White Cake Recipe

4.88 from 1448 votes

A white cake recipe that is light, fluffy, full of flavor and easy to make! A great base recipe for any baker that can be adapted to other recipes.

This recipe makes enough batter for two 8"x2" round cakes or three 6"x2" tall cakes

Prep Time15

Cook Time28

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cups

Calories: 589kcal

Author: Elizabeth Marek

Ingredients

White Cake Recipe Ingredients

8 oz unsalted butter room temp
14 oz sugar
6 large egg whites fresh not boxed at room temp
14 oz AP flour
2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon almond extract use clear for a whiter cake
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 oz milk room temp
2 oz vegetable oil

Easy Buttercream Frosting

8 oz pasteurized egg whites room temperature
32 oz powdered sugar
32 oz unsalted butter room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Gold Drip

6 oz white chocolate
1 oz warm water
1 teaspoon warm brown food coloring
2 teaspoon Truly Mad Plastics super gold
1 tablespoon Everclear lemon extract or rose water can be used

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

White Cake Recipe Instructions

Preheat your oven to 335ºF and prepare two 8"x2" cake pans with cake goop or another preferred pan release.
Combine milk, oil and extracts and set aside
Combine your flour, baking powder and salt and set aside
Place butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and cream until smooth. Sprinkle in your sugar and then let whip on high until light and white (about 5 minutes)
Add the egg whites one at a time (roughly) to the butter mixture while mixing on low and let fully combine after each addition before adding the next. If your egg whites aren't at room temperature you can microwave them for a few seconds. Be careful not to cook them! Cold egg whites will curdle the batter.
Add in ⅓ of your dry ingredients to the egg/butter mixture and mix on low until just combined. Then add in ½ of your liquids, then dry, then liquids and the rest of your dry. Let mix until just combined.
Add batter into prepared cake pans and bake at 335º F for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center.
Let cool ten minutes then turn out cakes onto a cooling rack. Wrap warm and place into the freezer to flash chill. This locks in the moisture. Once cool but not frozen you can then trim off the brown edges of your cakes and frost as desired. Chill cake.

Easy Buttercream Frosting

Combine egg whites and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment. Whisk to combine on low then whisk on high, adding in your butter in small chunks, vanilla and salt. Turn mixer up to high and whip until light, fluffy and white.

Gold Drip

Melt chocolate and water in the microwave and whisk until smooth. Add in a couple drops of food coloring. Let cool to about 90 degrees before attempting to drip over the chilled cake. Once chocolate is set, you can combine the everclear and gold dust to make a paint and paint the drip.

*note: this is a non-toxic gold dust

Video

Notes

Important Things To Note Before You Start

1. Bring all your ingredients to room temperature or even a little warm 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.

Nutrition