White Cake Recipe

This white cake recipe is the lightest, whitest, fluffiest cake you’ll ever bake. Frost it with buttercream for birthdays, holidays, or the perfect end to any gathering.

It’s true that the classics never go out of style, and this tender white cake proves just that. With a light, fluffy texture and moist crumb, this cake melts in your mouth and is the perfect fit for literally any occasion! It’s flavored lightly with vanilla and almond so it’s not too sweet. I’ve gone through all the years of development so you can get bakery-quality results without any of the drama!

This white cake uses the meringue folding technique I perfected when making my coconut cupcakes. For a more sophisticated frosting, try it with my caramel swiss meringue buttercream or vanilla swiss meringue buttercream. Just absolute heaven! If you love celebrating with cake (and who doesn’t?), check out my best carrot cake, best red velvet cake, or my hummingbird cake tutorial next!

Professional Tips

• Use room-temperature ingredients. When the eggs, milk, and butter are at room temperature, they prevent the batter from breaking when mixed and create a stronger emulsion, which results in a more tender cake.
• Fold in the meringue gently, but quickly. Initially, during your sacrifice portion, you can be a little aggressive to loosen the batter. After that, the remaining meringue needs to be folded in gently to keep its air for a fluffy cake.
• Be careful not to overmix the cake. Overmixing can cause tunneling and make the cake gummy. Finishing the cake by hand and using the room-temperature ingredients mentioned above will help prevent overmixing.

Ingredients

• Cake flour: I use cake flour only when necessary, such as for this and my moist vanilla cake recipe. Its lower gluten content and finer texture are essential for a light and airy cake! Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour? You can substitute all-purpose flour if that’s all you have. Just be careful not to overmix.
• Cornstarch
• Baking powder
• Kosher salt
• Unsalted butter: Unsalted butter controls the salt in the cake and buttercream. Cool but pliable butter will incorporate well in the batter and allow you the time to add volume to the cake by trapping air between the molecules of sugar.
• Sugar: Sugar is used for sweetness and structure, and it helps create a soft, tender, light texture. I use extra-fine sugar in cakes whenever possible to allow it to dissolve more easily and keep the cake light and fluffy.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract is the flavor here, so be sure to use a high-quality extract like Nielson Massey Vanilla Extract. You could substitute vanilla bean paste, powder, or scraped vanilla beans for the cake or buttercream.
• Almond extract: A hint of almond extract takes this great from “great” to “WOW!” You can omit it if you do not like it.
• Egg whites
• Cream of tartar
• Whole milk: I bake with whole milk for the added flavor and fat. It has a lower water content, and the extra fat helps keep baked goods tender and moist. I’ve also tried this with buttermilk for a little added tang, which you could also get from a cream cheese frosting!
• Buttercream:Your choice! Vanilla American buttercream, chocolate buttercream frosting, Swiss meringue buttercream, or Italian meringue buttercream would all be winners.
• Powdered sugar: Confectioner’s sugar is used in American buttercreams because it is ground finely into a powder. This allows it to create a smooth, silky buttercream without being heated.
• Heavy cream: Be sure to use full-fat heavy cream, sometimes called heavy whipping cream. It will add more flavor and help the buttercream whip up to a perfect consistency.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Add a filling. Use the buttercream as a dam and fill the layers with strawberry slices, salted caramel sauce, mixed berry jam, or easy cherry preserves.
• Make a lemon-vanilla white cake. Add some finely grated lemon zest into the sugar before creaming. This should be subtle enough to not impact your texture or color!
• Tip the ratio towards almond. Increase the almond extract by ¼ teaspoon and decrease the vanilla. This will get you a more almond-forward version! And, if you love almond, you’ll also adore my cherry almond pound cake.

How to Make White Cake

Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray and line 3, 9 or 8-inch cake pans with parchment.

I trace an outline of my cake pan on the parchment paper and then cut out a circle inside my Sharpie marks.

Step 2: Sift together cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, begin whisking the egg whites on medium low with the cream of tartar. Once the whites become frothy, begin adding the smaller portion of sugar by the teaspoon.

Step 4: Turn up the mixer to high and beat until stiff peaks form. Being careful not to over whip or they will be difficult to incorporate into the batter and, thus, defeating the purpose!

Step 5: Remove meringue from the mixer bowl and transfer to a clean bowl (or switch to a second mixer bowl if you have one! Lucky!)

Step 6: Don’t stress about any meringue that remains behind. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl. Switch to the paddle attachment and cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This will take at least 5 minutes depending on your mixer. It will also depend on how soft your butter was before mixing. The softer, the faster.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the butter and sugar are fully incorporated.

Step 7: Beat in extracts. With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and the milk. I never allow the flour mixture to mix in completely before adding the next round. This helps prevent overmixing.

Step 8: Remove the mixer bowl from the machine, scrape down the paddle attachment. Fold in any remaining dry ingredients.

Step 9: Take about ¼ of the meringue and aggressively fold it into the batter. This is called “sacrificing” because you are sacrificing the aeration in the meringue to loosen the batter. Fold in the remaining meringue in 2-3 additions; being careful not to over fold.

Step 10: Portion between the prepared cake pans. Spread out batter evenly with an offset spatula.

Use a kitchen scale for even cake layers.

Step 11: Bake in the preheated oven for 14-18 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out from the center with only clinging crumbs.

Step 12: Cool 10 minutes in pans before flipping out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Run a small knife or offset spatula around the edges. This helps to release the cakes cleanly.

Step 13: Place the bottom layer on a cake stand or plate. Add about ½ cup frosting to the top and smooth out. Add the second layer and repeat with another ½ cup of frosting and the top layer. Flipping this last layer over so the bottom of the cake is now the top. This allows for a completely flat cake.

Step 14: Chill cake for about 30 minutes before frosting the outside.

If your buttercream looks bubbly, mix it on low speed with the paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes before frosting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this professional chef tested recipe. Check out our other delicious, chef-developed cake recipes!