The Best White Cake Recipe is timeless, elegant, and versatile. Its delicate texture and light flavor make it the perfect choice for weddings, birthdays, and family celebrations. While many cakes are known for being rich and heavy, white cake stands apart with its airy crumb and subtle sweetness. This recipe creates a cake that is soft, moist, and fluffy, offering just the right balance of flavor and texture. Unlike yellow cake, which uses whole eggs, white cake relies only on egg whites.
This keeps the crumb tender and gives it a clean, white appearance that looks beautiful with frosting. It also adapts well to many flavors, frostings, and fillings. Pair it with buttercream, cream cheese frosting, or fruit preserves, and it becomes a canvas for endless creativity. White cake is also forgiving, making it an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced bakers.
With the right balance of ingredients, you’ll achieve bakery-quality results every time. Whether you bake it as a layer cake, cupcakes, or a simple sheet cake, this recipe ensures consistent success. It’s one of those classic desserts you’ll return to again and again, both for its simplicity and for the joy it brings to any occasion.
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Why White Cake Is a Classic
Elegance in Simplicity
White cake has long been associated with elegance. Its light color and clean flavor make it the cake of choice for weddings and anniversaries. Against a white background, decorations like piping, fondant, or fresh flowers stand out more vividly. This makes it ideal when presentation is just as important as taste. Its understated flavor also ensures it won’t overpower fillings or frostings, allowing bakers to showcase creativity.
A Cake for All Occasions
White cake’s versatility is another reason for its popularity. It fits in at formal events like weddings but also works well for casual gatherings. You can dress it up with elaborate decorations or keep it simple with a dusting of powdered sugar. Its ability to adapt means you’ll always have a reliable recipe for any occasion. From cupcakes at a school bake sale to towering multi-tiered cakes, white cake never disappoints.
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Best White Cake Recipe
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Best White Cake Recipe is soft, moist, and fluffy, made completely from scratch. Perfect for birthdays, weddings, and celebrations with endless frosting possibilities.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
4 large egg whites
1 cup whole milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two round cake pans with parchment paper.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
4. Add egg whites one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
5. Alternately add dry mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
6. Stir in vanilla extract.
7. Divide batter evenly into pans and bake 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
Notes
Use room-temperature ingredients for best results.
Avoid overmixing after adding flour to maintain a tender crumb.
Wrap cooled layers tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Essential Ingredients for Success
The Foundation
Like most cakes, white cake begins with flour, sugar, baking powder, and butter. Each ingredient plays an essential role. Flour provides structure, sugar sweetens and softens, baking powder gives lift, and butter adds richness. When combined with milk, these ingredients create a batter that bakes into a moist, fluffy crumb. Using fresh, high-quality ingredients makes a noticeable difference in the final flavor and texture.
Why Egg Whites Only
The most distinctive part of white cake is its use of only egg whites. Egg yolks would add both richness and color, shifting the cake toward yellow. By leaving them out, you achieve a pure white crumb and lighter texture. Egg whites whip up smoothly, blending seamlessly with butter and sugar. This not only helps maintain color but also makes the cake feel lighter on the palate. It’s the detail that sets white cake apart from its yellow cousin.
Step-by-Step Baking Instructions
Making the Batter
Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare two round cake pans by greasing and lining them with parchment paper. Start by whisking flour, baking powder, and salt in one bowl. In another, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, which should take three to five minutes. Add egg whites one at a time, mixing well after each. Then alternate adding dry ingredients and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Finally, stir in vanilla extract for flavor.
Baking and Cooling
Divide the batter evenly into pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for about ten minutes before transferring to wire racks. This step prevents crumbling and helps the layers set. Once cooled completely, the cakes are ready for frosting, filling, or stacking into tiers.
Flavor Variations Worth Trying
Subtle Flavor Additions
While vanilla extract is traditional, you can enhance the flavor with almond extract, citrus zest, or even a splash of coconut extract. These additions bring a new personality to the cake while keeping the light texture intact. Almond, in particular, pairs beautifully with fruit fillings or buttercream, while citrus zest brightens the flavor for spring and summer events.
