Ingredients:

  • 375 g cake flour
  • 300 g granulated sugar
  • 12 g baking powder
  • 3 g fine sea salt
  • 225 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 120 ml vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 240 ml full-fat buttermilk, room temperature
  • 15 ml pure vanilla extract
  • 60 g white chocolate, melted and cooled
  • 100 g granulated sugar (for syrup)
  • 120 ml water (for syrup)
  • 5 ml pure vanilla extract (for syrup)
  • 450 g full-fat cream cheese, chilled
  • 225 g unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 600 g powdered sugar, sifted
  • 10 ml pure vanilla extract (for frosting)
  • 1 g salt (for frosting)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 225 g softened butter, 120 ml vegetable oil, and 300 g granulated sugar on medium-high for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
  3. Add the 4 eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Stir in 15 ml vanilla extract and 60 g cooled melted white chocolate until smooth.
  4. Turn the mixer to low. Add one-third of the sifted flour mixture (375 g cake flour, 12 g baking powder, 3 g salt), followed by half of the 240 ml buttermilk. Repeat, ending with the final third of the flour mixture.
  5. Stop mixing the moment the last streak of flour disappears to avoid over-mixing.
  6. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
  7. Bake for 28–32 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, but no wet batter.
  8. Let the cakes cool in the pans for exactly 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Once completely cold, trim the domed tops with a serrated knife to create flat surfaces.
  10. Prepare the vanilla simple syrup by combining 100 g granulated sugar, 120 ml water, and 5 ml vanilla extract in a small saucepan; heat until the sugar dissolves. Brush each cake layer generously with the syrup.
  11. Prepare the buttercream by beating 450 g chilled cream cheese and 225 g softened butter together until smooth, then gradually mixing in 600 g sifted powdered sugar, 10 ml vanilla extract, and 1 g salt.
  12. Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream to the entire cake to seal in crumbs and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  13. Apply the final, smooth layer of buttercream frosting and store the cake in the refrigerator.