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.
Table of Content
This is a very light cake, full of flavor 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-East 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.
Why make 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.
- Of course, the secret to making a cake being white is to use natural 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
- 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.
- Buttermilk - you can use store bought or homemade buttermilk. You can also use sour cream in equall amount for this cake.
- 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.
Best White Cake Recipe
Cake
- Preheat the oven at 325°F / 165°C / Gas Mark 3
- Grease and line 3 x 7 inch round cake pans, or 2 x 8-inch square cake pans with parchment paper.
- Dry ingredients – in a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, - set aside
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add the oil and continue to whip until light and airy. Then, add the vanilla, almond, and rose extract.
Pro tip - adding the oil gradually will help the oil whip up some air into the batter similar to making mayonnaise. - Next, add the flour mixture and buttermilk in three batches alternating each other - set aside.
- Clean the bowl of the stand mixer and whisk attachment, then add the egg whites and cream of tartar.
Pro tip - any grease in the bowl or whisk will not whip the egg whites so clean it properly. Also, add the sugar gradually into the egg whites to get the most volume. - 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.
- Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter with a spatula making sure not to overmix.
Pro tip - 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 carefully. - Pour batter into the prepared baking pans - tap a few times to remove any air pockets.
- Bake on the center rack for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert on a wire rack to cool completely.
Pro tip - if you use a single pan or tube pan the cooking time will be longer about 60 to 65 minutes
Ermine Frosting
- Watch a video on how to make this Ermine frosting.
- Make the roux - In a saucepan, combine sugar, flour, salt, and milk. Place over medium-low heat stirring constantly.
Pro tip - before you place on heat use a whisk to ensure you have no lump in the milk. Otherwise, the roux will be lumpy. - Cook until you have a thick smooth paste about 5 to 7 mins. Remove from heat and transfer to a cool bowl.
Pro tip - transferring to a clean bowl will ensure the mixture stops cooking and prevent lumps. - Cover with plastic wrap making sure the plastic touches the top surface of the roux. Set aside to cool completely.
Pro tip - roux like this can crust and form a skin very quickly similar to custard which can be very lumpy later in the frosting so cover immediately. - In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed, cream the butter for a minute until light and fluffy.
Pro tip - when whipped the butter will lighter in color as air will be incorporated into it. - Gradually add the cooled roux on low speed - one tablespoon at a time. Making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl for any butter stuck to the bowl.
- Once all the milk paste/roux has been added, whip the buttercream for 2 full minutes until light and fluffy.
Pro tip- it is important to whip the buttercream so you have a consistency similar to whipped cream. Otherwise it mixture will be very soft and won't be easy to frost. - Finally, add the vanilla extract and any other flavoring if desired.
Assemble
- Prepare simple syrup - cool completely before using.
Pro tip- Simple syrup is just sugar water that has been boiled and cooled. Used to keep cake layers moist. - Using a bread knife or cake leveler cut the domes off the cake layers. Brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup
- Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.
- Stack layers - Top with a big dollop of buttercream - spread evenly using a straight-edge spatula. Then top the second cake layer on top followed by more buttercream and the last layer.
- Crumb coat - Spread a thin layer of frosting on top and around the cake. Place the cake in the fridge to chill for 10 to 15 minutes.
Pro tip - Chilling the cake at this point will ensure the layers don't move when you frost the outside. Though, if you leave the cake uncovered in the fridge for too long it can dry out. So, 10 minutes is all you need.
- Spread remaining buttercream around and on top of the cake. Smooth as best you can and chill the cake again for 30 minutes.
Pro tip - A straight-edge spatula for the top, an offset spatula, and a bench scraper for the sides work better. - Final smoothing - dip an off-set spatula and bench scraper in warm water and smooth the sides and top of the cake.
Pro tip - this will help create a nice smooth finish on your cake. Alternatively, you can create a piped pattern around the cake with frosting. - 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.
Tips for success
- 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 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
More vanilla cakes
- One bowl vanilla cake, Eggless Vanilla Cake Recipe
- Light and fluffy vanilla cake
- Vanilla bean cake , or Mom's vanilla cake
- Moist Vanilla Pound Cake
- Classic Vanilla Bundt Cake
- Easiest Vanilla Birthday Cake
- Classic White Wedding Cake with IMBC
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe
- See all vanilla cakes or see all layer cakes
Frequently asked questions
How long will this cake keep?
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.
Can I use all oil instead of butter for this cake?
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).
Can I use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour for this cake?
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.
Can I frost this cake with whipped cream?
You certainly can frost this cake with whipped cream. You can even add fruits such as strawberries to make a strawberry cream cake.
What other frostings can I use for this white 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.
What other pans can I use for this cake?
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.
Troubleshoot
- Eggs doens't whip to 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.
- Curdles batter - 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.
- Cake strips - 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.
- The 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.
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Printable Recipe
White Cake Recipe
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save Grow Coooking Temperature: 325°F / 165°C / Gas Mark 3
Difficulty: medium
Calories: 456kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 18 servings
Description
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.
