• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
Sugar Spun Run
  • All Recipes
  • Desserts
    • Cookies
    • Candy
    • Bars & Brownies
    • Cake
    • Pies
  • Breads (Yeast & Quick Breads)
  • Savory
  • Breakfast
    • Muffins
    • Scones
  • Seasonal
    • Cozy Winter / Holiday Treats
    • Easter / Spring
    • Fall Recipes
    • Summer Recipes
  • Shop
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About Me
  • Contact/Work with Me
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
  • ร—
    Home ยป Recipes ยป Cake

    The Best White Cake Recipe

    Updated: Apr 15, 2018 โ€ข Published: Apr 11, 2018 by Sam Merritt โ€ข 2,736 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    The Best, Fluffiest, White cake recipe

    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!

    white cake on a white plate

    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.

    a thick slice of white cake

    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.

    Whipping egg whites to stiff peaks for white cake

    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.

    The golden brown exterior of a cooling white cake

    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 ยฝ-2 teaspoons for this recipe, but feel free to experiment!

    Slice of white cake on a white plate

    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 ยพ 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

    Slice of white cake with white icing and blue icing decorations on plate

    The Best White Cake Recipe

    This BEST white cake recipe yields a fluffy, snow-white cake that's light and soft but still sturdy enough to stack or cover with fondant.
    4.92 from 778 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Cake, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 slices
    Calories: 415kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    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

    If you don't like buttercream frosting, try one of these:
    • Cream cheese frosting
    • Swiss Meringue Buttercream
    • Peanut Butter Frosting
    • My favorite chocolate frosting 
    • Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 230mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 208IU | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 1mg

    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.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

    More Cake Recipes

    • Slices missing from a pan of homemade dirt cake made with Oreo cookie crumbs, a cream cheese filling, and gummy worms.
      Homemade Dirt Cake Recipe
    • Slice of sourdough chocolate cake with a bite missing.
      Sourdough Chocolate Cake
    • Slice of funfetti cake on a plate with the remaining cake in the background.
      Funfetti Cake from Scratch
    • Square slice of zucchini cake topped with cream cheese frosting with one forkful sitting beside the slice.
      Zucchini Cake

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Thelma

      October 10, 2021 at 1:19 pm

      5 stars
      This cake recipe was delicious. Very moist. I made it in 9×13. I didn’t have to increase or decrease the amount of batter. It was the perfect amount. It took 35 minutes to cook so that the toothpick came out clean. Thanks for the great recipe!!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 12, 2021 at 11:10 am

        We’re so happy you enjoyed it, Thelma! Thanks so much for your review โค๏ธ

        Reply
    2. Diana

      October 06, 2021 at 10:42 am

      Hello,
      I need to make a 2 layer 10″ first communion cake.
      I was going to use 1 batter(recipe) per pan.
      Does that make sense? What would be the cooking time?

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 06, 2021 at 3:51 pm

        Hi Diana! That should work fine. We haven’t made this recipe in a 10″ pan, so unfortunately we aren’t sure on bake time. We’d appreciate if you told us how long it takes for yours to bake. Enjoy! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    3. Cheyenne

      October 05, 2021 at 6:26 pm

      Can you use olive oil if you donโ€™t have vegetable oil?

      Reply
      • Sam

        October 06, 2021 at 9:18 am

        Hi Cheyenne! I really recommend using a neutral cooking oil like vegetable or canola oil with this recipe. Olive oil has a stronger flavor that you may notice in the cake. That being said, it will work, just expect the flavor to be different.

