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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, January 17, 2007

TASTE
Lightened white chocolate raspberry cake still wins raves

 •  Meat of the matter

By Elaine Magee

This cake still tastes as great as it looks — even after it's lightened! Instead of adding a stick of butter to the cake mix, we are adding vanilla yogurt; and instead of whole milk, fat-free half-and-half or low-fat milk. Egg whites work well with white cake, so we are using 2 egg whites in place of one of the whole eggs. Not only are we using-less sugar jam in this version of the recipe, but we are saving calories in the frosting by using light cream cheese, whipped butter or light margarine and by making half of the original amount of frosting because we are eliminating the frosting on the side of the cake.

Original recipe contains 430 calories, 21.5 grams fat, and 12 grams saturated fat per serving.

WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CAKE

  • 1 package (18.25 ounces) white cake mix

  • 1 cup fat-free half-and-half or low-fat milk

  • 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt (fat-free sour cream can also be used)

  • 2 large eggs (higher omega-3, if available)

  • 2 egg whites

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup less-sugar raspberry jam (ordinary seedless raspberry jam can be used)

  • 1 batch of white chocolate frosting (recipe follows)

  • 1 cup fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained well on paper towels

    Heat oven to 350-degrees. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with canola cooking spray and dust lightly with a tablespoon of flour in each pan.

    Add cake mix, fat-free half-and-half, yogurt, eggs, egg whites, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down sides of the bowl with rubber spatula and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes more. Divide batter between the two prepared cake pans and place both pans in the center of oven.

    Bake until they are light brown and spring back when center is lightly pressed with your finger (about 28 minutes). Place pans on wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan with a dinner knife and let each cake cool, round side up, without the pan for 30 minutes more.

    Prepare the white chocolate frosting. To assemble the cake, place one layer, round side up, on the serving plate. Spread the top with a little less than half of the white chocolate frosting. Then spread the raspberry jam on top of the frosting. Place the second cake layer, flat side down, on top of the raspberry jam. Spread the rest of the frosting on the top of the cake. Garnish the top of cake with the fresh raspberries. Keep cake refrigerated until ready to serve.

    Makes 16 servings.

  • Per serving: 260 calories, 5 g protein, 44 g carbohydrate, 7.5 g fat, 3.4 g saturated fat, 3 g monounsaturated fat, 1 g polyunsaturated fat, 33 mg cholesterol, 1.6 g fiber, 277 mg sodium. Calories from fat, 26 percent; Omega-3 fatty acids, .2 g; Weight Watchers points, 5; Omega-6 fatty acids, .6 g

    WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

  • 2/3 cup white chocolate chips (or 4 ounces white chocolate bars, coarsely chopped)

  • 1/3 cup light cream cheese

  • 2 tablespoons whipped butter or less-fat margarine (with around 8 grams of fat per tablespoon)

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar (add a tablespoon or two more as needed)

    Add white chocolate chips to a nonstick saucepan and melt over low heat, stirring constantly (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat and let the chocolate cool slightly.

    Add the light cream cheese and whipped butter to a mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Add the melted white chocolate and beat on low for about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds more. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat on medium speed for a minute more (frosting will be fluffy).

    Elaine Magee is a registered dietitian. Learn more at www.recipedoctor.com.