Sugar Geek Show logo

menu icon
subscribe
search icon

Updated on April 29, 2026 by · This post may contain affiliate links · 742 Comments

White Velvet Buttermilk Cake

Jump to Recipe

White velvet cake is a soft, delicate cake with a hint of buttermilk and vanilla

slice of white velvet cake with ermine frosting on a plate with a silver fork

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.

red velvet cake

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. 

white velvet cake with ermine frosting

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. 

white velvet cake with ermine frosting

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.

blue-velvet-cake

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!

velvet cake

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.

green velvet cake

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.

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)

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

white velvet cake recipe

White velvet buttermilk cake recipe

White velvet cake gets it's flavor and velvety texture from buttermilk. A moist, tender cake that is great for any special occasion. This recipe makes two 8" round cakes about 2" tall. Serves 24
Bake at 335F for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out cleanly. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 cups
Calories: 208kcal
Author: Liz Marek

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
US Customary - Metric

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. 

Video

Notes

IMPORTANT: Make sure all your ingredients are at room temp and you're using a scale to measure. Substituting ingredients may cause this recipe to fail. (see notes at the bottom of the recipe)
Important Things To Note Before You Start
1. Bring all your ingredients to room temperature or even a little warm (eggs, buttermilk, butter, etc) to ensure your batter does not break or curdle. 
2. Use a scale to weigh your ingredients (including liquids) unless otherwise instructed (Tablespoons, teaspoons, pinch etc). Metric measurements are available in the recipe card. Scaled ingredients are much more accurate than using cups and help ensure the success of your recipe. 
3. Practice Mise en Place (everything in it's place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.
4. Chill your cakes before frosting and filling. You can cover a frosted and chilled cake in fondant if you wish. This cake is also great for stacking. I always keep my cakes chilled in the refrigerator before delivery for easy transporting. 
5. If the recipe calls for specific ingredients like cake flour, replacing it with all purpose flour and cornstarch is not recommended unless specified in the recipe that it’s ok. Substituting ingredients may cause this recipe to fail. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 60mg | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 335IU | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
 

More Recipe

About Liz Marek

Liz Marek is a professional cake artist, sweet and savory recipe developer, and the founder of Sugar Geek Show, where she teaches cooking, baking and cake decorating through detailed tutorials, food science explanations, and kitchen-tested recipes. She has been creating recipes and teaching baking techniques since 2008, helping bakers of all skill levels gain the confidence to make professional-quality desserts at home.

Liz is known for breaking down complex cooking and baking concepts into simple, approachable methods. Her work focuses on helping people understand not just how a recipe works, but why it works. Through Sugar Geek Show, she shares step-by-step recipes, cake decorating tutorials, and practical baking guides designed to make professional techniques accessible to everyone.

Over the years, Liz has taught thousands of students through online tutorials, classes, and educational content focused on real kitchen results. Her recipes are carefully tested and written to help people succeed the first time they make them.

When she’s not developing recipes or teaching baking techniques, Liz also hosts curated travel experiences for women through her travel brand Soul Sisters.

You can find Liz’s latest recipes, baking tutorials, and food science tips at Sugar Geek Show.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tricia says

    Great, I'll try that. Thank you so much!

    Reply

  2. Tricia says

    5 stars
    Thanks for this wonderful recipe - the cake came out amazingly soft and tasty. I made it for my son's first month celebration and added some peppermint extract to get a peppermint cake.

    I'm thinking of using this same recipe (because it's so good!) to make an Elderflower cake. The recipes I've seen call for quite a bit more syrup than just a tsp of flavouring to flavour the cake. I was wondering if you have used any other syrups like this to flavour this recipe that may affect the consistency of the batter and ultimately the final product.

    Thanks again!

    Reply

    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      If you need to add a lot of liquid, reduce the milk by the same amount. If your elderflower syrup has added sugar, reduce the sugar by a few ounces as well. You may have to do a couple tests to dial it in.

      Reply

  3. Warda Ebrahim says

    Hi. I'd like to make a rainbow cake, I want to start in a few hours, so I hope you see this soon enough. How many batches are needed to make 6 layers, I don't want the cake to be too big (lockdown=no visitors), but I don't wanna do a half job by only making 4 layers.

    Also, what are cools things to make with egg yolks, I don't wanna waste.

    Reply

  4. Danette says

    Hi Liz, I was so excited for a white cake to succeed as I’ve tried many, but unfortunately it resulted in a really odd cake. It did not rise and had an almost wet texture. The only thing I did different was converted ingredients to cups, as I don’t have a scale. Everything else was done EXACTLY as you instructed. I’m sure yours is great but mine was not and it just bothers me why I can’t get a perfect white cake to save my life. Any comments would be appreciated.

    Reply

    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      That is, unfortunately, the issue. Im so sorry you had to waste your ingredients 🙁 Investing in a scale will save you a lot of headaches in the future and is SO much easier. You can learn more about using a scale in this blog post. https://sugargeekshow.com/digital-kitchen-scale/

      Reply

  5. Meegan says

    I have your WASC cake cooling right now! Q: How would you describe the taste and texture differences between your 3-ish "white" cakes? 1. white velvet 2. white scratch 3. WASC white (and if I'm missing any others?)

