White velvet cake is a soft, delicate cake with a hint of buttermilk and vanilla
White velvet cake is red velvet cake'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.
This same light, fluffy batter technique is what inspired my baked donut recipe - if you love this cake you will love those too.
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.
Try my vanilla cupcakes that have the same velvet texture as this white velvet cake, thanks to the reverse creaming method.
Related Recipes
Rainbow Cake
Green Velvet Cake
Pink Velvet Cake
Black Velvet Cake
Red Velvet Cake
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.
Choose a pan type
Choose a cake pan size
(based on 2" tall cake pan)
Choose a cake pan size
(based on 2" tall cake pan)
Cupcake Tin Size
Choose number of pans
Cups of Batter Needed
8 cups
Cups of Frosting Needed
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
- 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.
Pamela says
Does this recipe do well as cupcakes? I've learned the hard way not every cake recipe works well as cupcakes. Ina Garten's Beatty's Chocolate Cake is one. I would give ANYTHING to use it for cupcakes but every time I've tried its been a complete disaster. It bakes out over the cupcake pans, its a mess. I was so shocked the first time I tried it I didn't know what to do. And shockingly, the very same thing happened when I used it to bake in a Wilton shaped cake pan. I only fill about half or a hair above full and it bakes out all over the oven. But yet, when I do it in round cake pans, it's beautiful. Go figure. It makes NO sense to me at all.
The Sugar Geek Show says
I haven't tried this with cupcakes yet, but I agree not all cake recipes do well as cupcakes. I'll test it out 🙂
Amber says
A couple years late... but for anyone wondering about using this recipe for cupcakes... I have done it several times and they are amazing, however...it took me some experimenting to get it right. I recommend baking just a couple cupcakes at a time while you experiment with how much to fill your cupcake liners, your oven temp and your baking time. My oven worked perfectly at 340 with liners filled just over half full, for 18 minutes. You need to be very precise with the amount of batter in each liner... any overfilled will sink, underfilled will brown too much... keep in mind they’re may be slight browning around the top edges that you can’t cut away like you can with a cake... but it they taste so great it’s not a problem for me, and you can’t really see it once decorated.
Trish says
I knew if I read long enough I would find my answer. Thank you...... I’m looking forward to making cup cakes. How many cup cakes does recipe make? Thank you in advance.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Depends on the cupcake size. I get about 48 by filling the liners 2/3 of the way full.
Julee says
Same here! I was hoping someone would know the answer. This recipe is now one of my family favorites! I figured it was baker error as to why my cupcakes baked up flat. Delicious no less, but flat. Thanks for the info! ☺️
Marla says
I made this first with the comment to limit the milk and oil and they were a bit dry. I made them again with all of the ingredients, filled them half full, reduced temp to 325 (same as before) and they came out beautiful.... then sank and deflated. 🙁 The bottom of the wrappers fill oily. Should I increase them? I love the flavor of these and hope to be able to get it right. Thanks!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
If your cake is oily then there is a problem with the ingredients mixing together. Make sure you're following the mixing instructions and your ingredients including milk and eggs are all room temperature so they create an emulsion and do not separate. Changing any mixing or replacing any ingredients can result in a failed cake unfortunately
Chef Sheen says
Ive tried ina choc cake with cupcakes came out great used 2 tbsp per cupcake....happy baking
Jennifer says
So I’m late to this comment party, but I make Ina’s Cake as cupcakes all the time. The trick Is to not fill the cupcake liners as high as you normally would. I think I normally scoop them out with a quarter cup measuring cup that doesn’t fill all the way with batter if that makes sense!
Gina says
Did you leave out the cocoa to achieve the purple color or adjust the amount of cocoa?
The Sugar Geek Show says
There isn't any cocoa in white velvet. If you want it purple just add in some pink and purple food coloring
Kim says
Do the eggs and buttermilk need to be room temp? Can I use carton egg whites?
