until smooth. If bits of chocolate remain, microwave in 5-10 seconds bursts and whisk every time until the mixture is smooth.
4. Let cool until it thickens (otherwise it will be too thin) and pour over cold cake and let it drip down the sides.
5. Decorate with chopped or whole raspberries if you want. I used frozen for the photo because it was Winter, but I try to use fresh if I can. Keep in mind that most berries lose their shine and start releasing liquid, so decorate right before you serve it for best results.