White Cake

Easy to make and even tastier to eat, nothing screams childhood more than white cake made from a store-bought mix. It is literally Nostalgia-in-a-Box.

However, as I get older, I find that the slightly processed flavor I get when I make Box White Cake is no longer what my adult palette wants. Since I love to bake from scratch, I realized that fluffy, tender white cake is actually pretty easy to make at home, which means I can finally satisfy my inner childhood kid AND my grown-up self at the same time.

This white cake is super easy to make. Almost as easy as buying the box mix! But there are a few tricks that will help you get the fluffy soft cake you love.

use cake flour: Cake flour is ground from soft wheat and contains the least amount of protein compared to other flours, such as all-purpose flour. A flour with less gluten will result in a more tender cake crumb as opposed to using flour with a higher gluten content which will make your cake chewy. If you bake this cake with all-purpose flour, you’ll end up with a cake that has a texture reminiscent of cornbread. I guess you want that melt-in-the-mouth, me-loving crumb you associate with the boxed mix. So, grab a box of cake flour and start baking!

Mix the butter with the dry ingredients: For most cake recipes, you’ll beat the sugar and butter together before adding the dry and wet ingredients. This recipe is made a little differently. Mixing the butter with the dry ingredients breaks down the fat and coats the flour, making it even harder for gluten to form in the cake. Gluten tightens and strengthens baked goods, and you want a tender and soft cake! The fat helps achieve that velvety crumb that people associate with the best white cakes.

The difference between white and yellow cake

Yellow cake and white cake are quite similar, but the biggest difference is that yellow cake uses whole eggs while white cake uses only egg whites. The yolk in a yellow cake gives it color and body, while the egg white in a white cake helps keep its color and gives it a firmer crumb.

You’ll notice that this cake is more of an ivory color than a true white. This is due to both the butter and the use of vanilla extract in the batter.

If you want to create an even whiter cake

• Use clear vanilla or almond extracts in the recipe.
• Substitute half the butter for shortening or coconut oil. Shortening adds even more richness and bounce to the cake, while coconut oil adds extra richness to the cake and enhances the vanilla notes.

How to transform into a layered cake or white cupcakes

I baked this cake in a 9″ x 13″ rectangular pan, similar to how I baked a loaf cake as a kid. But you can easily convert this recipe into a layered cake or cupcakes.

For a layered cake: Divide the batter into two 9-inch round cake pans. Bake the cake at 350°F for 23 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For small cakes: Divide the batter between two standard muffin pans for a total of 24 cupcakes, which you can line with cupcake liners as desired. Fill each cupcake liner about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

White Cake Frosting Recipes

I used a whipped cream frosting with cream cheese for this cake, which I adore. It’s a vanilla-infused frosting that has a subtle touch of cream cheese to complement the vanilla and almond notes in the cake. More importantly, it’s super fluffy and light, just like the cake!

You can also use a Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream, an Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, or something more assertive like our Extra Rich Chocolate Frosting.

Feel free to spice up your cake with sprinkles or chocolate shavings on top. You can also dust this cake with lightly powdered sugar for an easy snack cake that’s perfect with afternoon coffee or tea.