White Chocolate Berry Bundt Cake

White Chocolate Berry Bundt Cake

An easy, absolutely DELICIOUS recipe for tender white chocolate cake with a berry swirl based on Nothing Bundt Cakes famous White Chocolate Raspberry cake.

INGREDIENTS

Bundt Cake

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 small box instant white chocolate pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups chopped white chocolate chips (divided)
• 1 1/2 cups berry pie filling

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 packs Neufchatel cheese (lower fat cream cheese)
• 1/4 cup (half stick) real butter
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar (approximately)

INSTRUCTIONS

Bundt Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan (or coat pan with cake pan release – see notes). Set the Neufchatel cheese and butter (for frosting) out to come to room temp.

Mix eggs, water, oil and sour cream with an electric mixer until completely smooth.

Add cake mix and pudding mix (do not prepare either – just dump in the dry mixes) then mix for 2 minutes.

Stir in 1 1/4 cups chopped white chocolate (saving 3/4 cup to garnish cake with later).

Pour two-thirds of the batter into prepared bundt pan. Using the back of a spoon, create a shallow indentation through the center of the batter to make little moat for the pie filling.

Spoon half of the pie filling into the shallow ring in the batter. Do not let the pie filling touch the pan.

Repeat Steps 5 and 6, using the remaining cake batter and pie filling.

Using a rubber spatula or tablespoon, taking care not to touch the sides or bottom of the pan, gently swirl through the pie filling, circling the pan twice.

Bake in the center of the oven at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until cake is cooked through.

Cool in the pan for 30 minutes only then invert onto a serving plate. Cool cake completely (room temp or refrigerated is fine) then proceed to frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat Neufchatel cheese, butter, salt and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth.

Add 2 cups powdered sugar then continue mixing until smooth.

Continue adding powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until frosting is soft enough to pipe but firm enough to hold its shape. TIP: when you think it’s ready, scoop up a big spoon full then thwack it on the inside of the bowl. If it comes off the spoon easily but doesn’t run all the way down the side of the bowl, you’re there! You want it somewhat thinner than traditional buttercream but thick enough not to run off the sides of the cake.

Spoon frosting into a quart-sized zip-top bag then cut off about 1/2-inch of one corner. Pipe stripes of frosting over the cake as pictured above. Garnish with reserved chopped white chocolate.

Refrigerate to store in an air-tight container. I keep my house a brisk 65 degrees in the winter and this cake keeps just fine on the counter.

NOTES

You MUST grease and flour the pan very well or use a cake pan release (Wilton’s or homemade). To make your own cake pan release, whisk together 1/2 cup each: vegetable oil, melted shortening and all-purpose flour then refrigerate for 30 minutes or until thickened. Refrigerate to store in an air-tight container up to 6 months. Brush onto pan with a pastry brush.

I’ve tried this using whole white chocolate chips (didn’t like it – the chips were crunchy like nuts) and I’ve melted the white chocolate and mixed it into the batter (couldn’t taste it – not worth the effort). For me, the best way to incorporate the white chocolate is to “chop” the morsels in a nut grinder like I’m chopping pecans. Or you could simply omit the white chocolate chips (I’ve left them out and liked the cake just as much).

Be sure the white chocolate chips are not too warm when you chop them. It’s winter now so my house is chilly but if making this in 70 degrees or higher room temperature, refrigerate the chips for at least 30 minutes before chopping.

I always use sugar free instant pudding in this cake and no one has ever noticed. 

If you can’t find white chocolate instant pudding, use vanilla or cheesecake flavor.

Use raspberry, blueberry or strawberry pie filling. If using strawberry, you will want to mash up any whole berries (I use my pastry cutter to rough them up a bit).

I use Neufchatel in this instead of regular cream cheese because it yields a softer frosting and has an elasticity that works best in it.