CAMEO CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

CAKE:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
3/4 cup water
4-oz white chocolate, broken into pieces
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup +3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans; set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan; add the water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and stir until it melts.

Stir the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla into the chocolate mixture; set aside.

Combine the 1/2 cup of flour with the pecans, stir to coat; set aside.

Combine the remaining 3 cups flour, sugar, and baking soda in a large bowl. Gradually stir in the chocolate mixture. Fold in the pecan/flour mixture. This will be a thin batter.

Pour the batter evenly into the 3 prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean.

Cool in the pans on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely on  wire racks.

FROSTING:
4-oz white chocolate
11-oz cream cheese, softened
5 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Melt chocolate in top of a double boiler over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; set aside to cool for approximately 10 minutes. Beat cream cheese and butter; gradually add in chocolate, mixing constantly, until blended. Slowly mix in powdered sugar until smooth. Add vanilla and mix until blended.

Place one cake layer on cake plate and spread frosting over top. Top with a second layer and repeat process until all three are stacked. Frost the sides of the cakes and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Midwest Living photo for reference only.

Note: I believe this recipe was originally from the Junior League of Houston in the 1990s.