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.
Ingrid Marid Gonzalez
What kind of milk is used?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Whole milk 😊
Kirby Moss
I’ve had to go dairy free recently and I’m wondering if you would recommend some non dairy substitutes? Thanks so much ❤️
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Kirby! Some people have used non-dairy milks with success, but we have not tried any substitutes ourselves to say for sure. You could try using a plant-based butter too, but again, we aren’t sure how it would turn out. If you do try it, please let us know how it goes! 😊
Diana
You have a strawberry frosting that I just saw and I wonder if it would go good with this white cake?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Absolutely! Enjoy, Diana 😊
Suzie Cook
As a child in the late 1950’s I remember my Grandma’s (born 1888) white cake that was moist and dense, but light and soft, and YOUR recipe is what I remember Grandma’s cake tasting like, looking like. I made this for my husband’s birthday a few days ago, but because he feels coconut is its own food group, added a drop or two of coconut extract to the frosting and toasted coconut to the top and sides. He LOVED it. I LOVE it. I think I’ll make it for my OWN birthday next month, sans coconut. Can’t wait to make it for my sisters – see if they think it compares to Grandma’s White Cake. Thank you!!!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you both love the cake, Suzie! We’d love to hear what you think of our coconut cake as well. Enjoy and have a very happy birthday next month! 🙂
Camille Marshall
Hi can this recipe take sugar coated pecans? Or will they just sink to the bottom?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Camille! We think they should work fine. Let us know how it turns out for you 😊
Rachel
I used this white cake recipe to make a 6 layered rainbow cake (did two batches) and it turned out perfect!!! So easy & delicious!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We bet that cake is gorgeous, Rachel! Thanks so much for using our recipe and letting us know how it went for you 😊
Savanna
Could you make this recipe into cupcakes instead of a cake? Would you need to alter ingredient quantities? Can’t wait to try this recipe!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Savanna! We actually provide instructions for baking this recipe as cupcakes right above the recipe in the post. 🙂
Heather
I am attempting to make this cake for my mom. Could I add sour cream to the ingredients to make it more moist?
Sam
Hi Heather! I’ve never needed to add sour cream to make the cake moist and I’m not sure how it would turn out if you were to add it, but I’m not sure that I’d recommend it. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out for you!
Paul Speir
I add a bit of mace, cloves, cinnamon and ginger, substitute a cup of maple syrup for sugar and add lemon and orange zest, chopped prunes and nuts. A simple sugar and lemon zest glaze. Great Christmas spice cake!
Jules
Can I use this recipe for cupcakes and how many will it make? Thanks
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Jules! We actually provide instructions for baking them as cupcakes right above the recipe in the post. 🙂
Jo-Anne Walsh
Can this cake be frozen before hand
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Jo-Anne! That should work just fine. 🙂
Katie
Do you recommend bleached flour ? I usually only buy unbleached flour but wondering if this will affect the cake’s color ??
Thanks !
Sam
Hi Katie! If it’s really dark it could change the color of the cake. I know it can vary from brand to brand but if the one you have is pretty white it should work just fine. 🙂
Stacey johnson
What do you think about using sweetened condensed milk?
Sam
Hi Stacey! I wouldn’t recommend it in this recipe.
Baker2020
This cake looks AMAZING! I did use regular vanilla, but it looks almost exactly like the video! This the first time I’ve made a white cake! AMAZING!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Sage Alfaro
It’s great as a tres leches cake!
Joyhere
My family loved it. I made a cake for my 2 year olds birthday
Bri J
Ive used this cake for my sons bday and now my moms. Everyone has absolutely loved it, sooo delicious. My mom has asked me to make yet another one for her, and i just made her a 2 tier cake just a couple days ago lol. This is definitely the best recipe I’ve found. This web page will be bookmarked forever!! Thank you so much!
Sam
I am SO happy to hear this Bri! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for letting me know how it turned out for you, that means a lot to me! 🙂
Guinevere Heath
I have tried so many different white cake recipes and they always came out more corn bread texture. I was using a doctored box mix recipe until I found this one. This has been my go to white cake recipe for 3 years now and it always comes out amazing. I change it up by using different extracts, like right now it is the oven with almond extract. It will be covered in toasted coconut when done. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe.
