Simply the best white cake recipe made from scratch
This white cake recipe is the perfect classic white cake. Light and fluffy, moist and full of flavor. There is a joke in the cake world that white is not a flavor, it's actually a vanilla cake. But a white cake is not just white. Let's dive into what makes the perfect, best white cake recipe.
White Wedding Cake Recipe
White cake recipes where originally created for weddings. Only the rich could afford white flour and sugar so a white cake was considered a symbol of your wealth. These days, a white cake with a fine, moist crumb is probably the most common flavor cake baked for all types of occasions.
Ironically, where I am from (Portland, Oregon) the more organic and less refined your ingredients are, the more expensive they are. Funny how things tend to go full-circle.
What Is The Difference Between White Cake Recipe And Yellow Cake Recipe?
Many people confuse white cake recipes with yellow cake or even vanilla cake. Although similar, these actually are totally different types of cakes. Mostly to do with how the eggs are incorporated. A white cake recipe only uses the whites of the egg, sometimes whipped and then folded into the batter, sometimes added directly to the butter/sugar mixture. Vanilla cake uses both the egg whites and the egg yolks (usually) and results in a slightly off-white colored cake but in my opinion has the most flavor. A yellow cake is made with the egg yolks only so the batter has a very rich and golden color with lots of flavor and is a very moist cake.
Vanilla and white cake recipes are both used in many different recipes as a base by substituting out spices or extracts. Yellow cake is traditionally paired with rich chocolate buttercream or ganache and is not often used as a base recipe for other flavors although it certainly could be.
Again, people laugh and say that "white" and "yellow" is not a flavor but making an order for "all egg yolk cake" just does not have the same ring to it. It's just a way of describing the cake so we all are on the same page.
How Do You Make White Cake?
To make the best white cake recipe ever, you need to make sure you're using the right ingredients. For this recipe we are using AP flour because it is the most versatile. We are also using a high-quality butter that does not have any artificial dyes in it (did you know some companies dye their butter to be more yellow?) The whiter the butter, the whiter the cake. Traditional white cake uses almond extract which happens to also be clear. Now, I myself do not love the taste of almond extract so I prefer to use vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract.
BUT WAIT! You said that the ingredients had to be clear!
True, I did say that but here we come to one of those "taste over color" rules in my book. There are not a lot of ingredients in this recipe that bring flavor to the table but the quality of the extract is #1. The vanilla bean paste and the extract WILL slightly tinge the batter to not a PURE white but for me, I'd rather have that than no flavor at all. If you absolutely must have a white color then feel free to halve the vanilla in this recipe and add ½ teaspoon of almond extract.
Another reason you might want to use almond extract or you can even use clear vanilla (imitation) extract is if you're using this white cake recipe as a base for another cake recipe like my strawberry cake where color is really important. The whiter the cake batter, the truer the color will be after adding colors.
Why Is There Oil In This White Cake Recipe?
Funny thing, when we bite into a cake, certain things make us think "YUM!" Texture, flavor and moisture. Texture is achieved by proper mixing methods, flavor is achieved with high quality extracts but moisture is a tricky thing. You can't just dump more moisture into your cake batter or you'll end up with a gummy mess. One thing that makes your brain think "moist" is the addition of a little oil. I don't like to add too much, about an ounce will do. I prefer to use vegetable oil because it doesn't have a flavor and is colorless.
If you don't want to use vegetable oil you can use any other mild flavored oil.
Should You Put Sour Cream In White Cake?
A long long time ago (we're not going to talk about how long) I remember reading in the cake forums about this magical white cake recipe called WASC cake that all the cake decorators used. I had no idea what it was but desperately wanted to know! Soon, I learned that WASC stood for White Almond Sour Cream cake and the first ingredient is a white box cake mix.
Whomp Whomp
Now, I don't actually have anything against anyone who uses boxed mixes or doctors boxed mixes. For my personal journey as a cake decorator, I was looking to make my own recipes that would make me stand out. Anyone can whip up a box mix but then it just tastes like everyone else's cake. You see what I'm saying?
So why would you use this type of white cake recipe? Well not everyone is a scratch baker or wants to be. Or maybe they just want a quick and easy cake recipe that will for sure turn out. This recipe is definitely a no-fail and is what you might call a "doctored box mix". The addition of the sour cream and eggs makes it more flavorful and moist. It also detracts from that "chemical" taste that most box mixes have.
Would I suggest you make this instead of scratch mix? Well really that's up to you. I promise I won't hold it against you one way or the other. Just always be up-front with your customers (if you have them). If you say you bake from scratch then bake from scratch. If you use a box, it's perfectly ok to say you use "freshly baked cakes".
How To Make The Best White Cake Recipe From Scratch
So here's the deal with white cake recipes. Just like with most things, there more than one way to skin a cat... er... bake a cake.
Who even came up with that saying? So bizaar.
So anyway, as I was saying. There are multiple ways to make a white cake recipe but I'm going to make it REALLY easy for you. Option one is the traditional mixing style of creaming your butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add in your egg whites until combined. Then add in dry ingredients and liquids. This is the route I go.
