This White Chocolate Whisper Cake is nothing short of extraordinary. It’s delicately flavored with creamy, milky white chocolate and has a dreamy crumb. Pair it, as David does, with his pistachio buttercream frosting.
Adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum | The Cake Bible | Morrow, 1998
There’s something almost spiritual for me about this white chocolate whisper cake, which seems fitting as it comes from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Cake Bible. It was 1997, and I was working in advertising as a copywriter and suffering the horror of anxiety-riddled depression of then-undiagnosed bipolar disorder. (I promise I’m not going to harsh your mood while you’re browsing for dessert.)
Every day I practically fled the office at lunchtime and spent the hour in the baking section of Barnes & Noble. The Cake Bible was my sustenance. I wasn’t up for baking at the time; depression had a way of making my hands and arms so heavy they felt nailed to the counter.
But reading Rose’s book always lifted my spirits, at least for the time I was leaning against a bookcase with the book on my knees. It’s as if the recipes were morse code, a secret message, that whispered, “You’ll be ok, David. You’ll be fine.” Yet I doubted I’d ever be whole again, ever be unbroken. But if I ever were better, I promised myself one of the first desserts I’d make would be this white chocolate whisper cake.
In time, as the medications started to finally do their job of stroking my exhausted nerves, I felt incrementally better. And I reached for my personal bible and my favorite chapter and verse: White Chocolate Whisper Cake.
Frankly, it didn’t matter if the cake was even any good. What mattered was I was on my feet facing the stove, keeping my promise. The fact that the cake was nothing less than exquisite–finely crumbed, delicately flavored with white chocolate–didn’t hurt. I paired it with all kinds of frostings back then, but I discovered the flavor that spoke to my mending soul was pistachio buttercream. Since then, the cake has never been crowned with anything else.
White Chocolate Whisper Cake
White chocolate offers the double advantage of velvety, melt-in-the-mouth texture and, because of white cake’s gentle flavor, a definite whisper of cocoa butter. This special flavor blends well with a lemon buttercream or, of course, David’s pistachio buttercream.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Coat two (9-inch | 23-cm) cake pans with baking spray, line with parchment, spray again with cooking spray, then lightly flour.
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In a double boiler over hot (not simmering) water, melt the chocolate, stirring frequently. Remove from the water.
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In a medium bowl lightly combine the egg whites, 1/4 cup (61 g) of the milk, and the vanilla.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and the remaining 3/4 cup (181 g) milk.
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Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed (high speed if using a hand mixer) and beat for 1 1/2 minutes to aerate and develop the cake’s structure. Scrape down the sides. Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides.
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Add the melted chocolate and beat to incorporate.
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Divvy the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the surface with a spatula.
Use a scale to divide the batter exactly between the two cake pans. It’s about 600 grams per pan.
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Bake until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center, about 25 minutes. The cakes should start to shrink from the sides of the pans only after removal from the oven.
If the cakes are becoming too dark during baking, cover with foil for the final few minutes of baking.
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Let the cakes cool in the pans on racks for 10 minutes. Spray the cooling racks with baking spray. Loosen the sides with a small metal spatula and invert onto the greased wire racks. To prevent splitting, reinvert so that the tops are up and cool completely.
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If serving immediately, frost with David’s pistachio buttercream frosting.
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If serving later, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Frost with pistachio buttercream before serving.
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To frost the cakes, place one cake on a serving platter. Use an offset spatula to spread the pistachio buttercream frosting in an even layer over the top. Top with the second cake. Spread frosting generously over the top and sides. Top with fresh berries or pistachios, if using.
Serving: 1portion, cake onlyCalories: 449kcal (22%)Carbohydrates: 69g (23%)Protein: 9g (18%)Fat: 15g (23%)Saturated Fat: 9g (56%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 29mg (10%)Sodium: 110mg (5%)Potassium: 232mg (7%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 26g (29%)Vitamin A: 316IU (6%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 106mg (11%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Originally published August 11, 2021
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