Instructions: Grease and flour three 8 x 1 1/2 or 9 x 1 1/2 inch cake pans, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In a mixing bowl beat together cream cheese butter or margarine and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed till fluffy. Add melted chocolate; beat till well blended. Alternatively beat in the 8 cups powdered sugar and the 1/3-cup milk. Transfer 3 1/2 cups of the mixture to another large mixing bowl to use for part of the cake batter and set aside. You should have about 2 ups of the mixture remaining, which will be used for the frosting. To this mixture, beat in enough to the additional 1-2 cups of sifted powdered sugar to make it a spreading consistency.

Cover frosting and refrigerate till needed. Add eggs to the 3-1/2 cups cream cheese mixture beat 1 minute at medium speed. Add flour mixture and the 1-cup milk alternatively to the egg mixture, beating at low speed after each addition just till combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.

(If you dont have 3 cake pans of the same size, chill a portion of the cake batter for up to 1 hour before baking.) Bake in a 350-deg oven for 25-30 minutes for 8-inch pans and 22-25 minutes for 9-inch pans or till a tooth pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove; cool on wire racks. Remove frosting from refrigerator about 30 minutes before frosting the cake. Place one cake layer on serving plate; spread with half of the raspberry preserves. Top with second layer; spread with remaining jam. Top with third cake layer. Spread top and sides with frosting. Garnish top of cake with shaved white chocolate and raspberries if desired.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.