The Perfect {Bakery Style} White cake is a beautiful, moist, and light cake with the perfect crumb. The cake has a soft, velvety texture, a subtle sweetness, and a delightful combination of vanilla and almond flavors. It is perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a birthday celebration or a simple treat for yourself! Not only is the cake delicious on its own, but it is also a wonderful base for decorating. If you prefer a sheet cake, I have a Vanilla Delight Cake you will love!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Flour: I used cake flour in this recipe. Cake flour has a lower protein content when compared to all-purpose flour. This results in a softer, more tender cake. If you don’t have any on hand, make your own cake flour to use.
Butter: As in many of my baking recipes, I use and recommend unsalted butter. If using salted butter, you may want to lessen or omit the salt in the recipe.
Extracts: Both vanilla and almond extract are added to the cake batter. If you have a nut allergy, you could replace the almond extract with the same amount of vanilla. Or, use Imitation Almond Extract which is typically not made with almonds. Be sure to check the ingredients. If you are worried about flavor, the almond extract does not make the cake taste almondy. It simply adds a freshness, a refined elegance, to the overall flavor.
Egg Whites: For a lighter and fluffier texture in the cake, only use egg whites. But, once you have separated the eggs, don’t let the yolks go to waste! Beat them and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Use the yolks in other recipes like my Browned Butter Toffee Cookies.
Milk: If possible, use whole milk in this cake. 2% or 1% could be used, but it may not yield the best results. I do not recommend skim milk.
Frosting: This cake is the ideal canvas for many decorating ideas. I added my American Buttercream Frosting to the cake, but you can certainly add your favorite frosting or topping!
Can I Use A Different Pan?
Sure! This recipe calls for 2, 8-inch round cake pans. You could use 9-inch round cake pans, but the layers will be a bit thinner. Or, make the cake in a 9×13-inch baking dish. This would give you one thicker cake. If using a different pan, you may need to adjust the baking time, so watch the cake closely.
How To Store White Cake
If the cake does not have a perishable frosting, store it at room temperature. It should be covered or stored in an airtight container. It will last up to 2-3 days. Refrigerating a cake can dry it out faster so I do not recommend that.
Can I Freeze This Cake?
Yes! Baking, then freezing a cake is a great way to get a head start on your dessert, saving some stress! I prefer to freeze the cake without any frosting. Before freezing the cake, be sure to let it cool completely. Next, wrap the cake in plastic wrap. Wrap it again in another layer of plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or in a freezer-safe bag. Label and date the packaging; the cake can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. When ready to decorate or enjoy, let the cake thaw at room temperature while still wrapped. After about 30 minutes, the cake will be ready to decorate.
Can I Make This Cake Into Cupcakes?
Yes! This recipe makes delicious white cupcakes! Follow the instructions for mixing the cake batter. Fill each lined muffin cup with about 1/4 cup of the batter. Bake at 350°F for 21-23 minutes. You should be able to get about 23 cupcakes.
Recipe updated July 2023.
White Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 ¾ cups (357 g) cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 5 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 cup (245 g) whole milk, room temperature
Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups (250 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 3-6 teaspoons whole milk, or as needed
- extracts and flavorings, as desired
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2, 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar, and both extracts until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on the lowest speed, carefully add in egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer still on low, add ⅓ of the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, then half the milk, another third of the flour mixture, the remaining milk, and then the remaining flour mixture. Mix just until combined. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Distribute the batter evenly into the two prepared pans. Bake for 26-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
Buttercream Frosting
- To the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the butter, sugar, salt, and any added flavorings.
- Start mixing on low speed until the sugar is incorporated with the butter. Increase the mixing speed to high and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Adjust the consistency with milk as needed.
- Store unused buttercream in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to use. Bring it back to room temperature before using to pipe or frost the cooled cake.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Where can I find clear vanilla? I saw the video of the recipe on Facebook and found it here on Pinterest.
Hello I have tried this recipe 3 times & the cake comes out sunken, tacky and dense. The only thing I did different was use castor sugar. It is always recommend, and all my baked goods turns out perfectly when I use the castor sugar. Is there anyway you might be able to advise me if the sugar would cause this issue? Everything I have read has indicated no. Also, I know some of your conversion are different from the original recipe. The original does not give grams and as I converted them from original recipe they are different then yours. When you make this cake do you go by the grams you have listed or do you go by the cup measurements? Not for sure if that could be the reason the cake isn’t coming out correctly. This cake looks so nice.
Hi! So in my research, I do not believe that castor sugar would make a difference. However, I have not tested this recipe specifically with that change. My girlfriend made this cake twice and it sunk for her as well, I was baffled to went to her home and watched her. She did everything right and still couldn’t produce the results I did in my kitchen time and time again! This recipe is tricky because half the folks who make it LOVE it and the other half don’t have as much success. This has troubled me for some time and I am actively working on how to improve and/or change the recipe. While this cake comes out perfect for ME, that is simply not enough! It needs to be replicated for home bakers as well. I will keep testing and trying to improve and keep you updated!
Sorry, I can’t leave out the stars! This is one of the most requested of all the cakes I bake and take to work. I follow your recipe exactly, down to setting a timer for your recommended times in each step. LOVE it…thank you
First time I made this; it was an excellent moist fluffy white cake.( I used the sour cream suggestion). Second time, no sour cream, it failed miserably. I’m not sure what I did wrong outside of not using sour cream. My baking soda is still fresh but the cake wasnt at all fluffy and had an almost crusty top. It also tasted very eggy though that might be my cheaper quality vanilla. The last time I used top of the line extracts. On the plus side- I will turn it into some very indulgent french toast, on the minus side- I have to try this recipe again to see if its a keeper or is too finicky to keep as a go to.
Fingers crossed!
My 6 & 13yr old request this as their bday cake every year, only difference is I use rosewater essence instead of almond. It really is perfect 💗
What happens if I use buttermilk instead of the milk that’s called for in this recipe? I’m thinking of doing this this afternoon I don’t know how fast you can get a reply to me.
Buttermilk would be a great substitution!
Hi it’s alice again with another question,… I have been looking for a wedding cake, white in color recipe that would give me a dense a very dense heavy cake because I think the wedding cakes tend to lean towards that more than a box cake which is light and airy and fluffy which I don’t want,which is very good, but that’s not what I’m after this time. Thanks for your reply
Hi Alice- I might try this cake https://iambaker.net/wasc-cake/. It’s sturdy and meant for wedding cakes and tastes great! 🙂
Perfect white cake recipe if you take out the almond extract. Both in the icing and cake. But definitely a keeper recipe
I made this cake and did my best to weigh ingredients in grams. The only thing I did differently was I used 1/2 tsp baking soda instead of baking powder b/c I ran out. The cake tasted good, however the cake seemed very delicate and when I attempted 5o dump it after 5 minutes it fell apart (I greased the pan with shortening and then floured it). The cake would have been good in a 9×13 as a poke cake as those don’t have to be dumped. Will keep looking for a white cake that is an all around good cake.
Just made this & missed the note on 9 inch pan adaptation (5 min less bake time) but baked 27 min & immediately tested/removed them as recipe states. The cakes look fantastic. (I also did not “force” the out of pans but inverted onto rack & let them be until they cooled. They slipped right out.)
Using the white buttercream and considering adding a jam layer in center. Cake smells & looks like high quality bakery or custom cake. Looking forward to sampling it later as part of a birthday celebration. Thanks for the great recipe.