        Reply
    4. Samantha

      September 20, 2021 at 11:39 am

      I made this recipe for my daughter’s first birthday last year, and incorporated sprinkles to make it a “funfetti” cake. IT. WAS. AMAZING. I’m currently about to attempt this recipe again for my best friend’s birthday, but she’s gluten sensitive and I’m hoping I can use King Arthur’s Gluten Free Flour (no xanthan gum) as replacement? I’ll comment with results.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        September 20, 2021 at 12:35 pm

        Hi Samantha! We’re so glad you love this recipe. We haven’t tried making a gluten-free version ourselves, but many others have done so successfully. Please let us know how it turns out! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    5. Bridgette

      September 17, 2021 at 5:31 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe! I’ve made it half a dozen times. I’ve successfully substituted milk for coconut milk once, made these into maple bacon cupcakes, and changed out the vanilla for orange extract and it was all yummy! Going to make these for my son’s birthday and I only have 1 cup sugar, do you think this would be too dense with 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup granulated? I’m not concerned about color.

      Reply
      • Sam

        September 21, 2021 at 1:58 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake, Bridgette! While the cake will be a bit more dense, I think you will be fine to use half brown sugar and half granulated. The flavor will also be a bit richer, which isn’t a bad thing!

        Reply
    6. Dani

      September 16, 2021 at 6:00 pm

      Hi Sam…. I have question for you. Can I use a 9 x 13 pan for your white cake recipe instate of two 8″ pans? Thank you for your help

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        September 17, 2021 at 11:42 am

        Hi Dani! This cake will work just fine in a 9 x 13 pan. We haven’t done this ourselves yet, so we’re not positive on bake time. Just keep a close eye on it and use a toothpick to test for doneness. We’d love if you commented back with how long it takes! Enjoy ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    7. Kim

      September 13, 2021 at 7:58 am

      Is it okay to substitute the all purpose flour in this recipe for cake flour? And do you measure the flour before or after you sift it?

      Reply
      • Sam

        September 13, 2021 at 9:48 pm

        Hi Kim! That should be fine, just be sure to substitute properly (if measuring by volume you will need more cake flour than I call for in the recipe). I do not sift my flour.

        Reply
    8. Angie

      August 29, 2021 at 10:53 pm

      I think your measurement was off for Baking powder. It really overpowered the cake.

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 30, 2021 at 9:13 am

        Hi Angie! The amount listed is definitely correct. Could you have accidentally used baking soda or used expired baking powder or powder that had been exposed to moisture that had tiny clumps in it?

        Reply
    9. Ashley Gallaher

      August 26, 2021 at 5:04 pm

      If I wanted to use this for the middle tier of a wedding cake would that work? I need to know if it’s a stackable recipe I guess. Thanks for the advice and recipe!

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 30, 2021 at 12:44 pm

        Hi Ashley! I’ve never stacked this cake more than 3 layers high so I can’t say for sure how well it will hold up for you.

        Reply
    10. Lisa Radakovich

      August 22, 2021 at 2:08 pm

      4 stars
      While this a lovely cake, there is way too much batter for 2 8″ layers. Nearly ran over.

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 22, 2021 at 9:31 pm

        Hi Lisa! I haven’t ever run into this issue, but at least it didn’t run over. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
      • Zhanna

        August 27, 2021 at 2:35 pm

        I haven’t run into that issue either, I made 1 and 1/2 of this recipe to make 3 layers and the batter didn’t even go 1/2 way up the pan but rose nicely. You must of measured something wrong?

        Reply
      • Vicki Carlson

        September 30, 2021 at 11:31 am

        Hi Sam: Iโ€™m making this for my granddaughterโ€™s 6th birthday on Saturday. Can I bake in a 9×13 and turn it out to frost the sides? Also, can I add mini chocolate chips?
        Thanks so much, I love all your recipes!
        Vicki

        Reply
        • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

          September 30, 2021 at 3:36 pm

          Hi Vicki! That should work just fine, although we aren’t sure what the bake time will be, so keep an eye on it! Also, you can fold in your mini chocolate chips gently at the end. Don’t forget to check out our chocolate chip sheet cake recipe too! ๐Ÿ™‚

    11. sarah

      August 20, 2021 at 5:06 pm

      l only need half the cupcakes this recipe is calling for, any way to half the recipe? iโ€™ve made the cake before and itโ€™s amazing. but also trying not to have leftovers bc iโ€™ve recently lost weight and i know they will go straight in my mouth if there are any leftovers!

