This WASC cake recipe is a tender and moist cake that is perfect for white wedding cakes. It's firm enough to stack and cover in fondant but if you're looking for something to carve, you might want to try my white cake recipe.
What does WASC stand for?
WASC stands for white almond sour cream cake. WASC cake recipe has been used for years and adapted many times. I made this recipe many years ago back after reading a thread on Cake Central before I knew how to bake a cake from scratch. The funny thing is by adding all these ingredients, you're basically making a cake from scratch! The only thing you don't have to worry about is the mixing method which can be tricky at first but is easy enough to learn with a couple of tries.
The good thing about WASC is that it's easy to make, is fairly mistake-proof and tastes pretty good and is an easy way to make a boxed cake taste more like a scratch cake recipe.
WASC cake is a tender cake and needs to be fully cooled before you ice it with buttercream.
What is the best box mix to use for WASC?
I prefer Duncan Hines classic white cake mix. Duncan Hines, in my opinion, has the best tasting box mix to start with.
If you need more information on how to make your first cake, check out my full tutorial. In this tutorial, I show you not only how to make this WASC cake recipe, I also show you how to trim your cake layers, fill your cake evenly with buttercream and create a smooth finish.
Because this doctored mix bakes up sturdy, it works great as the base for my Oreo layer cake when you want to fold chopped cookies right into the batter.
Other tutorials that might be helpful for you
How to get sharp buttercream edges
How to cover a cake in fondant
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5 cups
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
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix I like duncan hines
- 5 oz AP flour 1 cup (spooned into cup, not scooped)
- 7 oz granulated sugar 1 cup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 9 oz sour cream 1 cup room temp
- 4 oz melted butter ½ cup
- 8 oz milk 1 cup room temperature
- 4 large egg whites room temperature
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
WASC CAKE INSTRUCTIONS
- The instructions for this cake are super easy. Basically, put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix it on medium speed for 2 minutes! Voila! Cake batter is ready. Pour batter into two prepared 8" pans and bake at 350ºF for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. It's ok to bake your cakes for longer if you're using larger pans.
Michele says
Love this recipe!!! One question - a couple of times my cake layer has fallen in the middle a little. Any idea why?
Elizabeth Marek says
Make sure you are mixing for long enough 🙂
Glenda Wade says
I'm making this cake tomorrow can I use butter milk
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes you can
Jackie says
What an "Amazing" cake recipe! The cake taste like homemade and a bakery bought cake. This certainly will be my go to cake recipe.
Danielle Frederick says
All I have is chocolate cake mix. Will this recipe work with chocolate cake mix too?
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes you can, I have a chocolate WASC version as well
Sonja Jean Thu says
Can this be made and frozen?
Elizabeth Marek says
Sure, you can always freeze cake
Em says
This recipe is AMAZING! I love the simplicity of adding a few ingredients to a cake mix and the taste, texture, and moisture in my opinion is equal (and less stressful) to homemade. I’m going to play around with other flavors like strawberry and lemon using this recipe! Thanks so much for my new go-to cake recipe!
Tina Reed says
This was the most delicious cake I have ever made. Everyone at the party had seconds and asked for the recipe. Thank you so much!!
Bonnie Wagley says
This is my "go-to" white cake recipe now. I have made it many times and it turns out each and every time. I even make a believer out of my daughter, who insisted there was no such thing as a cake mix-based cake that could equal or beat a home-made cake. I think this recipe gives me the best of each world. Thank you so very much for your tips and tricks, your knowledge of baking, etc.
Elizabeth Marek says
Thank you so much!
Cathy says
Am I correct in assuming I can use pasteurized egg whites for this recipe? I have made WASC cake from a different recipe and love it. The measurements are a bit different, and it uses oil, but I am anxious to try your recipe, as the ingredient amounts seem simpler to follow. I am at about 6,000 ft. here in Colorado, and I usually add an extra 1/2 cup flour to all of my cake recipes, and bake them at 350, instead of 335. Love all of your recipes. Thanks so much!
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes you can use pasteurized egg whites for this recipe
Danika says
I don't have milk. Would vanilla unsweetened almond milk be ok?
Elizabeth Marek says
Totally ok!
David W says
For yellow cake, egg whites of whole eggs?
Elizabeth Marek says
I would replace two egg whites with one whole egg for a yellow cake
Meagan says
The recipe says to use milk but I think the video you have posted you used water. Can you clarify which one to use please.
Elizabeth Marek says
I specify in the recipe you can use milk or water.
Fatima says
This recipe is printed twice. One calls for the oven at 335 and the other at 350. Which is the correct temperature?
Thanks
Elizabeth Marek says
I have been baking mine at 350
Kara says
Awesome, thank you!!! 💜
Kara says
Hi Liz! I’ve made this recipe before and it was a huge hit! I have a question for you now though... during COVID-19 pandemic, my store didn’t have any white cake mixes, so I had to purchase a Duncan Hines Classic Yellow... aside from the color of the cake obviously being different, will this change the outcome? I’m hoping to make cupcakes today for my mom’s birthday tomorrow.
Thanks in advance!!!
Elizabeth Marek says
Nope! You can use it instead of a white cake mix and use the same ingredients to make it YASC haha