Double-Layer White Chocolate Cake

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan cook and stir chopped white chocolate over low heat until melted; cool. Lightly grease the bottoms of two 9x1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease and lightly flour pans. Set pans aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat for 2 minutes more. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat in melted white chocolate just until combined. Spoon batter into the prepared pans, spreading evenly.

3. Bake about 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove layers from pans; peel off waxed paper. Cool completely on wire racks.

4. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with 1 cup of the White Chocolate Frosting. Top with second cake layer. Generously spread top and sides of cake with additional frosting. If desired, place remaining frosting in a decorating bag and pipe on cake as desired.*

5. Loosely cover cake and chill for up to 24 hours. If chilled, let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes before serving. Makes 16 servings.

White Chocolate Frosting

1. In a medium saucepan, heat and stir white chocolate over low heat until melted. Set aside. In a very large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy. Beat in melted white chocolate and vanilla until combined. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until combined. Beat in enough milk to make of desired consistency (about 2 tablespoons). Makes 7 cups.

* Test Kitchen Tip:

To decorate cake with rosettes as pictured, prepare 2 batches of the White Chocolate Frosting. After frosting the cake as directed, place some of the remaining frosting in a decorating bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe frosting in rosettes around the top of cake, covering completely. Pipe a row of frosting in rosettes around the side of cake. Divide the remaining frosting in thirds. Using pink food coloring, tint one portion light pink, tint a second portion medium pink, and tint the third portion dark pink. Pipe a row of light pink frosting in rosettes around the side of the cake, followed by a row of medium pink frosting and a row of dark pink frosting (you will have some frosting left over; cover and refrigerate for another use).