White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake

The first time it really snowed I was sick.
Cory went to work.
The kids went to school.
So I shoveled the driveway.  While I was sick.  [cue violins and weeping cherubs]

The second time it really snowed I was sick.
Cory went to work.
The kids went to school.
So I shoveled the driveway.  WHILE I WAS SICK!

The third time it really, REALLY snowed was today, and again, I am sick.
Cory went to work.
The school district canceled school.
So I am making the kids shovel the driveway so I can blog about cake.

It's the one I've been talking about, and I think you know by now that I don't share recipes here unless I am a true believer in them.  Folks, I've never believed in any cake more than this one.  I read about it on Brooke's Blog over at "All Things Thrifty" and while she is often very thrifty and nifty, she spares no expense on this cake and I dare say, this cake will spare no expense on YOU.  I read about it three weeks ago, I have made it FOUR TIMES.  Three times of the white chocolate variety, and once in an experimental vein along the dark chocolate variety.  I surprised myself by preferring the white chocolate version, but not so much that I still didn't eat several pieces of the dark chocolate one by myself while watching "Fat Chef".  You would think after making it so many times I would have paused to take a picture at least once, no?  In fact, no.  But I DID strap it into the front seat to bring home the leftovers one time after a baby shower, and I took a picture of that:

If you look closely you will see that I conveniently left a plastic fork sticking up for easy access on my excruciatingly long, 3-mile drive home.  The seatbealt proved invaluable.  (If you want better pictures, see Brooke!)  So my friends, here is THE RECIPE:

WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY BUNDT CAKE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

DIRECTIONS:

Mix together:
1 Betty Crocker White cake mix (follow box directions to make batter)
Add 1/2 cup applesauce (no cinnamon)
Add 1 small package of instant vanilla pudding (just the dry mix)

Divide batter - Pour 1/3 (approximately) into another bowl leaving 2/3 in main bowl.

Defrost 1 cup frozen raspberries and mash them up with a fork. Add 1 Tbsp flour and mix.  Add the mashed berries to the bowl containing 1/3 of the original batter and mix well. Set aside.

Take 1 c. white chocolate chips and melt them gradually in the microwave.  Add to remaining 2/3 batter and mix.

Grease bundt cake pan well and coat bottom of pan with 1/2 of the white chocolate/cake batter mix.  Add dollops of all of your raspberry/cake batter mix to the pan on top of the white chocolate batter.  Then add the remaining white chocolate cake/batter on top of the dollops. To create the marble look, make an S pattern through the batter using a knife.

Bake 42-45 minutes.

Let the cake cool in the pan for a bit, then turn it out onto a cooling rack.

IMPORTANT STEP:  Place the cake in the fridge until it is COMPLETELY cool, then frost the bad boy with cream cheese frosting (recipe following). (NOTE:  If you don't like cream cheese frosting, a nice vanilla buttercream is just as good.)  After the cake is frosted, place the cake BACK in the fridge to cool the frosting again, and then serve it cold. It is a million, and I mean a MILLION times better cold.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING RECIPE:

1 stick softened (NOT melted) butter (1/2 cup)
1 brick softened cream cheese (8 oz)
Mix butter and and cream cheese until soft, add 2 tsp vanilla, beat until light and fluffy.
Add 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Beat frosting until smooth. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.  Add food coloring if you want.

Voila - it's the perfect dessert for Super Bowl Sunday, or perhaps marking another basketball loss on a Saturday, any and all holidays, birthdays, movie nights, rare moments alone in your kitchen when everyone else is sleeping, or say, a snow day when you're in your underwear, and you're sick, and the kids are outside...shoveling the driveway.