Today I’m so excited to be sharing the very best white cake recipe! This recipe yields a fluffy, snow-white cake that’s light and soft but still sturdy enough to stack or cover with fondant. Read on for plenty of tips for making the perfect white cake, completely from scratch!
We’ve covered chocolate cake, vanilla cake (one of my most popular recipes, thanks to you guys!), and even pineapple upside-down cake, but up until today we’ve been missing a critical flavor: a classic, delicious, white cake!
This is a classic cake flavor and a personal favorite of mine, so when I say up in the intro that I’m excited to share this recipe with you, I really, really mean it. This cake is delicious, and honestly so easy to make… even if you’ve never beaten egg whites before I’m going to walk you through that below so you too can enjoy a perfect, from-scratch white cake.
In case this white cake recipe seems familiar to you, I should probably mention that it is essentially my Funfetti cake recipe, only scaled down to be just two layers (so if you want a 3 layer white cake recipe, just head over to my Funfetti recipe and leave out the sprinkles!).
Let’s dig in to what makes this cake so incredible.
As I mentioned, this cake is fairly simple, but there is an important technique that I want to discuss regarding the egg whites. To keep this cake pure white, we’re not using any egg yolks and instead we are going to beat our egg whites to stiff peaks (if you’ve made my meringue cookies, you’ve beaten egg whites to stiff peaks before). Let me explain how:
How to Beat Eggs Whites to Stiff Peaks for White Cake
- Place your egg whites in a completely clean and grease free bowl. It’s best to separate your whites and yolks in a separate bowl first, that way if a small bit of yolk escapes you don’t have to start over. Even the smallest bit of grease or yolk can ruin your egg whites and keep them from reaching stiff peaks.
- Reaching stiff peaks will take several minutes, just keep beating and you will see them start to take shape!
- Stiff peaks are formed when the whites have increased in volume (see visual below) and, if you pull a beater straight out of the mixture, a peak forms that does not recede back into itself — its holds its shape. Once you reach this point, stop beating, as it is totally possible to over-beat your egg whites.
Fold your egg whites gently into the rest of your white cake batter. I always recommend doing this part by hand. Make sure that you stir enough so that the egg whites are well-incorporated into the batter, but use a light hand so that you don’t deflate the egg whites, or you’ll end up with a dense cake.
While the cake is baking, don’t be alarmed if it seems that the surface is turning too dark. The outside of the cake will actually bake up to a golden brown in the oven, but don’t worry, the cake will be pure white inside once you go to actually slice into it.
What Kind of Extract Should I Use for My White Cake?
I use clear vanilla. Regular (caramel-colored) vanilla extract will work just fine and your cake will still come out mostly white (check out my above-mentioned Funfetti cake, that one was made with standard vanilla extract), but for this white cake recipe I opted for clear extract for a cake with a pure white interior.
Many white cake reicpes also call for almond extract. None of my family members are huge fans of almond extract, so I leave it out, but if you like the taste you can substitute some of the vanilla extract for almond… since almond extract is quite potent I wouldn’t personally recommend using more than 1 ½-2 teaspoons for this recipe, but feel free to experiment!
Can I use 9″ Cake Pans Instead of 8″
Yes! The baking time will be reduced, though. Start checking your cake at 30 minutes.
Can I Make This Recipe Into Cupcakes?
Yes! Fill each cupcake liner about ¾ full (don’t over-fill) and bake on 350F for about 18 minutes (for mini cupcakes, bake for 14-15 minutes). This recipe will yield approximately 30 standard sized cupcakes.
Enjoy!
How to Make White Cake
The Best White Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) avocado oil, canola oil or vegetable oil
- 2 cup (400 g) sugar
- 1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
- 2 ⅔ cup (345 g) + 2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (235 ml) milk room temperature preferred
- 6 large egg whites room temperature
- Double batch Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (click link for recipe)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and prepare two 8-inch round cake pans by lining the bottoms with a round of parchment paper and generously greasing and flouring the sides. Be sure to shake out excess flour.
