White Forest Cake

Method

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray three 8-inch cake pan with baking nonstick spray. Line the bottoms with 8-inch parchment paper circles and spray again.
2. 2
   In a medium bowl, sift the flour. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. 3
   Using a mixer, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. It will become pale in color.
4. 4
   Add in the sour cream, vanilla, and egg whites. Mix on medium speed until combined.
5. 5
   Add in the dry ingredients and buttermilk. Mix on low speed until just combined.
6. 6
   Take the bowl off the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl. Pour the cake batter evenly throughout the three cake pans.
7. 7
   Bake for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. 8
   Let the cake sit in the hot pans for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
9. 9
   If using fresh cherries, make sure they are pitted. In a saucepan over medium heat, mix the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, water, almond extract.
10. 10
    Heat on medium heat until the cherry's juice separates and the cherries soften. Then take something to mash them (like a potato masher), and mash the cherries. Heat until it thickens. This takes about 10 minutes and will equal to 1 1/2 cups of filling.
11. 11
    Pour into a bowl and cool completely.
12. 12
    Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl. Set aside. Place the white chocolate into a bowl and heat for 20 second intervals, stirring well in between, until it is melted.
13. 13
    Using a mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 2 minutes. It will become pale and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl to make sure no lumps remain.
14. 14
    Add in the melted white chocolate and mix on high until combined. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low. Then, add the rest of the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add in the vanilla and beat on high speed until creamy.
15. 15
    Use a serrated knife to cut off any uneven domes on the cakes. Pipe a small amount of frosting on the board you are decorating on.
16. 16
    Place the 1st layer of cake down on the board. Frost 3/4 cups of frosting over the cake. Pipe a border of frosting around the edges of the cake. Spread half of the cherry filling on top.
17. 17
    Repeat with the second cake layer. Place the last layer of cake with the bottom of the cake facing up.
18. 18
    Fill any of the cracks of the cake with frosting (on the sides). If any filling spills out, cover with frosting and freeze for 15 minutes to lock it in. Then, frost the cake in a very light layer of frosting. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes. This will lock the crumbs into the cake.
19. 19
    Frost the rest of the cake. I used Wilton 1M to pipe the frosting on the top. Then, top with extra cherries. Freeze for 10 minutes.