This delicate, light, and airy white cake recipe is frosted with my white Ermine frosting. Made with whipped egg whites, this cake is surprisingly simple and easy to make using my step-by-step tutorial.
This is a very light cake and I've used it often to make anniversary cakes. I have a white wedding cake recipe on this blog, but it does have a few egg yolks for stability. After all, I don't want my wedding cakes unstable in the Middle-Eastern summers.
Every time I make this cake, I make a little extra because both my kids love eating it just on its own, soft and airy as a cloud.
About this cake
The cake is light and airy because it has lots of whipped egg whites. But, the absence of egg yolks also makes it a fairly delicate cake. This, of course, is not necessarily a bad thing. If you are making a celebration cake, it's wonderful, but not so much if you want to carve. So, no, I would not use this for my sculpted or novelty cakes.
Of course, the secret to making a cake white, is to use all neutral or white ingredients. Including only egg whites, clear vanilla extract, and white sugar.
There are two components to making this cake:
- Cake layers - Of course, this is an adaption of my classic vanilla cake, but I use both butter and oil for stability and moisture.
- Frosting - Today, I am using this Ermine frosting. And yet, Swiss meringue buttercream (SMBC) would also be a great option. Of course, there are other buttercreams that would work just as well. See my 50 plus buttercream frosting recipes on this blog. The video below does not show how I make the frosting, but I do have a video on how to make this Ermine Frosting.
The process and timeline for this cake is very simple.
- Prepare cake batter - 25 minutes
- Bake cake - 45 minutes
- Chill cake - 4 hours at least (preferably overnight)
- Prepare frosting - 20 minutes
- Crumb coat cake - 15 minutes
- Chill cake - 15 minutes
- Frost cake - 15 minutes
- Chill cake - 15 minutes
- Final smoothing - 15 minutes
- Finishing touches - 10 minutes
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour - I find all-purpose flour works better for this cake. It adds stability in the absence of the egg yolks.
- Sugar - Fine-grain white sugar works best as it's easier to cream with the butter.
- Fat - In this cake, I use both butter and oil. I find it works better for both texture and moisture. Use unsalted butter at firm room temperature, not too soft. This works better to cream with the sugar into a light and airy mixture. And use a flavorless oil like canola, grapeseed or sunflower.
- Eggs whites - Use large egg whites and make sure that no eggs get into the egg whites. Otherwise, they will not whip into stiff peaks.
- Flavoring - I am using clear vanilla extract, almond extract, and rose extract for this cake. I do like the combination of the three. And yet, you can use any two, or just clear vanilla extract. If you don't have clear vanilla extract, replace half the sugar with vanilla sugar instead.
Step by step instructions (save/pin)
Cake
- Preheat the oven at 170 C/ 340 F.
- Grease and line 3 x 7-inch round cake pans, or 2 x 8-inch round cake pans (see other options below).
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt - set aside.
- Cream butter and half the sugar (approximately) until light and fluffy.
- Then, gradually add the oil and continue to whip until light and airy (similar to making mayonnaise).
- Next, add the flavoring - I'm using vanilla, almond, and rose extract.
- Add, flour mixture and buttermilk in three batches alternating each other - set aside.
- In a clean, grease-free mixer bowl with whisk attachment, start whipping the egg whites with cream of tartar.
- After two minutes, gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time.
- Once all the sugar is in, whip the egg whites to almost stiff peaks.
- Then, fold the egg whites into the cake batter. Start by adding a big dollop of egg whites to the batter and give it a rigorous mix. This will lighten the batter. Then gently fold the rest of the batter into carefully.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes (mine took 40 minutes).
Frosting
- Watch a video on how to make this Ermine frosting.
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, flour, salt, and milk.
- Place over medium-low heat stirring constantly.
- Until you have a thick smooth paste about 5 to 7 mins.
- Set aside to cool completely.
- Place butter in a mixer bowl and whip until smooth.
- Gradually add the boiled milk paste - one tablespoon at a time.
- Once all the milk paste has been added, whip the buttercream for 2 full minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and any other flavoring if desired.
Assemble
- Prepare simple syrup – cool completely before using.
- Once cooled, cut the domes off the cake layers with a serrated bread knife.
- Brush each layer with the cooled, simple syrup (simple syrup is just boiled sugar and water - I shared the recipe here).
- Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.
- Pipe or add a generous dollop of frosting. Spread evenly with an offset spatula.
- Then, top the second cake layer on top followed by more buttercream frosting.
- Place the last cake layer on top.
- Place the cake in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, so the layers hold together.
- Spread more buttercream around and top of the cake (see video).
- Use a bench scraper to smooth the sides of the cake and an offset spatula to smooth the top. Chill cake for 30 minutes.
- Final smoothing - dip an off-set spatula and bench scraper in warm water and smooth the sides and top of the cake.
- Add the remaining frosting in a piping bag with the star tip.
- Pipe a border on top of the cake and at the bottom of the cake (see video).
- Decorate the top as desired - I added silver-coated chocolate ovals.
Frequently asked questions
The cake layers will keep at room temperature unfrosted for 3 days. Once frosted, in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze it for up to a month.
This cake works better with a combination of butter and oil, especially because we don't have any yolks. You can, however, use all butter (228 grams of butter instead of oil).
Cake flour gives a wonderfully soft and tender cake. But, I personally prefer to use all-purpose flour for this cake because the egg whites make the cake delicate.
You certainly can frost this cake with whipped cream. You can even add fruits such as strawberries to make a strawberry cream cake.
Swiss or Italian meringue, both work wonderfully with this cake. You can also use my American buttercream, vanilla buttercream frosting, or Emines frosting for this cake. I have 50 plus buttercream frosting recipes on this blog so the is so much you can try.