The other option is you whip up your egg whites to a soft but firm peak. Then you cream butter and sugar as usual and alternate your dry and liquid ingredients until combined. You then fold in your egg whites into the batter. This technique results in a lighter, more delicate cake but CAN potentially cause over-mixing.
You can try both ways and see what you like best.
One more tip, I always wrap my cakes while they are still warm. Wrap in plastic wrap and then place into the freezer. This locks in the moisture of the cake. Once cooled but not frozen, you can trim the brown edges off your cake (optional but results in a whiter slice) and frost with a nice white buttercream or any frosting you desire.
I hope that answers all your burning questions about white cake! If there's something I missed, feel free to drop me a comment and if you like this recipe, please share and link back to me if you use it and I would love you forevah <3
Want to learn more about how to decorate a cake like a pro? Check out my FREE training on how to make your first cake ever!
Happy Baking!
- Liz
Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
Select an option below to calculate how much batter or frosting you need. Adjust the servings slider on the recipe card to change the amounts the recipe makes.
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Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.
Recipe
Ingredients
White Cake Recipe Ingredients
- 8 oz unsalted butter room temp
- 14 oz sugar
- 6 large egg whites fresh not boxed at room temp
- 14 oz AP flour
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon almond extract use clear for a whiter cake
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 10 oz milk room temp
- 2 oz vegetable oil
Easy Buttercream Frosting
- 8 oz pasteurized egg whites room temperature
- 32 oz powdered sugar
- 32 oz unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Gold Drip
- 6 oz white chocolate
- 1 oz warm water
- 1 teaspoon warm brown food coloring
- 2 teaspoon Truly Mad Plastics super gold
- 1 tablespoon Everclear lemon extract or rose water can be used
Instructions
White Cake Recipe Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 335ºF and prepare two 8"x2" cake pans with cake goop or another preferred pan release.
- Combine milk, oil and extracts and set aside
- Combine your flour, baking powder and salt and set aside
- Place butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and cream until smooth. Sprinkle in your sugar and then let whip on high until light and white (about 5 minutes)
- Add the egg whites one at a time (roughly) to the butter mixture while mixing on low and let fully combine after each addition before adding the next. If your egg whites aren't at room temperature you can microwave them for a few seconds. Be careful not to cook them! Cold egg whites will curdle the batter.
- Add in ⅓ of your dry ingredients to the egg/butter mixture and mix on low until just combined. Then add in ½ of your liquids, then dry, then liquids and the rest of your dry. Let mix until just combined.
- Add batter into prepared cake pans and bake at 335º F for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center.
- Let cool ten minutes then turn out cakes onto a cooling rack. Wrap warm and place into the freezer to flash chill. This locks in the moisture. Once cool but not frozen you can then trim off the brown edges of your cakes and frost as desired. Chill cake.
Easy Buttercream Frosting
- Combine egg whites and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment. Whisk to combine on low then whisk on high, adding in your butter in small chunks, vanilla and salt. Turn mixer up to high and whip until light, fluffy and white.
Gold Drip
- Melt chocolate and water in the microwave and whisk until smooth. Add in a couple drops of food coloring. Let cool to about 90 degrees before attempting to drip over the chilled cake. Once chocolate is set, you can combine the everclear and gold dust to make a paint and paint the drip.
*note: this is a non-toxic gold dust
Kc says
I don’t care for almond extract. Would I replace with vanilla or just leave it out?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Just leave it out. White cake is traditionally flavored with almond extract which is why it includes it.
Brooke says
Hello, if I make this in a 12" round pan, would I still bake at 335° for 35mins? Or would I need to turn up the temp and bake longer??
The Sugar Geek Show says
Don't turn up the temperature, just bake for longer. I use a baking core in 12" and larger cakes to help the center of the cake bake faster
Harrison says
This may be a dumb question but will carton eggs do or should I be on the hunt for fresh eggs? Also, is there a brand of pasteurized eggs you can recommend?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I use fresh egg whites in this recipe because the carton egg white don't seem to work as well for this cake
Ben C. says
I apologize if I missed this in the comments but I would like to make a three tier 8” cake. Would I just add another 1/2 of all your measurements to make enough batter? Can’t wait to try this cake. I’m going to fill and top with strawberry Swiss meringue butter cream and strawberry purée.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Do you mean a three layer 8" cake? Yes I would do a 1 1/2 recipe. You can adjust the servings in the recipe card to re-calculate all the ingredients.
Bonnie Martin says
I’m looking for a great cake to serve at my wedding, and am wondering how to adjust the recipe for sheet cakes. I’m doing a cutting cake and a full sheet.
The Sugar Geek Show says
It depends on how big your sheet cakes are. quarter sheet cakes or half sheet cakes? 1 1/2 batches for the quarter, triple batch for the 1/2 sheet cake
Stephanie Maurice says
Just have a question, would it hurt this recipe to use lactose free milk such as the lactic brand?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can definitely use that in place of regular milk with no issue
Angelica says
Liz can i use turn your vanilla cake into a white cake for the cake flour? If so do i just replace the whole eggs in the recipe for eggs whites?