Nana says
Do you think this could be done in a hand mixer
The Sugar Geek Show says
Absolutely! Any of these recipes (except fondant) can be made with a hand mixer, I just prefer my stand mixer so I can multi-task 🙂
rain smith says
ok for the baking science challenged and those leery of vinegar in cakes...
why the vinegar? can I leave it out?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Vinegar is delicious in cakes! It helps create a bubbly reaction with the baking soda so you can a nice fluffy texture. Fluffy is good 🙂 Trust me, no vinegar taste can be detected hehe
Cassandra Quiniones says
Hi! I am excited to try this recipe...I have been reading through all of the notes here. I notice the comment here for the vinegar, which I used in red velvet cake, but I didnt see it in the ingredients list here. Did I over look it or is it not needed for the white velvet cake. I just want to be sure before I delve in. 🙂 Thanks so much!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
I took out the vinegar because I don't think it needs it 🙂
Sarah says
So glad that was asked and answered. Whew!
kurious says
I'M still wondering why i don't see any vinegar in THIS recipe in particular. Not that I love it or hate it in cakes. I'm just confused, because i learned what makes a cake "velvet" is the vinegar and buttermilk.
The Sugar Geek Show says
It just doesn't need it, it's not a mystery 🙂 The cake tastes great without it
Robyn Cooper says
Would I be able to use this recipe for cupcakes? How long would you recommend I bake them?
The Sugar Geek Show says
To make cupcakes I would remove the oil and reduce the buttermilk by half
Melissa says
Hi Liz,
I love everything you do and I have been using your recipes/tutorials for anything I do and cant tell you enough how thankful I am for all you share! I've made this recipe so many times and will be making cupcakes this go around and wanted to confirm that you still recommend taking the oil out and using only 1/2 the buttermilk. I only because in an earlier post from January 2019 you mentioned they came out perfect with the recipe as is and I didn't know if this response was in regards to something else I may have missed (i.e: cc's came out too oily or something) Thank you so much!
Melissa
The Sugar Geek Show says
I think it depends on the location. I have baked this as cupcakes and it was just fine but others complain they overflow or are too oily so I suggested taking out the oil and half the buttermilk as a fix. If I where you, I'd try to just bake a couple of cupcakes next time you use this recipe and see if it works for you before making changes
Melissa says
Perfect, thank you!
Brenda J7armusz says
I love this cake, the first time I made it I failed somewhere but tried it again and voila!! Lol. I am going to try this cake adding in pistachios next time, my husband wants pistachios in a cake, how do you think that would taste?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Pistachio cake sounds divine!! I bet it would look really pretty too
Nadine says
Would I do the white velvet recipe to do a yellow velvet cake and just add yellow food coloring?
The Sugar Geek Show says
yes you could do that
Maria says
Mine came out as yellow as any other standard cake made with whole eggs and very brown on top too. The only thing I can think of is that baking soda intensifies the maillard reaction that causes food to brown so it made my cakes dark. But I measured it very precisely according to the recipe and yours comes out lovely and white using baking soda. 🙁
The Sugar Geek Show says
Maybe your oven is a little hot or the cake was too close to the top of the oven? I do always have browning on my cakes but I trim the brown parts off (top, bottom and sides) before torting and frosting.
Kim says
How many cups of batter does the recipe version for 2-8" rounds make? I'm looking for at least 6 cups batter. Should I go with 2 rounds or 3? Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
6 cups of batter, I use 2" tall cake pans.
Meagan Boggan says
I made this cake and everyone loved it. I appreciated the subtle mix of sweet and tang. I will, however, have to turn down the temp on my oven because the edges got a bit crispy. Great for home snacking (I looove the crispy bits), but not so great if I'm cooking it for someone else.
JILL HANSEN says
THANK YOU for scaling your ingredients!! Using a scale is not only best for accuracy, but it saves a lot of time and utensils in the kitchen. I can't live without my scale!
Julie says
Hi there, could I use yoghurt instead of buttermilk in this recipe?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I haven't tried that so I am not for sure 🙂
Agnes says
I would not recommend it. I live in a country that doesn't sell buttermilk, but you can easily make your own. Just mix normal milk with 1 tsp of vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 5-10 min. Done! 🙂
Bernardette Ferrando says
Yes definitely... I always use half milk, half Greek yoghurt instead of the stated amount of buttermilk and the result is always brilliant.