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
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 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 cup (240 ml) Buttermilk
- 6 Egg whites (large)
- ⅛ teaspoon Cream of tartar (or salt)
- ¼ teaspoon Clear vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon Almond extract
- ⅛ teaspoon Rose extract
Ermine frosting
- 1 cup (200 g) Sugar
- ½ cup (60 g) All-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup (180 ml) Milk full-fat
- 8 oz (227 g) Butter ((2 sticks))
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven at 325°F / 165°C / Gas Mark 3
- Grease and line 3 x 7-inch round cake pans or 2 x 8-inch square cake pans with parchment paper.
- Dry ingredients – in a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, - set aside
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add the oil and continue to whip until light and airy. Then, add the vanilla, almond, and rose extract. Pro tip - adding the oil gradually will help the oil whip up some air into the batter similar to making mayonnaise.
- Next, add the flour mixture and buttermilk in three batches alternating each other - set aside.
- Clean the bowl of the stand mixer and whisk attachment, then add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Pro tip - any grease in the bowl or whisk will not whip the egg whites so clean it properly. Also, add the sugar gradually into the egg whites to get the most volume.
- 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.
- Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter with a spatula making sure not to overmix. Pro tip - 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 carefully.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pans - tap a few times to remove any air pockets. square cake pans
- Bake on the center rack for 35 to 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely. Pro tip - if you use a single pan or tube pan the cooking time will be longer about 60 to 65 minutes
Ermine Frosting
- Watch a video on how to make this Ermine frosting.
- Make the roux - In a saucepan, combine sugar, flour, salt, and milk. Place over medium-low heat stirring constantly.Pro tip - before you place on heat use a whisk to ensure you have no lump in the milk. Otherwise, the roux will be lumpy.
- Cook until you have a thick smooth paste about 5 to 7 mins. Remove from heat and transfer to a cool bowl. Pro tip - transferring to a clean bowl will ensure the mixture stops cooking and prevent lumps.
- Cover with plastic wrap making sure the plastic touches the top surface of the roux. Set aside to cool completely.Pro tip - roux like this can crust and form a skin very quickly similar to custard which can be very lumpy later in the frosting so cover immediately.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed, cream the butter for a minute until light and fluffy. Pro tip - when whipped the butter will lighter in color as air will be incorporated into it.
- Gradually add the cooled roux at low speed - one tablespoon at a time. Making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl for any butter stuck to the bowl.
- Once all the milk paste/roux has been added, whip the buttercream for 2 full minutes until light and fluffy. Pro tip- it is important to whip the buttercream so you have a consistency similar to whipped cream. Otherwise it mixture will be very soft and won't be easy to frost.
- Finally, add the vanilla extract and any other flavoring if desired.
Assemble
- Prepare simple syrup - cool completely before using.Pro tip- Simple syrup is just sugar water that has been boiled and cooled. Used to keep cake layers moist.
- Using a bread knife or cake leveler cut the domes off the cake layers. Brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup
- Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.
- Stack layers - Top with a big dollop of buttercream - spread evenly using a straight-edge spatula. Then top the second cake layer on top followed by more buttercream and the last layer.
- Crumb coat - Spread a thin layer of frosting on top and around the cake. Place the cake in the fridge to chill for 10 to 15 minutes.Pro tip - Chilling the cake at this point will ensure the layers don't move when you frost the outside. Though, if you leave the cake uncovered in the fridge for too long it can dry out. So, 10 minutes is all you need.
- Spread remaining buttercream around and on top of the cake. Smooth as best you can and chill the cake again for 30 minutes. Pro tip - A straight-edge spatula for the top, an offset spatula, and a bench scraper for the sides work better.
- Final smoothing - dip an off-set spatula and bench scraper in warm water and smooth the sides and top of the cake.Pro tip - this will help create a nice smooth finish on your cake. Alternatively, you can create a piped pattern around the cake with frosting.
- 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 & Tips
- 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 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
- Eggs doens't whip to 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.
- Curdles batter - 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.
- Cake strips - 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.
- The 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.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 456- kcalCarbohydrates: 54- gProtein: 5- gFat: 25- gSaturated Fat: 11- gCholesterol: 43- mgSodium: 238- mgPotassium: 108- mgFiber: 1- gSugar: 35- gVitamin A: 510- IUCalcium: 46- mgIron: 1- mg
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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Eveline
Hi Veena, just wanted to ask about the sugar in this cake, it says ‘2 cups divided’ but it doesn’t say into what and how much to put with butter and egg whites 😳did I kiss smthg?
Veena Azmanov
Eveline - half goes into the butter and half into the egg whites. Thanks
Ami
A very nice recipe! I used all plant based ingredients and it turned out great! I did use the egg whites, so not totally vegan. This is my go to cake! It has a really nice consistency too!
Alison
I loved your frosting recipe, and now I get to use it on this wonderful cake! They are the perfect pair. The cake is moist and fluffy!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Alison
Angela
This cake is beautiful. You always provide so much great information!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much Angela
Monica
What a beautiful cake - it looks like it came straight from a professional bakery!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Monica
Carrie Robinson
You certainly can't go wrong with a classic cake like vanilla! 🙂
Veena Azmanov
I agree. Thanks Carrie