Most experienced bakers have tried this WASC Cake Recipe at least once in their career, and there is a reason that folks keep coming back to it. It works!

WASC Cake decorated with white buttercream with decorating tips on white cake stand.

WASC Cake

So what is a WASC cake? It is a White Almond Sour Cream cake that is semi-homemade. (Meaning there is a box mix involved!)  Bakers love this recipe because it tastes so good, but also holds up very well to decorating and fondant. Not to mention that it is SO open to variation!

How to Make Box Mix Taste Like a Wedding Cake

Making a box mix taste homemade is pretty easy, there are just a few simple ingredients that make it perfect. Be sure to ONLY follow the recipe below when making the cake, do not add the ingredients suggested on the box!

Start by sifting the dry ingredients, then introduce the wet. To ensure that you have success, be sure to use ROOM TEMPERATURE ingredients! This will allow the proper incorporation of all the ingredients. 

Cake covered in white butercream with Russian tip roses on top!

WASC Recipe 

whipped vanilla buttercream recipe

#18 tip

Russian tip – rose design

pastry bags

How to Decorate White Almond Sour Cream Cake

Prepare WASC cake recipe below and allow to cool.

Prepare buttercream. (follow the instructions for WHITE buttercream!)

Set one layer of cooled white cake on the cake stand. Cover with 1/2 cup of buttercream. Place other layer on top. Cover cake in a thin crumb coat.

Divide remaining buttercream between pastry bags fitted with #18 and Russian tip.

Overhead view of a cake covered in Russian tip roses with whipped vanilla buttercream.

Starting at the bottom of the cake and moving around the base, pipe out a criss-cross border with the #18 tip. (think heart shape, then overlap) For the next layer, repeat this same motion but in the opposite direction. Do this around the entire base (sides) of the cake.
For the top, simple pipe out the roses with the Russian tip. I started at the outer edge and moved in towards the center of the cake. I tried to pull up and “out” as I released pressure from the piping bag so that the outer roses are leaning out a bit instead of straight up and down.

Slice of WASC cake, a semi-homemade white cake recipe.

Chill cake until ready to serve.

PRO TIPS for WASC Cake

I used egg whites and clear vanilla extract to ensure that my cake would be as white as possible.

I also used room temperature ingredients and did not over-mix the batter.

Allow the cake to cool before decorating! I often pop it into the freezer which helps to minimize crumbs.

Slice of WASC cake! on white plate with fork

So how does this cake hold up? Very well! Now only is it stable, but it tastes really fresh and delicious!

Check out my from-scratch Perfect White Cake here!

Cake covered in white butercream with Russian tip roses on top!
5 from 10 votes

WASC Cake

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Most experienced bakers have tried this recipe at least once in their career, and there is a reason that folks keep coming back to it. It works! 

Ingredients

  • 1 box white cake mix (standard size)
  • 1 cup (126g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure almond extract, can use imitation if there are allergies

Instructions

  • Mix all dry ingredients by hand using a whisk in a very large mixing bowl.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and mix on medium-low speed with a stand mixer or medium with a handheld mixer for 2 minutes.
  • Pour into two 8-inch round prepared cake pans.
  • Lightly tap cake pans on counter to bring air bubbles to top.
  • Bake at 325°F for 25-35 minutes (every oven is different!), or until an inserted toothpick is removed mostly clean. Do not overbake.

Video

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.

This semi-homemade WASC Cake recipe is from Kakeladi on Cake Central.

Share with your friends!

Categorized in: ,

Related Recipes

Meet Amanda Rettke

Amanda Rettke is the creator of I Am Baker, and the bestselling author of Surprise Inside Cakes: Amazing Cakes for Every Occasion – With a Little Something Extra Inside.Over the course of her 15+ year blogging adventure, she has been featured in and collaborated with the Food Network, New York Times, LA Times, Country Living Magazine, People Magazine, Epicurious, Brides, Romantic Homes, life:beautiful, Publishers Weekly, The Daily Mail, Star Tribune, The Globe and Mail, DailyCandy, YumSugar, The Knot, The Kitchn, and Parade, to name a few.

Reader Comments

  1. How long should I bake in a 8″ X 3″ pan at 325? How many cups of batter should be used in a 8″ X 3″ pan? Thanks!

  2. I don’t understand about the clear vanilla extract, can’t find pure clear vanilla extract, any suggestion a?

    1. Amanda, I did try Amazon for clear vanilla extract, but they show ones from Mexico ,I understand they have a different taste, can you help me further?

      1. Clear Vanilla Extract is not Pure Vanilla. Clear vanilla is an artificial extract. If you don’t mind slight off color use pure…if you want beautiful white like hers than use clear:) Hope this helps:)

  3. Amanda, I tried Amazon, they only have pure clear vanilla extract, from Mexico, some one said it’s not the same as Amerian., any other suggestions.

  4. I tried this cake and it came out very chewy . Did I over cook it I made half a round ball cakes and the middle was still raw I had to cook it longer

    1. Karen,
      I’m not Amanda, but here is my opinion.
      I’m not sure about the baking time. I bake 3 8″ layers for 20 mins at 300 and almost another 20 mins at 325 as Kakeladi has in her recipe in Cake Central. Sounds like it’s possible your’s needed to bake a little longer.

  5. Not sure what type of oven you’re using, but I made in a electric oven at 325. Did not over bake and my cake I made is now in the trash……so much for my dinner guest dessert

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.