- In a stand mixer (or using an electric mixer), beat butter on medium-low speed until creamy.6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- Add sugar and oil and beat until all ingredients are well-combined and creamy.⅔ cup (160 ml) avocado oil, canola oil or vegetable oil, 2 cup (400 g) sugar
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and then stir in your vanilla extract.1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
- In separate bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt.2 ⅔ cup (345 g) + 2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- Measure out your milk.1 cup (235 ml) milk
- With mixer on medium speed, gradually alternate between adding the flour mixture and the milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Stir until each one is almost completely combined before adding the next.
- Pause occasionally to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
- In separate bowl combine your egg whites and using a hand-mixer on high-speed beat until stiff peaks form.6 large egg whites
- Using a spatula, gently fold your egg whites into your batter. Take care to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so that ingredients are well-combined, and take care not to over-mix.
- Evenly divide cake batter into prepared pans.
- Bake on 350F for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean or with few crumbs (should not be wet). For best results, rotate your cake pans halfway through baking to ensure even baking.
- Cakes will be a light golden brown when done baking.
- Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the inside rim of each pan and invert each onto a cooling rack.
- Allow to cool completely before covering with buttercream frosting*. I used a double batch of my recipe (linked above) to thoroughly cover and decorate this cake.Double batch Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Marie C
Just curious if you would happen to know how many cupcakes a single recipe will make?
Sam
About 30 cupcakes. Enjoy!
Marie C
Thank you so much! I’m making graveyard cupcakes for a potluck at work. I think this recipe will be perfect! 😀
Erin
Just a suggestion for those of you trying the recipe without success, it could be an altitude problem. I’m at 4500ft and always have to make high altitude adjustments to recipes. There are lots of tutorials online on how to adjust for that…
Sugar Spun Run
That is a great tip, Erin! Thank you for your comment. 🙂
Aly
I made this for my sister’s baby shower and was still getting compliments weeks later! People who generally “watch what they eat” took home extra slices (and then confessed to eating them as soon as they got home lol). I made an ombre cake and was able to add coloring successfully without over mixing by separating the batter into 4 bowls (for 4 layers) prior to adding egg whites. Added in my coloring then folded in equal amounts of the egg whites. Perfection!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Aly! From the sounds of it, your cake not only tasted delicious but was beautiful! Thank you for using my recipe for your sister’s baby shower cake. I hope that she had a nice celebration. I am so happy to hear that everyone enjoyed the white cake. 🙂
Jewel
I baked this as a birthday cake for a co-worker who is an exceptional baker. I haven’t baked in a while so I was naturally nervous that my attempt would be sub-par…but it was a HIT! For my recipe, I mixed in about 1/3 cup of crushed fresh strawberries into the icing between my 2 rounds and decorated the base and top with sliced strawberries. It was pretty and delicious!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear that it was such a success, Jewel! And LOVE the sound of your additions… YUM! Thank you so much for commenting, I really appreciate it 🙂
Jaime Booth Jenkins
Can I make the day ahead and ice the next? I want to double up and not do all the work twice – cupcakes for preschool and cake for birthday!
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Jamie! Yes, you can! I hope the cupcakes and birthday cake are enjoyed! 🙂
Andre
Both the cake and icing recipe was a hit for me this past weekend. The cake was moist and neither was too sweet. I added pink food coloring to my batter as I made the cake for a breast cancer event. The coloring took really well. The recipe tasted as if I had bought the cake from a bakery. I think this will be my new go to recipe, especially as attempt to make sheet cakes.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Andre! I am so glad that the white cake was such a hit and turned out so well. I hope your event was a success. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Jenn
would this recipe work well for cake pops?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Jenn! I haven’t tried it personally, however, I think it should work fine. Let me know how they turn out. 🙂
Ilah
Grand daughter is getting married and wants a three three layered cake 10″ 8″ 6″ do you think your recipe would hold up to a three tiered cake?
