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.
Michelle
Love this recipe. Have made about 4 times now but one thing… I seem to have too much batter for two 8in cake tins. No great matter as I just make a few cupcakes too!
Sam
Hi Michelle! I am so glad you have enjoyed the cake so much! Do you have 2″ deep pans by chance? I know some people have used 1.5″ pans and there has been too much batter for their pans, but I certainly wouldn’t complain about a few extra cupcakes on the side, that would be my personal stash. 🤣
e
My daughter loves white cake. I was lazy to go out to go buy a typical box cake but instead decided to make it from scratch. Looked at a few recipes and settled on this one bc i was a bit curious about the egg beating. I have never beat eggs like that before and i had the same issue where some of it was liquid but i still mixed it in. I was worried but it tasted delicious! Thank you! Kids and i are very happppppy! Dont think i will be making box cakes every again now that i have found this one!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much! There’s nothing better than having a successful homemade cake. 🙂
Kjersta Hoffman
Made this for one of my day care kiddos birthdays today and used your chocolate frosting recipe to top it. It was AMAZING!! It is going to be one of those that is put in our family cookbook to pass down, it’s that good. Thank you soo much! Now I need to figure out who I can pass the rest of the cake out to so I don’t eat it all myself!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed the cake so much, Kjersta! You can have an extra slice or two I won’t tell anybody. 😉
Deb
How long in oven for a 9× 12 pan
Sam
Hi Deb! In a 9 x 13 the cake should take probably about 30-35 minutes, but it’s better to check it sooner rather than later so you don’t overbake the cake. 🙂
Charlene R Hicks
If I reduce the sugar in this recipe, will it change the cake?
Sam
The cake won’t be as sweet, but it will still turn out if you reduce the sugar a bit.
Charlene R Hicks
If I choose to use cake flour, should the measurement be the same as the ap flour?
Sam
If you’re using weights then yes, if you are using measuring cups than I believe it is 1 cup + 2 Tbsp of cake flour for every cup of all-purpose.
trishann
I was wondering if you could use cake flour instead of all purpose?
Sam
Yes, but the substitution must be done properly. If you use weights you need the same weight. If you measure by cups you need 1 c + 2 tablespoons for each cup of all purpose flour. 🙂
Christine Pohrer
This recipe was absolutely incredible! I did make a fun modification one of the times… we split the batter by 5 & added food coloring… ended up making the most gorgeous rainbow cake that was beautiful & absolutely delicious… pure happiness during a tough time. The vanilla buttercream recipe is the best I’ve ever made too! I’ve forwarded to multiple friends. Thanks again!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the cake so much, Christine! I bet the rainbow cake was SOO pretty. 🙂
Leslie in MA
This is an outstanding recipe! I used 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract and 1/2 tablespoon of almond extract and it turned out just like the cakes my mother used to have for my birthdays when I was a child (a woman by the name of Carol Donborrows [sp.?] of the Buffalo, NY area made them in the 80s & 90s and they were the best! I’ve always tried to find something similar, but no luck until this recipe.) Thank you for feeding my nostalgia and inner-child!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the cakes so much, Leslie! 🙂
Ivy
Following the recipe steps- it’s missing a step not listed- it says to cream butter, oil, and sugar before wisking the dry ingredients and mixing with milk- but it’s missing when do u mix in the butter oil mixture that was made before we wisked the flour? Before adding the egg whites? Please clarify. Thank you
Sam
Hi Ivy! You never take the butter mixture out of the bowl of your stand mixer. You will make the butter mixture in the bowl of the stand mixer. In a separate bowl you will want to whisk together your dry ingredients and then measure out milk. You will then add the ingredients to the stand mixer bowl that already has the butter mixture. You will add the dry ingredients and milk right to the butter mixture. I hope that helps. 🙂
Nicole
This cake is amazing! I have never made white cake from scratch. I made this cake for a smash cake for my daughter’s 1st Birthday tomorrow! I did a double batch to also make cupcakes for the rest of the family. When doing the egg whites they did not peak like pictured (i have never done this before) theu got fluffy/bubbly looking but under neith all that was still liquid….so after what felt like a life time I gave up and just folded in the fluffy part and then dumbed most of the liquid egg white in. I didn’t add it all becuase in the back of my head I kept hearing “dense cake”. So I said a little prayer and hoped for the best. I did find the batter to be on the thin side as well, this made be fear I did something wrong more than just the egg whites but knowing I followed the recipe I thought “this must be how it should be” I tested one of the cupcakes with my daughter to see if they were dense …NOPE! It was perfect with this sweet crust….I almost don’t want to frost them! It reminded me of angle food cake. SO delicious! I don’t know why it took me so long to make white cake from scratch! Wondering if it can be altered to make it chocolate?
Sam
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed, Nicole! I haven’t altered this cake to make it chocolate with success, but I do have a chocolate cake recipe that I ADORE that is highly rated.
Christy
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?
Sam
Yes, you will just need to reduce the amount of salt called for.
Julia
I was worried when my egg whites did not peak like they’re supposed to, and I wondered if I should start over but it seemed wasteful to throw away six egg whites, so I just folded them in and prayed. It didn’t seem to have much of an effect – the cake came out no worse for the wear. This cake was MOIST (my biggest worry) and had this amazing flaky buttery crust on it. Another variation to the recipe was that I had to use olive oil instead of vegetable oil (baking in a pandemic makes you question the need to go out to get one ingredient when another *might* work). I was super worried because I kept smelling olives as I was making the batter, but something about the mixture of lemon (I used a lemon cream cheese frosting and a lemon curd filling) and olives just worked. That cake was gobbled up so quickly by my family that less than a week later I am making another one because someone froze a piece and hid it in the back of the freezer, and someone else found it and now there’s a civil war in my family. This time, I know not to fuss too much if the egg whites don’t peak – all will still work just fine.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that your cake turned out perfectly and everyone enjoyed it, Julia! 🙂
Julia
Any tips on making this as a sheet cake? Or is that not recommended?
Thanks! ♥
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Julia! This recipe hits nicely in a 9″ x 13″ baking pan. The baking time will be less than what is listed so I reccomend keeping an eye on it. 🙂
Kelsey
If you were to make this cake in two 12×12 pans how would you change the baking time?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Kelsey! I am not sure of the exact baking time so I would recommend keeping an eye on it. 🙂
Melanie
Please let us know how it goes. I’m going to try it in a 10” round pan but I’m going to lower my temperature to 325 for 1 hour.
Carla
I’m very confused, I made this recipe exactly as directed. It was disgusting. Tasted like a weird textured pancake. Ended up throwing out the whole cake it was not edible. Not sure what happened.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so sorry that you are experiencing an issue, Carla. This cake should be light and fluffy. It sounds like too much flour was added. Over measuring your flour is the biggest mistake in baking so I have created a guide on how to measure flour properly that can be used as a reference for next time. Again, I am sorry that your cake did not turn out.
Kristine
Recipe well written and easy to follow, made this with my 10 year old. We did not frost it, we made it to go with a variety of fruit that we needed to use up. It was an excellent partner to our homemade fruit topping but also tastes great by itself!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you found this recipe easy to follow and delicious, Kristine. Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