    (I don't necessarily need to know about things like carvabiliity or stacking, etc, so, I'm curious to your description of taste/mouth feel/texture differences/similarities.)

    LOVE YOUR SITE!!!! 🙂

    Reply

    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      White velvet is the most tender and flavorful, white cake has a firmer texture and a milder flavor, WASC is very soft and spongy like a bakery store white cake.

      Reply

  6. Jennifer Barnes says

    3 stars
    Hi there - I’m hoping you can help me figure out what I did wrong. This is the first time using reverse creaming (love) in my new Bosch (love)!! Also for baking at 335. I followed the directions except I added sprinkles ton ale or a funfetti. When I took them out of the oven they sank and after 10 minutes when flipped out of the pans they were sunken also. Could it be from adding the sprinkles? My oven thermometer was accurate. Thanks so much - Jennifer

    Reply

    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      Hmmm it could be you under-mixed. This happened to me one time in my bosch, I was worried I was over-mixing because it's so powerful but I actually under-mixed. Also, not sure if you're doubling the recipe but if you are, be extra careful about adding in the liquid slowly so the batter doesn't break. I have added in sprinkles successfully with no problem as long as you don't add too many. If they sunk, it makes me think the batter was not mixed right somehow

      Reply

  7. Becky says

    I have tried this recipe twice and both times it collapses in the middle. I can’t seem to get a fluffy cake. What am I doing wrong?

    Reply

    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      It could be that you are under-mixing, some of your ingredients are cold or that you are not baking for long enough

      Reply

  8. Missy says

    5 stars
    Is the frosting supposed to be really buttery tasting? I sent you a msg earlier about how I only had powdered sugar (and a tiny bit of granulated). I also didn’t know how to toast the sugar/flour mix. I ended up burning some that stuck to the bottom sides of the pan. Stuck hard! But I went ahead and used the rest of it, whipping it into the butter. It tastes good! It may be a little more buttery tasting because I didn’t use the burnt portions, causing me to have less of it for whipping into the butter? But it’s fluffy. I really want to try it again with all granulated sugar. It was really hard to whisk the powdered sugar in the pan because it’s texture causes the whisk to “drag”. I think regular sugar would yield a better result!... As for the cake - a winner! Very light and fluffy! Delicious. The frosting was light, fluffy, and delicious on it too!

    Reply

    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      No, the frosting should be very light and taste like whipped cream. So sorry you had so many issues but it sounds like you made the best of it <3

      Reply

  9. Missy says

    For the icing, not sure what it means to “toast” the flour. Am I supposed to see it turning brown?

    Reply

    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      It means to just let the flour cook in the pan until it starts to lightly turn brown

      Reply

    • Crystal K says

      Any adjustments needed to make cupcakes?

      Reply

      • Elizabeth Marek says

        I would leave out the oil

  10. Missy says

    Crap! Just measured out my ingredients for the cake part. Yes, I have a scale! Went to measure for the icing and realized I don’t have enough granular sugar. Our state now on lock-down since yesterday (COVID19) so not running to store for sugar. Can I make up the difference by using powdered sugar? I’d add it to the granular to get up to 14 ounces. Thanks!

    Reply

    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      Sorry, I didn't see this comment until now. You've probably already mixed it up! Let me know how it goes. I think it will be ok

      Reply

  11. Katie says

    How much cocoa powder and food coloring do you need to add to make it red velvet?

    Reply

    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      Follow the red velvet cake recipe

      Reply

  12. Gen Chow says

    5 stars
    I made this cake to practice for my wedding cake in October. Questions are: 1. How many oz of batter do you use in a 8” and a 10” Round cake pan? 2. I know that there is baking soda and buttermilk to react with each other in this recipe, how long can the batter sit before that reaction stops and starts to deflate the batter? (I only have limited cake pans so I am trying to figure out how I can stagger a 6”, 8” and 10” and if I should need to make multiple batches separately to achieve the beautiful crumb of this cake. 3. Do you have a chocolate mousse recipe you like to use to put in between your cakes? Thanks so much and I have really enjoyed your videos and recipes!

    Reply

    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      If you add up all the oz in the recipe you can get a number of ounces. I don't fill my pans by ounces, I just go by sight. About 3/4 full. You should bake the batter as soon as you make it. I do not use mousse for wedding cake fillings because it is very soft and needs to be refrigerated. I would use whipped chocolate ganache instead.

      Reply

  13. Shivani Anandavadivel says

    Hi

    Can I use this as substitute for Vanilla Butter Cske/Vanilla Cake and top with various frostings and topping like lemon/passion curd?

    Reply

    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      Yes you definitely can and that sounds delicious

      Reply

  14. Michelle says

    Hi! I made this cake first in 8 inch pans and it was gorgoeus and then tried again with 10 inch pans by adding a half recipe. It didn’t come out fluffy and the outside cooked way before the inside. What should I do to the recipe, temperature, and baking time to make two 10 inch cakes?

    Reply

    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      Make sure you increase the baking time, everything is mixed properly, ingredients at room temperature etc.

      Reply

  15. Kim H says

    5 stars
    Sheer fluffy perfection! Thank you for the awesome recipe. I baked this in an 8x12" same time 8500 ft. 38 minutes. Absolutely lovely!

    Reply
4.87 from 734 votes (577 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




All comments are subject to our Terms of Use