Sam
I am so, so happy to hear you have loved this recipe so much, Guinevere! Thank you so much for trying my recipe, and for letting me know how it turned out, I really appreciate it! 🙂
Jessie
Can i use a bundt cake pan for this recipe?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We don’t see why not! Make sure to grease/flour the pan thoroughly so it doesn’t get stuck though 😊
Hailey
This is a lovely cake recipe. I’ve made it a handful of times now and everyone loves it. I have added a bit of almond flavor along with the vanilla, which makes it even more yummy, in my opinion.
For my son’s 4th birthday I plan to try your stabilized frosting recipe. Do you typically cover it with your butter cream frosting and then use the stabilized frosting recipe for decorating it? I stack 2 9″ rounds.
Thanks!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Hailey! We’re so happy you love the cake! You can use the stabilized whipped cream frosting alone; it is designed to frost a 2-layer 8” or 9” cake. Hope that helps! Happy birthday to your son 😊
Cherry
This cake recipe saved me at 4:50 in this morning when my first cake came out of the oven too soon and was raw in the center and I could not go to the grocery store to get a cake mix or anything! Your recipe literally came out perfect. The only thing I changed was using cake flour instead of all purpose. This cake is so moist and just amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Christina
I’ve made this recipe a few times and each one turned out perfectly, met with loads of compliments.. so now I’d like to try it for a big group, in a big sheet cake. Any idea if I need to adjust the oven temp or any other modifications for a triple recipe? And before I separate 18 eggs, should I consider those egg whites in a carton? I’ve never used them and not sure if they’ll stiffen like regular eggs. Thanks!!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Christina! You should be fine to use the egg whites in a carton for this cake. What size pan are you using? This recipe as is will fit a 9×13 pan, so depending on your pan, you may only need to double it!
Mackayla
I made this cake for my grandmother’s 90th birthday, I made an all white and silver theme… although the cake was delicious, I was very disappointed it was not white. I followed the recipe but somehow the cake turned out yellow.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so sorry you were disappointed with the cake, Mackayla. Your butter may have been the culprit. Some butter has a more yellow color to it and can end up tinting the color of the cake. We hope it still tasted delicious. 🙂
Maria Freeman
Did you use clear vanilla extract?
Mackayla
I did. I guess we need to make sure to find a less yellow butter? Never seen one where I live.
Wesam Shafei
Can we reduce the suger in this recipe?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Wesam! We have not tried it with less sugar; however, others have made it with less sugar with success. We think if you cut it by 1/2 cup it should still turn out. 🙂
Jennifer
Can I use this recipe for a 9×13 pan?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Yes! Enjoy 😊
Yolanda
Your butter was probably yellow and I’ve read many times the longer you beat butter the lighter in color it gets If it’s still too yellow i use the teeniest amount of violet oil based gel food coloring to make butter whiter. It has to be oil based or you’ll get violet specks. The violet cancels out the yellow. Be cautious. By teeny amount I’m talking about just the very tip of a toothpick dipped in the violet. You use too much and your butter or buttercream will turn gray.
Sara
I made this for my son’s first birthday cake, and we all loved it! I actually ended up using one of the round cakes as my “template” to use a biscuit cutter to cut 2 rounds for his mini cake, and then the second round as the cake for the rest of us/adults. 🙂 I also cut the sugar down to 1.5 cups instead of 2 (and was nervous about that, since it’s not always going to work out when messing around with dessert measurements), but it did totally fine. It is perfectly fluffy, moist, and the right amount of density to hold up to frosting. For his cake, I just whipped up fresh heavy cream as the frosting, but I will definitely try your buttercream next time I make this cake. My husband, who is very opinionated with desserts (he’s a southern guy with a big sweet tooth), loved this cake so much and agreed that it’s being printed out to go into my recipe binder. Thank you for sharing!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you loved it, Sara! Give our stabilized whipped cream frosting a try next time–it pairs beautifully with this cake. Happy birthday to your son! 😊