White velvet cake is a soft, delicate cake with a hint of buttermilk and vanilla
White velvet cake is red velvet's pretty little sister. Red velvet cake has been around for ages and probably one of the most popular cake flavors of all time. But not everyone want's to eat red food coloring or maybe they have special dietary requirements that don't allow them to eat red food dye. Whatever the reason, options are always good.
A lot of people wonder if you can just leave out the red food color and get white velvet and the answer is yes, kinda. You also need to leave out the cocoa powder. All the things that make red velvet cake delicious can be left in.
sidenote... the more I spell the word "velvet" the weirder it looks... velvet. velvet VELVET. Starts to look wrong.
But anyway...
What is white velvet cake?
White velvet cake is basically red velvet without the red. It's a buttermilk cake base that results in a VERY soft, fluffy and moist cake. If you leave out all the color and the cocoa powder you have yourself a nice white velvet cake. Neat huh. The buttermilk gives this southern inspired cake it's rich and velvety texture.
Traditional red velvet cake has a little bit of cocoa powder in it. Some will tell you that red velvet is actually chocolate cake (wrong) or that it's just white cake with red food color added (so wrong). The cocoa powder does add a little bit of flavor to the cake but not enough to call it chocolate so when you leave it out, it doesn't affect the flavor that much.
What's so great about white velvet?
So one of the BEST things about this recipe, in my opinion, is the texture. The crumb is soooo soft and well... velvety! I love how it looks when you cut it. Soft and pillowy. It's like magic!
What Is Buttermilk?
Buttermilk is basically fermented milk that has gone sour. I know it sounds weird but it actually tastes amazing in baked goods. The tanginess in buttermilk adds a great flavor and the acidity in buttermilk actually breaks down gluten so baked goods are more tender than if you used regular milk.
I mean, there's a reason recipes like "buttermilk pancakes" and "buttermilk" biscuits always seem better than just... pancakes. Ya know?
Don't have any buttermilk? You can make it! Add 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar to 1 cup of regular milk, stir and let it sit for about 10 minutes. You'll see the milk begin to thicken and curdle. Voila. Homemade buttermilk.
How does white velvet cake taste like?
White velvet cake tastes so amazing BECAUSE of the buttermilk! It just adds a little tang and zip that for some reason your tastebuds just love.
The crumb is super fine like my white cake recipe or my vanilla cake recipe and is definitely a great cake for flavor to just bake up for a special occasion.
What frosting goes with white velvet cake?
The traditional frosting that goes with velvet cake is ermine frosting. Ermine frosting is made by cooking sugar with a bit of flour and then whipping it into softened butter.
Ermine frosting is super creamy, not too sweet and tastes amazing with white velvet cake. In my opinion it tastes very similar to a swiss-meringue buttercream but without the eggs so it's a nice alternative if you have an egg allergy.
How do you make blue velvet cake?
To make blue velvet cake, simply add in 1 oz of electric blue food color (for a light blue cake) or royal blue food color (for darker blue) to the base white velvet recipe.
For a more natural blue, add 1-2 teaspoon of natural cocoa powder ( not dutched. I like Hershey's special dark) The cocoa powder will tone down the bright blue just a little so it's not so VIVID and make a nice natural blue. Or if you want a really bright blue you can leave the cocoa powder out.
Blue velvet is a great cake for gender reveals, birthday cakes or just because blue velvet is awesome.
Can you can make velvet cake with different colors?
Yes! If you want a different color of velvet cake then simply replace the food color with any other color you like. You can do a white velvet rainbow, ombre or go with neon. The color possibilities are endless!
I made this lovely green velvet cake for st patricks day! I added in the cocoa powder for a more natural shade of green and used 1 oz of leaf green americolor food color gel.
What about black velvet cake?
Ok so TECHNICALLY I have another recipe called black velvet cake that does not use this velvet cake base. Why? Because it's really a chocolate cake. It doesn't have any buttermilk in it, vinegar or food coloring! So why even bother calling it black velvet?
Well it's got a nice velvet-y texture. In the future I may experiment further with a true black velvet recipe working from the base velvet recipe but upping the cocoa powder. Too many cake ideas, so little time.
