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.
Hey I just made you amazing white cake and was dissapointed. I think I did something wrong! It was VERY dense. It baked well but was more like a pound cake and more suitable for carving. From you description I was thinking it would be a bit more fluffy—do you have any idea what I could have done wrong? I am pretty sure I followed the recipe to a tee… =-)
No, sorry, I have no idea what went wrong Amy. My apologies. This recipe is just barely adapted from a very reputable source, and I have never encountered any issues when I have made it. I feel awful that yours wasnt perfect as well!
Hi can I have the ingredients in UK measurements please
I am wondering if I could add lemon zest and juice to make it into a lemon cake? Thoughts?
Used this to make vanilla cupcakes, I switched out the extract for vanilla, cut it in half and added half a vanilla bean (I halved the whole recipe, or I would have used a whole) It’s AMAZING! I was surprised it was so good without creaming the butter and sugar or whipping the whites and no yolks, but it’s perfect for perfume-y vanilla. Little dry but I think some buttercream will fix that 🙂
what time/temp alteration did you do for making the cupcakes?
Made your cake and frosted it with my sour cream coconut frosting; tastes wonderful!
Thanks, Amanda. Love your work.
thank you for sharing this. i was asked to bake a white cake for a birthday party and used this recipe! it was quite the hit and my faith in cake flour has been restored 🙂
Could this be adapted to a 13×9? If so, how would I do that? Thank-you! 🙂
I so want to try out this recipe!
But my husband is allergic to almonds… How can I substitute the almond extract ?
You can replace it with vanilla or any other extract that suits you. I love using orange, coconut, or lemon extract. 🙂 Rum or maple extracts are some other options. You may need to increase how many teaspoons you use of these other extracts to get a noticeable flavor, though. If you want to do orange or lemon, adding some zest would help increase the flavor. Almond extract packs more of a punch than most.
You know what would be really tasty (though a bit exotic), is rosewater. For rosewater, I would replace some of the milk with it (up to 1/4 cup) and maybe add cardamom powder (maybe a Tablespoon.) That sort of flavoring for cake is a popular Persian dessert. It probably would work well, but I haven’t actually tested it with this recipe.
Absolutely gorgeous cake from the frosting to the fluffy white interior. I love the frosting technique, too. I am always at a loss for ideas when it comes to decorating. I know about 3 tricks, and I just refer back to them each and every time.
Girl, you can cook better than most chefs on TV. If you were a cake decorator too I would have to punch you in the neck. 😉
I just baked this recipe, (cooks illustrated) added jimmies to do the confetti version. My cake totally sank in the center. It is still usable, I will just fill with swiss meringue buttercream. I googled the problem, seems common with white cake. Do you have any idea why this happened. (it was baked all the way) Thank you.
I must say I love your site and your cake ideas. I am decorating like your pink confetti version.
Oh dear! So sorry Barb. I have actually not had that problem with this recipe… but certainly have with other white cakes! In my experience it could have been a number of things… the acidic balance being off, the size pan vs. the cooking length and temperature, even expired baking powder. There are so many factors that can contribute it is hard to pinpoint. So glad you are a quick thinker and was able to improvise though!