White Chocolate Berry Christmas Cake

This super cheery Christmas Cake is a delicious festive treat. Soft and fluffy white sponge with whipped vanilla bean frosting and homemade berry jam, finished with rosemary Christmas trees and fresh berries, this is guaranteed to be a treat during the holidays.

Ingredients and Substitutions

I used my vanilla sponge cake recipe (but omitted the white chocolate) because it guarantees a soft, moist cake that is the perfect vehicle for the tart berry jam and the creamy white chocolate frosting.

• Eggs.
• Caster sugar. Also called super fine sugar, this is just a finer form of granulated sugar that is ideal for baking. Use granulated sugar if you can’t find caster sugar.
• Oil. I used canola oil.
• Flour. 
• Baking powder. 
• Salt. 
• Milk. Any milk can be used.
• Vanilla paste. You can absolutely use vanilla extract but especially for the buttercream, I like using vanilla paste.
• Butter. I used salted butter but unsalted butter can be used instead.
• Heavy/whipping cream
• Icing/powdered sugar. 
• Frozen berries. You can use cranberries if you want to stick to classic Christmas flavors.
• Fresh lemon juice.
• Fresh rosemary and berries, to decorate.

How to make white chocolate Christmas cake

1. Make the batter: Sift together the dry ingredients into a medium mixing bowl. Heat the milk and vanilla in a saucepan until hot, taking care not to allow the mixture to boil. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment whip the eggs with the sugar for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. The eggs will have tripled in volume. Slowly pour in the oil and allow to whip into the egg mixture. Stir the dry ingredients and the milk, alternatively, until the batter is smooth and creamy.
2. Bake: Pour the batter into lined and greased cake pans (approximately 20cm/8inch). Place in the oven and allow to bake for 40-45 minutes until the cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to chill completely.
3. Make the berry jam: Combine the frozen berries, sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice in a saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then allow to boil gently for 10 minutes until the jam has thickened. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely.
4. Make the vanilla buttercream: Whip the softened butter until pale and fluffy then add the vanilla paste and sifted icing sugar and whip for a few minutes until super pale and fluffy. Pour in the cream and mix for another minute. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle.
5. Decorate: Pipe blobs of the whipped buttercream around the edge of one of the cakes. Use a pallet knife and smooth out the inside edge of the blob to cover some of the cake. Add a few tablespoons of the berry jam then add another layer of cake. Repeat the icing and jam step. Sandwich with the final cake layer then spread over icing and finish with fresh rosemary nd berries. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes, the assembled cake will last for up to 5 days covered in the fridge or up to 3 days at room temperature. The baked cake layers can be wrapped well and frozen for up to 3 months or kept in the fridge for up to a week.

Christmas Dessert Recipes