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!

Piece of White Cake in Front of a Cut Into Cake on a Cake Stand.

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!

Straight on View of Two Layer White Cake.

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.

Fork Taking a Piece of White Cake .

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.

Pieces of White Cake on White Plates.

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.

Fork Taking a Piece of White Cake .
4.37 from 38 votes

White Cake Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Total Time 43 minutes
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!

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.

The Perfect White Cake
whitecake
Partial Frosting of White Cake
The Best Homemade White Cake
The Perfect Homemade White Cake

 

 

 

 

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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. Hello, I am getting ready to make your cake and was wondering if you can use almond paste instead of the extract, and if so how much? I want a hint of almond taste.
    Thank you.

    Jackie

    1. HI Jackie – almond paste is much more potent and I have not tested it in this recipe so wouldn’t be able to give you an exact amount. But it would probably be a fraction!

  2. some of your pics show a four layer cake and others a two layer cake. For the four layer cake, did you split your two 8 in cakes? or did you double the recipe?

  3. Am very happy,to saw these kind of gorgeous, palatable cake,am really enjoyed it.thank you so much

  4. Don’t think I’ll make this one again. It’s certainly firm enough to support fondant and I like the taste of the crust but that’s about it. Cake is quite dense and did not rise to tops of pans so needed to make more to have tall enough cake. The cooked cake itself has a distinct egg taste that I don’t really want in a cake. Think I will go back to a more traditional cake with creamed sugar and butter and less eggs for the next one.

    1. Carleton,

      It’s a delicious cake! I made this cake for my granddaughter’s birthday party. I would HIGHLY suggest sifting the cake flour TWICE with the salt & baking powder before incorporating the other ingredients. Also, make sure your baking powder is not close to expiration. If it is…throw it out and repurchase.
      I’m a cottage baker by trade and I sift ALL my cakes twice for a loftier, fluffy cake. Much luck & love to trying it again!! ❤️

  5. Hi,my name is Deepa Joshi. I am from India.i want to know that how can I bake eggless comercial white cake for order.can u guide me please. Thank you.

  6. I made the White Brownie Layer
    Cake for Christmas Day. It was so delicious, and I used the 8×3 pans. I also decorated it like your cake with the correct rose tip. I bought a Merry Christmas cake topper also. Loved it!

  7. This cake didn’t turn out well for me. Maybe I did something wrong. It had a slightly eggy flavor and a rubbery dense bottom in each layer.

    1. Fran,

      To help with the “eggy” flavor or smell, add 1 tsp of lemon juice and an extra tsp of vanilla extract to your batter. Secondly, immediately after the cake is cooled, put on a crumb coat frosting. This will ALL make a difference.

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