Creative Fillings and Frostings
This cake pairs well with almost any frosting or filling. Vanilla buttercream creates a classic match, while cream cheese frosting adds tang. Fruit preserves like raspberry or strawberry add bursts of freshness, and chocolate ganache adds indulgence. With its mild flavor, white cake acts as a perfect canvas for creativity, making each variation unique.
Serving Ideas for Every Occasion
Simple Everyday Desserts
White cake is not limited to weddings and parties. A single frosted layer makes a wonderful dessert for family dinners. Bake it as cupcakes for school or office gatherings, where it’s easy to decorate and serve. The light, fluffy texture ensures everyone enjoys a slice, even after a large meal.
Celebration-Ready Presentation
For special events, white cake becomes a showpiece. Decorate with piped buttercream, fondant accents, or fresh flowers for weddings and anniversaries. For birthdays, add colorful sprinkles or themed decorations. Its structure makes it ideal for tiered cakes, and its neutral flavor guarantees it will pair well with elaborate fillings and frostings. Guests are always impressed by its elegant simplicity.
Storage and Freezing
Keeping It Fresh
Store unfrosted cake layers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to two days. Once frosted, keep the cake in the refrigerator, especially if using cream-based frostings. Refrigerated cake stays fresh for about four days. Always cover the cake to prevent it from drying out or absorbing fridge odors.
Freezing for Convenience
This cake also freezes beautifully. Wrap cooled layers in plastic and then foil before freezing for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting. Freezing doesn’t affect the texture or flavor if done properly, making this recipe a practical choice for preparing ahead of special occasions. It’s an excellent way to save time when planning a large event.
Healthier Adjustments
Portion and Moderation
Because white cake is rich, serving modest slices ensures guests can enjoy the flavor without overindulgence. The light crumb makes smaller pieces just as satisfying as large ones. Sharing the cake at gatherings also helps spread indulgence without guilt.
Smarter Ingredient Swaps
To lighten the recipe, use reduced-fat milk, light butter, or a sugar substitute. You can also reduce the amount of frosting and add fresh fruit as a garnish. These adjustments make the cake a little lighter without taking away its appeal. For those who enjoy balance, pairing a slice with fresh berries adds natural sweetness and color.
Troubleshooting and Tips
Avoiding Common Mistakes
A dense cake usually means the butter and sugar weren’t creamed long enough. Take the full three to five minutes to ensure air is incorporated. Overmixing after adding flour can make the cake tough, so mix only until combined. Uneven baking often comes from poorly divided batter, so measure carefully before pouring into pans.
Expert Baker Tips
Use room-temperature ingredients to create a smoother batter. Line pans with parchment for easy release. For professional-looking cakes, level the tops with a serrated knife before frosting. If stacking tiers, chill the layers first to make them easier to handle. These small details ensure success, turning a simple recipe into a cake that looks and tastes bakery-quality.
FAQ
Can I use whole eggs instead of egg whites?
Yes, but the cake will have a yellow tint and a richer flavor. It will resemble a vanilla cake more than a true white cake.
What frosting pairs best with white cake?
Classic vanilla buttercream works beautifully, but cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache, and fruit-based frostings also complement the cake’s mild flavor.
Can I make cupcakes with this recipe?
Absolutely. Divide the batter into lined muffin tins and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Cupcakes are easy to decorate and perfect for parties.
How do I keep the cake moist?
Avoid overbaking, and store it in an airtight container. Brushing layers with simple syrup before frosting also adds extra moisture and flavor.
What makes white cake different from vanilla cake?
White cake uses only egg whites, keeping the crumb pale and light. Vanilla cake includes whole eggs, giving it a denser texture and yellow color.
The Best White Cake Recipe proves that sometimes the simplest ingredients create the most impressive results. With its light crumb, clean flavor, and endless versatility, it’s perfect for both casual gatherings and formal celebrations. Whether you frost it with buttercream, fill it with fruit, or decorate it with fondant, the cake always delivers.
Its adaptability makes it a reliable choice for every baker, from beginners to professionals. Alongside classics like Best Vanilla Cake from Scratch, it deserves a permanent place in your recipe collection. Once you’ve baked it, you’ll see why it’s been treasured for generations. It’s elegant, reliable, and most importantly, delicious.