Instructions

WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE

1. Adjust and oven rack to the center position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 3 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
   
2. Place white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat on 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval until the chocolate is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
   
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt and mix on medium speed until combined.
   
4. In a 4 cup measuring cup, add the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract and sour cream and whisk to combine.
   
5. Slowly add the butter to the mixer bowl with the dry ingredients, one tablespoon at a time. Mix until the mixture resembles pea sized balls of flour.
   
6. Reserve 1/2 cup of the wet ingredients and add the remaining into the dry ingredients. Mix on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until combined. Add the reserved 1/2 cup wet ingredients to the batter and mix until combined on medium speed, about 30 seconds. Add the melted chocolate and mix on medium speed until combined.
   
7. Divide the cake batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, rotating pans halfway through baking.
   
8. Let cakes cool in their pans for 15 minutes, then invert them on to cooling racks to cool completely.
   

PUMPKIN FILLING

1. In a large bowl, beat pumpkin puree with mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, pumpkin spice and salt until thick.

WHITE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

1. Heat cream in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute. Pour hot cream over the white chocolate chips and stir until smooth and combined. Heat the mixture for another 20 to 30 seconds in 10 second intervals if needed. Set aside to cool slightly.
   
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scrapping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
   
3. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and gradually add the melted white chocolate and mix until smooth and combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
   
4. Remove the mixer bowl from the mixer stand and place a sieve on top. Pour the powdered sugar over the sieve and with a spoon, stir the powdered sugar until it is all in the mixer bowl. This method helps reduce the powdered sugar cloud. Place the mixer bowl back on the stand.
   
5. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and mix until smooth and combined. Add salt and stir to combine.
   
6. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 3 to 5 minutes until the buttercream is smooth and light in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
   

ASSEMBLE CAKE

1. Place a nonslip mat on top of your cake turntable. Center one cake layer on a cake board and place the cake board on a cake turntable. Fit a piping bag with a round piping tip or coupler and filled with about 1 1/2 cups buttercream. Pipe a buttercream dam around the edge of the cake.
   
2. Place 1 cup of the pumpkin filling in the center and spread out in an even layer with a small offset cake spatula. Place the second cake layer on top and pipe a buttercream dam on the edge. Spread another 1 cup pumpkin filling on top in an even layer until it reaches the buttercream dam. Place the third cake layer on top (bottom side up).
   

CRUMB COATING

1. Apply a thin layer of buttercream over the top and sides of the cake catching any loose crumbs and sealing them in. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes.
   
2. Apply a second and final coat of buttercream on the cake by lining an 8-inch acrylic disc with parchment paper. Apply a generous amount of frosting on top and spread out in an even layer. You should have excess frosting hanging off the sides of the cake. Place the lined acrylic disc on top of the cake, parchment paper side down and gently press down on to the top of the cake, making sure the disc is level and lines up with the bottom cake board. Apply more frosting to the sides of the cake. Gently press a cake scraper against the top disc and bottom cake board and smooth out the sides of the cake by rotating the cake turntable. Fill in any gaps in the buttercream and rotate the cake turntable with the cake scraper again. Once the sides of the cake are smooth, chill the cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
   
3. Gently remove the acrylic disc from the top of the cake with your offset cake spatula, by inserting the spatula under the disc and gently turning the cake turntable until the disc releases. Peel off the parchment paper from the cake and fill in any holes in the buttercream. Chill the cake in the refrigerator while you prepare the white chocolate drip.
   

WHITE CHOCOLATE DRIP

1. In a microwavable bowl combined candy melts and heavy cream and microwave for 20 second intervals, stirring between each interval until melted.
2. Let chocolate cool at room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes.
   
3. Pour melted but cool white chocolate over the top of the cake and using an offset spatula, spread out the drip to the edges allowing the chocolate to drip where it may.
   
4. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 1 hour so the chocolate drip can set before adding additional decoration.
   
5. Fit a piping bag with piping tip #828 and fill with remaining buttercream. Pipe 8 buttercream swirls on the top edge of the cake. Place a white chocolate pumpkin candy on top of each swirl and serve.