Beth
I don’t know if it was something I did, but the cake turned out tasting like flour and not much else.. super bummed after all that work!!
Sam
Super disappointed to hear this, Beth! It sounds like there might have been too much flour used, did you use cups or weights to measure the flour? If you use cups make sure to lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level it off. I hope that helps!
Darin
Lightly spoon? Where was that in the directions? That’s different than most recipes that call for flour . That by definition is not 2 and 2/3 cups plus 2 tablespoons.
Sam
Hi Darin, that is how flour is measured when using cups. I’m not sure what you mean that it’s not by definition the measurement when it by definition is. I’m sorry if you weren’t aware of this. If you’re really trying to be precise I recommend using a scale and using weights. I’m working on a tutorial on how to measure flour for others who may not be aware, but while I try not to make assumptions about baking skills I don’t usually go into detail about how to measure ingredients unless they are unusual. I hope this is helpful but it sounds like that is why your cake came out tasting like flour, because too much was used.
Darin
Agreed, mine tasted too much like flour as well. Extremely disappointed in the recipe.
Maryam
OMG😮 I just want to say that this recipe is beyond delicious. I’ve already made it like 4 times and every time I make it it disappears within seconds. And it’s the perfect recipe for me because I always have extra egg whites from chocolate pudding. It’s so yummy it doesn’t even new frosting! I’ve already been asked for the recipe 3 times. Would DEFINITELY recommend!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Maryam! I am so glad that you enjoyed the white cake. 🙂
Amy Lee
This recipe did NOT work for me. I made cupcakes and the sunk and almost seem oily. I followed the recipe to the “T” and I am a seasoned Baker. I am not sure what went wrong.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Amy! I am sorry that your cupcakes did not turn out as you had hoped. I bake them often and have never had a problem. If there is too much air in the batter from over mixing, it will often cause the cupcakes to sink after baking. I’m not certain what went wrong, but I am sorry that you had an issue. I hope that you give another one of my recipes a shot. 🙂
SAMANTHA KEFFER
HELLO, HOW LONG SHOULD I BAKE MAKING 2 10 INCH ROUND
Karoline
I just made two 10″ cakes with this recipe, and I baked them for about 39 minutes, mind you I had my oven set to 325° as I wanted to avoid getting a very dark ‘crust’. Mine turned out just like the pictures!
Cherri
Could you use club soda in place of the milk to cut down on calories?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Cherri! I have never tried it so I am not sure how it will turn out. If you, let me know. 🙂
Thais
Can this recipe be made in a 9×13 pan? Attempting to make a birthday cake that serve as part of dessert for 22 people (there will also be cookies and ice cream). I’m trying not to make 2 cakes.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Thais! It will be fine in a 9″ x 13″ baking pan, but you will want to keep an eye on it, as the bake time will vary. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Thais
Hello again. The cake is out of the oven. Looks good so far. (35 minutes in a glass pan). Now another question: your link to the frosting recipe says “double.” Is the recipe already double, or do I double it? Thanks!
Dilhara
My new go to white cake recipe! Makes the most beautiful confetti cake. I made a confetti cake with rose mascapone butter cream and it was divine!! Didn’t take long to be demolished. 😋😋😋
Sugar Spun Run
Dilhara, thank you so much! I am so glad that you enjoyed the white cake. White cake paired with a rose mascarpone buttercream sounds delightful. Enjoy! 🙂
JJ
My cupcakes fell. 😏 Any suggestions for next time? They taste fine, but they look sad.
Sugar Spun Run
Oh no! I am so sorry to hear that this happened. Over-beating the batter often will cause this to happen. By doing so, it can cause too much air to get into the batter. I hope you give it another shot. Regardless, I am glad that they taste good. 🙂