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.
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
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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.
Linda says
This sounds delicious and anxious to make it. If I used whole eggs instead of egg whites what happens? Also if I cut the recipe in half how many eggs would I use? If it requires egg whites did you say carton ones can be used? Thanks for posting this!
The Sugar Geek Show says
If you used whole egg it wouldn't be white and would have a little more egg in it since you'd have to account for the addition of the yolk. One egg white weighs 1 oz and an egg yolk weighs about .67 oz so for every two egg yolks you'd subtract one egg white. I do use egg whites from a box and as long as you shake the box before you use them and don't use egg whites that are really old then they will be good!
Peggy Wooten says
How do I adapt this recipe to make/bake at 5000 feet altitude?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Here's some info on baking in high altitude https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Jacque says
Do you have any adjustments for high altitude (over 5,000')? I find cakes made from scratch generally need some adjustments to turn out right.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Here's some information on baking at a high altitude https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Lorinda says
Hi Liz! ?? I see that you replied to someone above (earlier on) saying that you were planning on trying the white velvet with cupcakes. Just wondering if you ever did and if they turned out as perfect? ?. Thinking of making some for New Years Eve.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Cupcakes turned out great!
Cindy says
Seems pretty clear to me. Baking is a science... Will make this soon!
Tracey McDougal says
Just made the batter for this cake, in the oven now, smells delicious, rising perfectly. The raw batter was absolutely delicious (yes, I tasted the raw batter). Will make your crusting cream cheese frosting to go with it. Cannot wait to try the finished product!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Im a raw batter taster too (no shame) 😀
Kat says
Me too, grew up eating it, and I’m 71 no problem. Haha
Jennifer Greene says
My cakes don't go in the oven until I give it the raw batter taste test!! I'm 60 and have been eating raw batter (aka: licking the bowl and beaters!) since I was a tot and proud of it!! LOL
Lateris says
I tried this cake 2 times and I had success with it it tasted good but it crumb I tried it with baking powder and baking soda the first time I thought it was because I used the baking powder and soda together so the next I only used baking soa and it still didn’t to right I used white lilt flour or should I have used cake flour or a white cake box please let me know what I did wrong
The Sugar Geek Show says
I don't understand the question, did you follow the recipe and use the ingredients listed?
Zee Bee says
You should have used cake flour.
kurious says
regular flour may make it "crumby" (i believe you were saying it was). Cake flour will make a lighter and softer texture and less "grainy' or "crumby"
Meri says
Could this cake be covered with fondant?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes
kurious says
i thought you mentioned in an above comment that he cake is tender, so fondant may not be a great idea...or did you say it's tender to be CARVING into sculptures?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I've used it to stack many times so I can safely say it is ok to use under fondant 🙂
Fionna says
Hi! To make the three layer cake, did you split the batter into 3 8inch pans? or 3 6inch pans?
Thank you!
The Sugar Geek Show says
I split the batter into three 6" pans but you could do 8" if you don't mind the layers being about 1" thick instead of 2"
Pamela says
For all the colors, once the cocoa powder and red coloring has been eliminated, is it just a matter of adding the desired color to White Velvet Cake or do some of the colors have cocoa powder in them or another formula?
Amy Banks says
They didn't pull away from the liners! Woohoo!
Orie says
Can i use 3 6 inch pans instead of 2 8 inch pans? How long would i bake it for? How much food coloring to make pastel pink?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can, I often do this. I would use just a drop of electric pink food coloring and start with 30 minutes and see where you are.
Paula says
This recipe was really good!! I made it for my mother's birthday and everyone loved it! I frosted it with a whipped cream cream cheese frosting that was delish!!❤
Wish I could show you a pic of it! Thank you for the recipe!!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yay thats excellent! You can always join our fb group! I love to see finished projects in there 🙂 https://www.facebook.com/groups/sugargeeks
Roberta Di Porto says
Hi, I have some question. Do egg whites with buttemilk need to be whipped or mixed? I used the K whisk to mix the dry ingredients and the "Spider" whisk for the rest. I did well? the cake is rather yellow. it did not come as white as in the picture. why? THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
No they don't have to be whipped, the stand mixer does most of the work to get everything mixed
Jasmine says
Does this cake freeze well for later use?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes! Freezing your cakes is great