Related Recipes
Rainbow Cake
Green Velvet Cake
Pink Velvet Cake
Black Velvet Cake
Red Velvet Cake
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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
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Whisk Attachment
- Paddle Attachment
Ingredients
White Velvet Cake Ingredients
- 14 oz cake flour
- 13 oz granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 5 oz egg whites room temperature
- 4 oz vegetable oil
- 10 oz buttermilk room temperature or slightly warm
- 6 oz butter unsalted and softened
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
Ermine Frosting Ingredients
- 14 oz granulated sugar
- 3 oz flour
- 16 oz whole milk
- 16 oz unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- NOTE: It is SUPER IMPORTANT that all the room temperature ingredients listed above are room temperature and measured by weight so that the ingredients mix and incorporate correctly. Heat oven to 335º F/168º C — 350º F/177º C. I tend to use lower setting to prevent my cakes from getting too dark on the outside before the inside is done baking.
- Prepare two 8"x2" (or three 6") cake pans (with a little leftover batter) with cake goop or preferred pan spray. Fill your pans about ¾ of the way full of batter.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of .a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Mix 10 seconds to combine.
- Combine ½ cup of the milk and the oil together and set aside.
- Combine the remaining milk, egg whites and vanilla together, whisk to break up the eggs and set aside.
- Add your softened butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low until mixture resembles a coarse sand (about 30 seconds). Add in your milk/oil mixture and let mix until dry ingredients are moistened and then bump up to med (setting 4 on my kitchenaid) and let mix for 2 minutes to develop the cakes structure. If you don't let your cake mix on this step your cake could collapse.
- Scrape your bowl and then reduce speed to low. Add in your egg white mixture in three batches, letting the batter mix for 15 seconds between additions.
- Scrape down the sides again to make sure everything has incorporated then pour into prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly but the cake has not begun to shrink yet from the sides of the pan. IMMEDIATELY TAP PAN FIRMLY on countertop once to release the steam from the cake. This stops the cake from shrinking.
- Let cakes cool for 10 minutes inside the pan before flipping them out. The cake will shrink a bit and that is normal. Flip onto a cooling rack and let cool fully. I chill my cakes before handling or you can wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them to trap moisture in the cake. Thaw on the countertop while still wrapped before frosting.
Ermine Frosting Instructions
- Whisk together your flour and sugar in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Cook for about 2 minutes to toast the flour.
- Slowly add in your milk, whisk to combine and bring your heat to medium-high. Whisk continuously until mixture is thickened and pudding like. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool.
- Add your butter to the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk on high until light and fluffy. Slowly add in your cooled flour mixture one spoon at a time as you whip. Incorporating slowly insures a smooth buttercream.
- Add in your vanilla and salt until everything is creamy and then you can frost your cooled cake.
Tasha Marshall says
Baking this for the first time... I'll let you know how it goes but i love your show. You inspire me in my own culinary journey 🙂
Sal says
Hey Liz,
Can I fill this cake with berry filling? Would easy buttercream taste good with this?
Elizabeth Marek says
berry filling and easy buttercream would go really well with this cake
Emily says
Obsessed! I found this recipe link on Pinterest while searching for ideas for my 21st birthday. I’m in love with this site and all of your recipes.
This came was perfect! It got 5 stars from my family, my boyfriend, and his mom!
Thanks Liz!!
Jeff says
Made this cake for the second time tonite, decided to try something different, made it a white velvet with a red velvet marble. Not only delicious, but very appealing to the eye. Thank you for the inspiration.
Sara says
Hi LIz,
Thank you for sharing a genuine recipe, made it today and I’m very impressed.
Moist and unbelievable texture!
Will definitely make again!
A+++
Monika says
Im not a baker but decided to make a birthday cake for my daughter myself (the things you do in lockdown!).
Followed the recipe to the letter and the cake came out amazing! Light, fluffy and delicious. I also used food colouring to make the cake a bit of a rainbow fun. My daughter loved it. I will definitely be using this recipe again, thank you for sharing.
Natalie Goss says
I have made this recipe tons of times!! It turns out great and everyone loves it!! Can I use the pasteurized egg whites that come in the carton or do I need fresh eggs? I hate wasting all the yokes. Thanks so much!!
Sugar Geek Show says
You can use pasteurized!
Shianna says
Would this work as a wedding cake layer?
Sugar Geek Show says
Yes I use it for wedding cakes all the time!
Christine Martinez says
I just love you! This recipe has made me the cake hero! Thank you! The best teacher.