Well, if you don't want to make this a layer cake,
- You can use an 8-inch bundt pan to make a white bundt cake.
- You can make a 9 x 11 sheet pan.
- Half the recipe to make a 7 x 7-inch square pan for a coffee cake.
- These will also make about 18 to 24 beautiful white cupcakes.
Troubleshooting
My cake did not rise
This can happen on three occasions:
- if you do not whip the eggs to stiff peaks, or,
- if you over-mixed the batter before baking.
- or if the oven is not at the optimal temperature.
My eggs won't become stiff peaks
This is usually the result of fat getting into the egg whites. The fat could be egg yolks (not separated correctly) or mixer-bowl not clean. You can still use the whipped eggs, the result will be a less light and airy cake or you can use a new batch of egg whites.
My butter, sugar, and oil mixture are curdled. Is it wasted?
No. You must cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This is done easily if you use fine-grain sugar. The oil needs to be added to the creamed butter and sugar slowly, so it emulsifies the mixture. If you add it too quickly the mixture will be curdled. Having said that, it is not critical and can be saved. Just add a teaspoon or two of flour from the recipe and continue to beat it. The mixture should be smooth and homogeneous again.
My cakes had tall domes when baked
This can happen because the cake has egg whites who want to rise up to their full potential. Use cake strips to help tame the batter and keep them from rising out of proportion. Cake strips aren't expensive and they last a lifetime.
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Description
Ingredients
White cake
- 4 oz (113 g) Butter (1 stick) unsalted, room temperature
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) Oil cooking
- 2 cups (400 g) Sugar divided
- 3 cups (375 g) All-purpose flour
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 cup (240 ml) Buttermilk
- 6 Egg whites large
- ⅛ tsp Cream of tartar or salt
- ¼ tsp Clear vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp Almond extract
- ⅛ tsp Rose extract
Ermine frosting
- 1 cup (200 g) Sugar
- ½ cup (60 g) All-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¾ cup (180 ml) Milk full-fat
- 8 oz (227 g) Butter (2 sticks)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven at 170 C/ 340 F.
- Grease and line 3 x 7-inch round cake pans, or 2 x 8-inch square cake pans (see other options below).
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt - set aside.
- Cream butter and half the sugar (approximately) until light and fluffy.
- Then, gradually add the oil and continue to whip until light and airy (similar to making mayonnaise).
- Next, add the flavoring - I'm using vanilla, almond, and rose extract.
- Add, flour mixture and buttermilk in three batches alternating each other - set aside.
- In a clean, grease-free mixer bowl with whisk attachment, start whipping the egg whites with cream of tartar.
- After two minutes, gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time.
- Once all the sugar is in, whip the egg whites to almost stiff peaks.
- Then, fold the egg whites into the cake batter. Start by adding a big dollop of egg whites to the batter and give it a rigorous mix. This will lighten the batter. Then gently fold the rest of the batter into carefully.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes (mine took 40 minutes).
Frosting
- Watch a video on how to make this Ermine frosting.
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, flour, salt, and milk.
- Place over medium-low heat stirring constantly.
- Until you have a thick smooth paste about 5 to 7 mins.
- Set aside to cool completely.
- Place butter in a mixer bowl and whip until smooth.
- Gradually add the boiled milk paste - one tablespoon at a time.
- Once all the milk paste has been added, whip the buttercream for 2 full minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and any other flavoring if desired.
Assemble
- Prepare simple syrup – cool completely before using.
- Once cooled, cut the domes off the cake layers with a serrated bread knife.
- Brush each layer with the cooled, simple syrup (simple syrup is just boiled sugar and water - I shared the recipe here).
- Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.
- Pipe or add a generous dollop of frosting. Spread evenly with an offset spatula.
- Then, top the second cake layer on top followed by more buttercream frosting.
- Place the last cake layer on top.
- Place the cake in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, so the layers hold together.
- Spread more buttercream around and top of the cake (see video).
- Use a bench scraper to smooth the sides of the cake and an offset spatula to smooth the top. Chill cake for 30 minutes.
- Final smoothing - dip an off-set spatula and bench scraper in warm water and smooth the sides and top of the cake.
- Add the remaining frosting in a piping bag with the star tip.
- Pipe a border on top of the cake and at the bottom of the cake (see video).
- Decorate the top as desired - I added silver-coated chocolate ovals.
Recipe Notes
- Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature so you have a smooth, not curdled batter.
- Add the oil to the butter and sugar gradually so it won't curdle. Whip the mixture until it is light and airy like a mayonnaise. If the mixture curdles, add a teaspoon of flour and whip some more.
- We use clear vanilla extract to keep the white color of the cake but you can also use regular dark vanilla extract.
- Separate the eggs individually in a clean bowl so you do not have any trace of egg yolks. Save those for your breakfast omelet. Eggs are best separated when cold but whip better when warm.
- Use a clean grease-free bowl to whip the eggs. Any grease in the bowl will not give you stiff peaks resulting in a not so airy cake.
- When folding the egg whites into the batter, use a circular motion like shaping an 'O' inside the bowl. Up and over (see video)
- Don't overmix the egg whites as it can cause them to deflate.
- Preheat the oven well in advance so you do not have to wait once the batter is ready. Batters with whipped eggs must be baked immediately.
- It is best to bake cakes on the center rack alternatively, rotate the cake pans halfway through baking for even baking.
- Cake strips are highly recommended for this cake so you have a nice pale baked cake not dark. The top crust comes off easily. You can also make cake strips at home DIY
Equipment
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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