Trish says
I did the same. I’m in the US. Half 2% Greek yogurt and half 2% milk for buttermilk substitute. Read somewhere online recently that is a better substitute than milk/vinegar combination. Still moist
JD says
If I’m not mistaken, it’s 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice plus milk to equal one cup.
louie says
hi what kind of flour you used for the frosting? is cake or all purpose flour? thanks
The Sugar Geek Show says
All purpose flour for the ermine frosting
Meg says
What is all purpose flour and cake flour. n UK and we have plain and self raising flour. Thanks
The Sugar Geek Show says
I have heard several people say they can find a low protein flour in the UK. That would be a good substitute unless you can find unbleached cake flour. Cake flour is more tender than AP flour and used when you want a very fine/delicate cake
Anita Sharmin Khan says
142g egg white means how many egg. And if I don’t hv cake flour can I use the regular all purpose flour or self raising flour.
The Sugar Geek Show says
The recipe is by weight so you use a scale to measure out the egg whites. Cake flour is not the same as all purpose flour. If you substitute then the may not work out
Hence says
can you use carton egg whites for this recipe?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can
Shaz says
This cake is amazing! The texture is unbelievable. I loved the original recipe and even tried baking another one with 10% less sugar and it’s still sooooo good. I really want a chocolate cake with this texture. How do you think I can convert this cake to chocolate without sacrificing the amazing texture?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I'm glad you like it 🙂 I don't know about turning it into chocolate, would take some experimenting for sure
Abby says
I tried making this and failed miserably. I think I was wrong on the flour and sugar. How many cups of AP flour is 12 oz and how many cups of granulated sugar is 14oz. Thank you!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Hi there, if you try to convert to cups this recipe will not turn out. I always use a scale for accuracy since baking from scratch is a science 🙂 You can get a food scale at most grocery stores for less than $20
B says
Wasted ingredients because that isn't noted. Thanks.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Actually it IS noted. In every recipe, the first step says that you must weigh the ingredients.
Anonymous says
That's a bit harsh mate. No need for the tantrum because you didn't read that you have to weigh your ingredients.
Anna B says
Also, it isn’t AP flour, it is cake flour.
Stephanie says
Hi Liz can this be converted to grams? I'm in South Africa and we use the metric system so my scale is in Mililiters and grams.
The Sugar Geek Show says
One ounce = 28 grams 🙂
Mary says
How is the frosting so white with browned flour?
The Sugar Geek Show says
It comes from whipping and incorporating air. Similar to how yellow butter ends up white 🙂
This Gal says
Hi! So the first time I made this cake, I took everything out and realized the battery to my scale was dead. I had to improvise and convert it into cups. The cake turned out fine and was delicious! I've made it again by properly weighing, and I honestly couldn't tell the difference.
The Sugar Geek Show says
That's great!
Amy B says
I have a recipe that I'm wanting to try for a Pina colada rum cake. It calls for a white or yellow cake mix. I don't have a cake mix, because I never make anything but these cakes on your site. I'm wondering if I can use this recipe as my base instead of the mix. What are your thoughts on that?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Totally! You can add up to 1/4 cup of extra ingredients like pineapple and not have to make any changes to the recipe
Anna says
Hey I would like to know an egg free version of dis recipe... I don't consume eggs
The Sugar Geek Show says
So sorry, I don't have one 🙁
KATHLEEN P MAGUIRE says
Baking substitute for eggs; Knox unflavored gelatin. 1 tsp. softened with 3 Tbsp. cold water and 2 Tbsp+1 tsp hot water = 1 egg
Dana says
Use Ener-G Egg Replacer.
The Muffin Man! says
Flax seed is my go to sub for eggs in baking. Google the specifics
kurious says
I assume you do not eat eggs, because you are vegetarian or vegan..?? (Just guessing) Meaning, you also may not use gelatin as a substitute..?? Random note: my sister is NOT vegetarian or vegan, but she still does not consume eggs and WOULD be able to use a gelatin substitute. It's EGGS itself that makes her feel sick. So it's not a healthy life choice (as i call it). I ask, because i notice you got a replacement suggestion that contained animal products.
Dan says
I loved making this recipe, it was moist and delicious.
Karen says
Have you tried using GF flour in this recipe? Would like to know if it works.
The Sugar Geek Show says
I have used bobs red mill gluten free 1:1 baking mix