Home » Desserts » White Cake Recipe
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This classic white cake recipe is a staple to every bakers collection! Incredibly light, fluffy, and hard to resist. Perfect when paired with vanilla buttercream!
This cake is insanely delicious. Want to ty a single serve version? Be sure to check out my Vanilla Mug Cake!
Recipe Features
- Light and Delicate Crumb: This cake recipe comes together quickly and produces the most amazing cake. Full of sweet flavor with the perfect sponge.
- Freezer Friendly: Freeze the cake unfrosted or in slices for a longer life.
- Perfect Cake OR Cupcake: Make this as a whole cake or as cupcakes!
I am SO excited to share this cake recipe with you. Having a quality white cake recipe made from scratch in your collection is huge. It’s so light, fluffy, moist and full of flavor with minimal ingredients and minimal prep.
Perfect for weddings, parties, and almost any celebration. You can pair this cake with dozens of frostings or fillings for the perfect finish. One of my go-to favorites is raspberry filling with a white chocolate frosting. So good with nearly endless possibilities.
White Cake Ingredients
White cake was actually originally made for weddings. According to La Belle Cake Company, white cakes were created in Victorian times and often referred to as the bride’s cake. Luckily, white cake is now used in almost any celebration!
- Cake Flour: Using cake flour helps to produce a more soft tender crumb. To substitute, add 2 tablespoons into a 1 cup measuring cup and top off with all-purpose flour.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar works best as brown sugar will add color as well as a hint of molasses that doesn’t work with the other flavors in the cake.
- Baking Powder and Salt: Always double check the expiration date of your leavening agents. I replace baking powder after being open for six months to ensure optimal freshness.
- Butter: Unsalted butter that has been brought to room temperature. Using unsalted butter lets you have more control of the added salt in the recipe.
- Egg Whites: Skip the yolk and only use egg whites. This helps get the traditional white color to the cake.
- Yogurt: I like vanilla Greek yogurt, but any vanilla yogurt will work.
- Extracts: I prefer a mix of both vanilla and almond extract. However, you can use all vanilla if you prefer.
How To Make White Cake From Scratch
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 inch round cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside for later.
- WHISK: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large measuring cup. Set aside for later.
- CREAM: Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix at medium speed until the sugar and butter fully combine and are light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- EGGS: Add the egg whites, one at a time, followed by the full egg and extracts. Mix at low speed until combined, roughly 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
- YOGURT: Add half of the dry ingredients in with the butter followed by half of the yogurt. Mix on low speed until combined. Stir in the remaining flour and yogurt, being sure to scrape the sides of the bowl once halfway through.
- BAKE: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick or small knife poked into the center comes out clean.
- COOL: Cool the cakes for 20 minutes before tilting out of the pan onto a cooling rack.
- DECORATE: Cool completely before frosting.
Helpful Tools
- Hand Mixer: While this definitely can be mixed by hand, ahand mixer(affiliate) will make it come together quickly and lump free.
- Mixing Bowls: A quality set of mixing bowls needed in every kitchen. Thisnesting set of bowls(affiliate) is one of my favorites. The different sizes are incredibly handy and it doesn’t take up too much space.
- Silicone Spatula:Silicone spatulas(affiliate) are amazing. You can use them for mixing, cooking (since they are heat resistant) and everything in between.
Recipe Notes:
How do you prepare a cake pan?
I’ve found that the best way to prepare my pans is the following:
– Mist the inside of the pan with baking spray.
– Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of the pan. Place over the spray before adding the cake batter.
This works wonderfully when it comes time to flip the cake out of the pan. I run a knife around the edge just to be safe then tip it upside down onto a cooling rack.
How long does this cake recipe last?
Typically, this cake will last up to three or four days. Keep covered in a quality cake container.
Can you freeze cake?
Yes! I frequently bake cakes and freeze them for later. To freeze follow the recipe. Once baked, allow to cool completely. Wrap the cake in plastic and place in a freezer safe zip top bag that has been labeled. Freeze for up to three months.
When ready to enjoy, let the cake thaw overnight and frost as desired.
What are the best frostings for white cake?
The beauty of this cake is that it pairs with so many great frostings. Here are our favorites
Vanilla Buttercream
Strawberry Whipped CreamCookies and Cream Frosting
Can this be made as cupcakes?
Yes. You can definitely make this cake into cupcakes. Once the batter is ready, divide evenly between 2 muffin tins lined with paper liners. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the center of a cake comes out clean.
More Popular Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream
- Red Velvet Cake Recipe
- Pound Cake Recipe
- Chocolate Cake Recipe
5 from 3 votes
Classic White Cake
Created by: Jesseca
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
Total Time 50 minutes minutes
12 servings
This classic white cake recipe is a staple to every bakers collection! Light, fluffy, and perfect. Perfect when paired with vanilla buttercream!
Ingredients
- 2¾ cup cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup soft butter
- 1⅔ cup sugar
- 4 large egg whites + 1 whole egg
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 inch round cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside for later.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a large measuring cup. Set aside for later.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix at medium speed until the sugar and butter fully combine and are light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the egg whites, one at a time, followed by the full egg and extracts. Mix at low speed until combined, roughly 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
Add half of the dry ingredients in with the butter followed by half of the yogurt. Mix on low speed until combined. Stir in the remaining flour and yogurt, being sure to scrape the sides of the bowl once halfway through.
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick or small knife poked into the center comes out clean.
Cool the cakes for 20 minutes before tilting out of the pan onto a cooling rack.
Cool completely before frosting.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 374mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 364IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 0.4mg
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Judi says
Step 2 says add sugar with other dry ingredients; step 3 says to add sugar and butter. Typically sugar and butter are creamed together, so I didn’t sift the sugar with flour mixture, instead adding it when creaming butter.
Reply
Jesseca says
Hi Judi, I apologize about that. This was one of our first recipes and it needed a little update. Working on that now. Thanks for the comment.
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tapijtreiniger kopen says
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Charlene says
In the ingredients section there is mentioned 1 whole egg (apart from the egg whites) but in the instructions, there is no mention when it should be added.
Reply
Tiffany says
So, i tried the recipe and the taste is amazing, however, mine turned out thick, like with the consistency of pound cake, is that how it’s suppose to be? Or are there any tips?
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Kaylynn says
Yum yum yum – We love cake and I’m sure this one is FABULOUS! Thanks for sharing!
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Audra @ Painless Meals says
I’m with Alli – I have never made a cake from scratch, but Hubby’s birthday is coming up and I may try this one! Thank you!
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Alli Miller @ Cupcake Diaries says
This looks soooo good! I can’t wait to give this a try! I’ve never made a cake from scratch and I think it’s time I do! Pinned.Reply
Jesseca says
It’s easy! I am a cupcake girl, so these are my first actual cakes! Didn’t turn out half as bad as I thought they would. :0)
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Jenn says
I am not being picky, I just wanted to point out that I’m pretty sure the recipe is for 350 degrees. I know most people will know, but in case there is a new cook out there who’s not sure.I love having those basic cake recipes, they are so easy to make and taste much better then the box mixes in my opinion.
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Jesseca says
ha! Thanks for pointing that out. I must have just missed that!
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aimee @ like mother like daughter says
Jesseca, this cake looks so amazing ! I have a yellow cake recipe, but not a white one, so I will definitely have to try this. It looks so perfect!
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Jesseca says
Thanks! You’ll have to share that recipe! I haven’t been able to find a decent yellow cake yet!
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