The search is over for the perfect classic cake recipe to add to your repertoire. This White Cake is impossible to beat since it’s simple, versatile, and oh-so-delectable.
If you love delicious and easy cake recipes, our chocolate cake is reader approved. Rich and moist and topped with a delicious chocolate frosting recipe.
Why This White Cake Is The Best
This cake recipe is one that you’ll want to dog-ear, bookmark, or hang right on the fridge. It’s versatile and easily customizable but also delicious as is. You’ll want to keep this White Cake recipe on hand as the basis for every cake-worthy occasion.
- Light, moist, and airy, the texture of this White Cake isn’t as chewy as Angel Food but still tastes tender and soft.
- Egg whites, buttermilk, and cake flour are simple but effective ingredients that help this White Cake stand out above all the rest.
- Embrace the subtle vanilla flavor, or switch it up depending on your preferences.
We use this base cake to make our famous coconut cake recipe. It gets wonderful reviews!
Ingredients for White Cake
- Egg Whites – Use room temperature egg whites to achieve the best volume as you mix them. This way, you’ll get the perfect crumb in your cake.
- Buttermilk – Our buttermilk substitute will work great here.
- Butter – Softened, unsalted butter works best for this batter. Use our tips on how to soften butter.
- Flour – This recipe calls for cake flour since its low-protein content gives the finished cake a delicate and fine texture. Be sure to use our guide on how to measure flour properly.
- Baking Powder – Don’t swap this rising agent for an alternative. Otherwise, it’ll mess with the baking chemistry at play.
- Kosher Salt – Omit if you’re using salted butter. We’ve got lots of tips and tricks on why we use kosher salt in baking.
How to Make White Cake from Scratch
- Create Egg White Mixture – Mix ¼ cup of buttermilk and egg whites, and set aside.
- Beat Butter & Sugar – Cream butter and sugar with a stand or hand mixer. Whip the mixture for 2-3 minutes until it is a lighter color and doubled in volume.
- Incorporate Vanilla & Dry Ingredients – Add vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Then turn down the speed and add the dry ingredients in additions until thoroughly combined.
- Stream in Egg White Mixture & Remaining Buttermilk – Slowly stream in the egg white mixture and remaining buttermilk. Beat the batter for 1-2 minutes until it’s fluffy.
- Bake & Cool – Divide the batter evenly between two greased and floured 9” round cake pans. Bake for 25-28 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the finished cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes before tipping it out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Tips and Tricks for Simple White Cake
- Cut out parchment paper circles to line the cake pan bottoms. This way, you’ll avoid the dreadful cake-stuck-in-pan situation. We buy precut rounds on Amazon!
- Customize this recipe by switching up the extract you add to the frosting. Try almond, raspberry, or orange extracts for a new and delicious take on this versatile White Cake.
- Add a tiny bit of purple food dye gel to your buttercream frosting to counteract the yellow undertones in the butter. You’ll end up with the brightest white frosting you’ve ever seen!
- Make Cupcakes. Try our delicious recipe for white cupcakes next!
- Add a filling. Add some chocolate ganache or lemon curd filling to this delicious, moist cake.
- Swap the vanilla buttercream frosting for a tangy vanilla sour cream frosting. You’ll love the flavor!
- Add berries. Try our blueberry lemon cake or raspberry lemon cake for a flavorful boost!
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White Cake Recipe
The search is over for the perfect classic cake recipe to add to your repertoire. This White Cake is impossible to beat since it’s simple, versatile, and oh-so-delectable.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 5 egg whites room temperature
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 ½ cup cake flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- To prepare cake, grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper (cut circles to fit). Set aside. (or use my homemade cake release).
- In small bowl, mix egg whites and ¼ cup buttermilk. Set aside.
- In mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract. Add in dry ingredients and mix until combined. Slowly add in egg white mixture.
- Beat in remaining buttermilk for 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
- Pour evenly into cake pans. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25-28 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Remove and cool in cake pans 5 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, beat butter for 3-4 minutes until pale in color. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Beat an additional 3-4 minutes until fluffy and smooth!
- To assemble. Lay one layer of cake on a cake plate. Add frosting to middle layer. Top with second layer of cake. Frost sides and top of cake with remaining frosting.
Notes
- Store cake covered at room temperature. Or freeze slices in plastic wrap (then slide in ziploc or airtight container) for up to 3 months.
- Cut out parchment paper circles to line the cake pan bottoms. This way, you’ll avoid the dreadful cake-stuck-in-pan situation. We buy precut rounds on Amazon!
- Customize this recipe by switching up the extract you add to the frosting. Try almond, raspberry, or orange extracts for a new and delicious take on this versatile White Cake.
- Add a tiny bit of purple food dye gel to your buttercream frosting to counteract the yellow undertones in the butter. You’ll end up with the brightest white frosting you’ve ever seen!
- Add a filling. Add some chocolate ganache or lemon curd filling to this delicious, moist cake.
- Swap the vanilla butter cream frosting for a tangy vanilla sour cream frosting. You'll love the flavor!
- Make cupcakes. Use our delicious white cupcake recipe for a batch of 24 cupcakes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 475kcal, Carbohydrates: 71g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 175mg, Sugar: 53g
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!
You can freeze it by the slice with frosting? Can you freeze the cupcakes as well?
Sure can!!! We do this with leftovers all the time!
Dies the cake flour need to be sifted
Nope!
This looks really good please send me the website thank you
You are on the website 🙂
Discrepancy in cake ingredients? 1/4 cup buttermilk or 3/4 cups? Body of recipe says to mix 1/4 c buttermilk with egg whites. Where do you use the other 1/2 cup?
Step 4 🙂
Sounds yummy! Being someone who doesn’t go through many eggs can you use store bought egg whites for this recipe?
Hi Gail,
I watch waaaay too many baking shows, but one thing that stood out to me was on a episode where something did not turn out as expected, and it was due to using the store-bought egg whites. Something about pasteurization if I remember correctly.