Karli J Schoenleber says
I've been baking for 100 years and OMG - This white velvet cake is STUNNING! The ermine frosting is too. It is truly one of the best cakes I've ever made. The crumb is so light and tender - the cake is beautifully moist. This IS the white cake recipe that I have been searching for. The only problem? Now I must bake EVERY cake recipe on this website!
Suzi says
If I were to use a thin layer of jam in between the layers would the texture of the cake get too soggy?
Sugar Geek Show says
Nope, sounds delicious!
Priscela Perez says
The texture of this cake came out very good. Soft crumbs. Yet the flavor literally taste like cornbread. The ermine frosting taste just like whipped cream, but with a thicker texture. It is wonderful. It did help cover the cornbread flavor a bit.
Sugar Geek Show says
Sometimes that happens if you try to use All-Purpose flour instead of cake flour. This recipe needs cake flour because it uses the reverse-creaming method and it needs that softer flour to have the correct consistency.
Katie says
I made this cake last week and received so many rave reviews! I'm planning to do cupcakes..would the baking temperature and time remain the same?
DeeAnn says
Most amazing cake ever! Thank you so much for recipe. I followed the recipe exactly and it came out perfect. I'm in love with the flavor and texture.
Susie Thorne says
Would adding a teaspoon of almond extract taste good added to this cake? I love almond flavor in cakes.
Sugar Geek Show says
Sounds yummy!
pari says
can i use bob's egg replacer instead of egg whites? how much can I use?
Elizabeth Marek says
follow the directions on the packaging
Kate says
hi Elizabeth, I am so excited to try this recipe! The woman who made my daughter's birthday cake 2 years ago used it and it's the most delicious thing I've ever tried. I am nervous about making it at the last minute for her party so I was thinking of baking and doing the crumb frost two days before and storing in the refrigerator with a glass dome? I plan on doing the same rosette design. I was wondering what you'd recommend for how to store to retain the moisture. Thanks so much!
Danee says
I’ve made this multiple times over the last year since discovering it for my son’s birthday last year. Never fails. Follow the ingredients and instructions. 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
Bron says
Hi Elizabeth - does this cake freeze ok? I'm planning to make a two tiered birthday cake using this recipe for both cakes, but it'd be easier if I could make the cakes in advance. So thought I'd best check first! Thanks for the wonderful recipes and videos and for being such an inspiration to so many at home bakers as me 🙂
Sugar Geek Show says
Hi! Yes, it freezes very well, just make sure to wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and they'll be okay for a few days. Thanks so much for your kind comment!
Lisa Daly says
Love love LOVE this recipe!! I had been searching for the perfect cake and frosting to use for my daughter's bride and groom cake when she gets married next year. This is it! I did burn the first batch of frosting LOL, but after that everything was fine. The frosting is lovely. Smooth, holds up well, and easy to pipe. The cake rose nicely. I haven't cut it yet, but I am sure it will be soft and moist. Thank you so much for posting such a great recipe!
Jon says
The cake is delicious. I’ve baked it twice and the layers have sunken a bit in the middle each time. Is the 1 tablespoon of baking powder correct, or should it be 1 teaspoon? Otherwise, I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. Thank you!
Elizabeth Marek says
It is 1 tablespoon, you may be under mixing it a bit. Try giving it another min next time.
Nelda says
I’ve made this in two layers forever! Perfect cake! Today I’m trying in a 9x13 so I hope i don’t mess it up! Your recipe is amazing!
Amanda says
I love this recipe!! Question, though. Would it be ok to triple the recipe with a 7qt mixer? I think it would fit, but unsure if it would change the end result? *Not as soft, etc. Thanks 😊
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes you can no problem
Mollie Suttle says
Liz, I love all of your recipes. If I wanted to use whole eggs in this recipe instead of egg whites, would I use 2 or 3 eggs? Thanks again!
Elizabeth Marek says
One egg is about 1.6 ounces so you can get as close as you can with whole eggs to egg whites.
Kate Poehls says
Could I use the basis of this recipe to make cupcakes?
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes you can but you should leave out the oil
Tori says
This cake was SO GOOD! I made it for my dad’s birthday as his favorite local bakery recently shut down, and he didn’t even miss the cake from his favorite bakery this cake was so good! My family gave this cake 5 stars all around. It was super velvety and not too sweet at all. Definitely will make again!