Erin says
I took this to a church get-together and it was an absolute hit! People even took some home for lunch the next day. I was worried because to me the icing kind of tasted like butter (good butter though) but everyone else that the icing was the best part! I will definitely be trying more of your recipes.
The Sugar Geek Show says
yay im so glad!
Tessa says
Love your recipes and show. So much helpful information and added humor is great! Well done!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Aww thank you so much Tessa!
Ginger says
Hi what is AP flour? Thank you.
The Sugar Geek Show says
AP stands for all purpose flour
Nancy L Cook says
My all time favorite cake in the world is white cake with white buttercream frosting. I am getting ready to make my first completely decorated cake for my birthday. I've been fascinated watching your cake videos where you do the reverse creaming method. I love that idea because you say it keeps the gluten from forming and making the cakes tough. Am I able to do that method with this recipe?? If not, I'll probably try either the vanilla cake or the white velvet. I'm sure all are so very scrumptious!!! I "just" started watching YouTube to get better at cake baking and am soooooooooooo happy I found you. I LOVE just about everything I see you make. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. And, we live "kinda" close. I'm up in Longview, WA. My best friend lives in Portland and I'm there often. Take care and thanks again.
The Sugar Geek Show says
The reverse mixing method only works with cake flour because of mixing for so long. You could experiment and see if it would work with this recipe but mixing for a shorter amount of time. Yay PNW people!
Stephanie says
I want to make a coconut cake from this recipe. I’ll use coconut extract, but how do you think canned coconut milk will do in place of the regular milk? It’s very high in fat. Also I need this to make 2 10-inch layers. Would I just need a double batch?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You could definitely use coconut milk in place of regular milk. I've done it before with success. I would double the recipe for two 10" cakes
Emma says
I made the frosting… its seems a bit clumpy. I followed the recipe to a T. Could the mixture just be too warm?
The Sugar Geek Show says
If the buttercream is still lumpy it's not done whipping. It needs to whip until it's creamy and fluffy. Depending on how cold your butter is, this could take some time
Patti says
Sounds like a wonderful cake! Would this recipe work for a bundt cake? Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
It probably would but I also have a vanilla bundt cake recipe that works great
Jehn says
Your recipe says bake at 335 for 25-35 minutes, bit the video shows 300 for 12 minutes.
The Sugar Geek Show says
I dont know how I haven't noticed that typo in the video until now. That's wayyyy off. I'll have to fix the video an re-upload. Thanks for letting me know.
Ina Labuschagne says
Hi, I have to me a rainbow cake. In the past the colours does not came out right (any colour mixed with egg yolk obviously changed - eg. yellow mixed with blue makes green). I was then advice to make a white cake. I will definately try your recipe. I just have 1 question though. The butter is also a yellow colour ?- is this not making it yellow again.
The Sugar Geek Show says
The butter isn't yellow enough to affect the color like egg yolks do.
Giovanna Perot-Averill says
hello
can this cake be covered in fondant instead of buttercream and then have the gold applied, or if the fondant too heavy a cover?
thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can cover this cake in buttercream and then fondant
Natasha Rowden says
I made this white cake for a baby shower a few months ago, and it was fabulous. Moist, flavorful, great texture; It got lots of compliments! I'd like to adapt it to make a marble cake for an upcoming bridal shower. Any suggestions on how to do that? Thank you!
The Sugar Geek Show says
I would make a half batch of easy chocolate cake and swirl that into the white cake
Carrie says
Hi, I have been looking for a good moist flavorful white cake for years and this cake sounds just wonderful, will it fit in a 9+13 inch glass pan as well? Also will a regular hand mixer work just as good? Thank You!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes it sure will! A hand mixer can work, just make sure you're mixing enough
clare says
Hi want to try this cake recipe is the flour self raising? And what kind of suger is it I am in the uk. Thank you
The Sugar Geek Show says
The flour is not self rising. It's soft flour. Look for Shipton mill soft cake and pastry flour on UK amazon. The sugar is white granulated sugar. Not powdered
Devin says
Would you be able to substitute the milk out for coffee?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I dont see why not
Eva says
Can you replace the granulated sugar for powdered sugar?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I don't think the butter and sugar would cream the same way if you used powdered
JOHN LANE says
Would I be able to split the layers for chantilly or is it too delicate? Looking for a nice white moist to be able to do 3 or 4 thinner layers. I assume it would be best to refrigerate or even freeze before splitting??
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can
Sarah says
Hie
Big fan of your blog and recipes
My question is can the stand mixer process part in your vanilla cake recipes be replaced with aN electric hand mixer? Or can a food processor be used for this process
If yes, which is better how much would be the time variation and would the result be same? Thank you
The Sugar Geek Show says
Im sure you could use a hand mixer but I couldn't begin to give you time measurements. It would just depend on your mixer. I would just start with the times listed in the original recipe.
Cristiana says
Hello, from Romania. I made this cake today, for my son's 6 month anniversary ?. It was my first, but definitely not last white cake. My husband ate one piece and asked for another one, which NEVER happens. Thank you so much for this recipe! ☺?