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.
Betty
Is it possible to use 9×13″ pan will it work. In place of the round pans?
Sam
Hi Betty! This will fit in a 9 x 13, but I’m not sure of the bake time. 🙂
Sab
Hi Sam, I’ve noticed that you add buttermilk to most of your recipes. Any particular reason you used whole milk here and not buttermilk? Would using buttermilk make the cake more moist ?
Sam
The buttermilk will work here. It will make the cake slightly more moist. The whole milk allows this cake to be just a little bit fluffier so that’s why I used it here. 🙂
Morgan Keningale
Hiya, i frequently use your cookies and cream cake recipe and love it. What would the measurements be for 2 “9×7”rectangle cake tins?
Sam
Hi Morgan! I’m not sure I’ve ever used a 9 x 7 rectangle pan, but I think you would probably need to increase the recipe by at least 50%. I would double check the math on that. This cake makes about 8 cups of batter so if you know how many cups of batter your pans hold you can use that 8 cup number to increase the recipe proportionally. I hope that makes sense. 🙂
Marlene
Such a tasty recipe thank you so much! Plan on making this for my sons birthday. Question regarding making this is advance. Will making this cake three or four days before affect the freshness of this cake? Was planning to ice it the day of, so maybe keeping the cakes in the fridge or freezer? Thoughts?
Sam
Hi Marlene! If you wrap them tightly they could be stored at room temperature for 3 days and still be nice and fresh. 🙂
Marlene
Thanks Sam, really appreciate your response! Sorry just to clarify, so you would not recommend fridge or freezer to store it. I’ve just read other forms where people put their cakes it the freezer or fridge prior to icing them, to extend the life of the cake and also to make it easier to ice
Sam
You certainly can refrigerate the cakes if you’d like, but for only a few days I would just wrap them and leave them at room temperature. I think the freezer would be a bit much for just a few days. To make the cake easier to ice it’s best to make a thin crumb coat with frosting and then place those cakes in the refrigerator for a short time, but the cakes being cold themselves might not help as much. This thin layer of frosting will catch all of your crumbs and then you should be able to apply frosting on top of that layer without issue. I hope this helps. 🙂
Tammy
How much ingredients should I use to make about 60 cupcakes?
Sam
Hi Tammy! This recipe will make somewhere between 24-30 cupcakes so I would double the recipe. 🙂
Meredith
Do you have any recommendations for high altitude??
Sam
Hi Meredith! Unfortunately I am not very familiar with high altitude baking so I can’t provide any good suggestions. 🙁 I hope it goes well for you. 🙂
Collette
Can I make this in a 13×9 inch sheet cake pan and if so how long do I bake it?
Sam
Hi Collette! This will fit in a 9 x 13 but I’m not sure how long it will need to bake. I would just keep an eye on it. 🙂
Sheila
Hi, this looks amazing. Do you no what the recipe would be in grams?
Sam
Hi Sheila! All gram measurements are listed after each ingredient. I hope that helps 🙂
Annie
Ok. I have a confession….I ignored the whole white idea for 75 percent of this recipe….using whole wheat flour, turbinado sugar, and imported Mexican vanilla. I did however use only eggs whites and followed thru with their stiffening…still looks more like a white than a butter or yellow cake, but can. Not. Call itself a white cake…which my and mine family’s tastebuds cared not about in the least bit. I turned this into a double flavor jello cake and was winning. Tiger’s Blood
Sam
I ams so glad you enjoyed it so much, Annie! 🙂
Ashley
How would you recommend incorporating food coloring (gel)? I love this recipe (tried it before and it was perfect!) and want to make rainbow cake layers but I’m nervous to overmix
Sam
Hi Ashley! You can color this cake you would just want to stir the color in when the ingredients are almost completely combined to reduce risk of over-mixing. 🙂
Carolann
Can I make cupcakes with this recipe?
Sam
Hi Carolann! That should work just fine. 🙂
Anna VanVliet
This cake is soooo good. I made it once with the buttercream frosting. But it’s so moist and flavorful you actually don’t need any icings. Best white cake ever. Only question I have what do you do with your yolks?
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Anna! I have a few recipes you can use to use up those egg yolks: Creme Brulee, Cream puffs, or eclairs are all great options. 🙂
Jeannette
Hi! I was wondering why my butter, sugar, and oil mixture was runny instead of creamy? I followed the recipe just as it said, and I don’t know what I did wrong?
Sam
Hi Jeannette! I’m so sorry this happened? Was your butter possibly too soft when you started?
Jeannette
Yes, that may be the problem but it worked out in the end and tasted amazing! Thank you!
Carina
I loved this recipe! I made it into an Oreo cake for my boyfriend and his family loved it
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Carina! 🙂
Jamie
Last week was my birthday and my only fav cake is vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream. I followed your recipe to the letter and my cake came out off white and course. What did I do wrong ? I whipped the egg whites and everything else. ( I thought)
Sam
Hi Jamie! It was most likely your butter. Some butter has a more yellow color to it that can tint the color of the cake. I hope it still tasted delicious. 🙂
Jamie
The taste was wonderful. I’ll be looking for a whiter butter next time. But the flavor was amazing.
Sam
That’s great to hear! 🙂
Carrie
Can we use 9 inch baking pans? How would we need to adjust recipe?
Sam
Hi Carrie! You can use 9 inch pans. The cake layers will be slightly thinner and the bake time will be reduced a little bit. 🙂
Jennifer Atkinson
How many cups of cake mix does this recipe yield?
Sam
Hi Jennifer! It should make about 8 cups of batter. 🙂
Patricia Ann Carr
I no longer have my father’s cook book. So I’ve only been making box cakes for a while. I seen a different recipe online, and it was so bad I threw it away right out of the oven!! Then I seen your recipe. OMG!! This is better than Dad’s cakes!! YUM?! Thank you!!
Sam
I am so thrilled to hear this, Patricia! Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out for you, I really appreciate it! 🙂