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 22, 2021 at 9:49 pm

        Hi Sarah! You can cut all of the ingredients in half. It will probably be easiest to use weight measurements on the flour. Congratulations on the weight loss! Keep up the good work. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    12. Kaitlyn

      August 13, 2021 at 12:21 pm

      Hi! Is this recipe really sweet? Is there a way to use less sugar? Or would that affect the texture/density too much? I want to make a strawberry shortcake with it but my family doesn’t like cake that is too sweet

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 14, 2021 at 10:11 pm

        Hi Kaitlyn! I personally don’t think this is an overly sweet cake. I haven’t tried reducing the sugar, but you could probably get away with reducing it a little bit. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    13. Heather

      August 07, 2021 at 6:14 pm

      Would this work for cupcakes also? If so what should the cook time be?

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 07, 2021 at 9:21 pm

        Hi Heather! I actually provide instructions for baking them as cupcakes right above the recipe in the post. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    14. Lyla

      August 07, 2021 at 3:31 pm

      Hi! I have a question for you. Do you have advice for if I want to make a 9โ€ 3 layer cake? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 07, 2021 at 9:23 pm

        Hi Lyla! You will want to increase the recipe by 50%. Your bake time may be slightly reduced. I would just be sure to keep an eye on them. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    15. Jan

      August 06, 2021 at 5:11 am

      Hi I need to make a white lemon cake. Do I replace the flavourings with lemon juice/zest?
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 07, 2021 at 9:39 pm

        Hi Jan! For best results I would recommend following my lemon cake recipe, which is actually an altered version of this cake. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
        • LisaMarie Searson

          August 25, 2021 at 8:17 am

          How long do you suggest baking 3- 6 in cakes?

        • Sam

          August 25, 2021 at 8:56 am

          Unfortunately I haven’t baked them as 6 inch pans so I’m not sure how long they will need to bake. You may have a little excess batter so make sure you don’t overfill the pans. ๐Ÿ™‚

    « Older Comments
    Newer Comments »
    4.92 from 778 votes (405 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

    Warm Weather Recipes

    glasses of eton mess (layers of whipped cream/meringue and strawberries)

    Eton Mess

    Frozen peach bellini in a glass with a strawberry garnish.

    Frozen Peach Bellini

    Overhead of blueberry lemon tarts

    Lemon Blueberry Tarts (in Mason Jar Lids)

    glass jar full of homemade lemon curd on a gray marble surface surrounded by lemon halves and small white baby's breath flowers

    Lemon Curd Recipe

    Slice of frozen mudslide pie on a plate with a fork.

    Frozen Mudslide Pie

    Rows of coconut cupcakes on a cooling rack with purple flowers in the background.

    Coconut Cupcakes

    More Spring Recipes

    Most Popular

    flaky biscuit on white cloth

    Easy Homemade Biscuits

    Pizza dough in glass bowl, after rising

    The Best Pizza Dough Recipe

    Slice of cheesecake

    The Best Cheesecake Recipe

    Potato soup in bowl, with toppings

    The Ultimate Creamy Potato Soup

    one bite missing from a slice of vanilla cake with chocolate frosting

    The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe

    Stack of cookies made from this chocolate chip cookie recipe with melty chocolate chips and a bite missing from the top cookie

    The WORST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

    places sugar spun run has been featured (Women's Day, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, Country Living, the huffington post, People, Delish, MSN, TLC, Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed)
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube

    Privacy Policy

    Footer

    โ†‘ back to top

    ABOUT

    • About Me
    • Policies, Disclosure & Privacy
    • Terms of Use

    CONTACT

    • Contact
    • Work with Me!

    ยฉ 2020 Sugar Spun Run. All Rights Reserved

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.