There’s only 8 ingredients needed for this fluffy, delicious white cake that bakes up in just 30 minutes! Perfect for a party, in layers, or baked as a sheet cake, it’s great for birthdays or just any day you want cake!
Why this cake recipe is our favorite
This white cake is light and spongy and oh so delicate. It’s great for a bridal shower or a birthday and uses simple ingredients that are probably in your pantry right now. White cake can be dressed up or served with a simple white frosting. I’ve used this same recipe for my pink lemonade cake as well, which is perfect for summer.
RELATED: you might also like this recipe – Strawberry Cake
Ingredients and expert baking tips
- I use cake flour, but if you don’t have any you can use all purpose flour by following this calculation. Replace 1 cup of cake flour with 1 cup all purpose flour MINUS 2 tablespoons all purpose flour PLUS 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to measure 1 1/4 cups.
- Some white cake recipes call for whole eggs, which makes no sense to me. That makes it a yellow cake simply because of the yellow from the yolks. Separate the eggs and only use the egg whites. You can save the yolks for making banana cream pie, Key Lime pie, homemade banana pudding, or my white chocolate ice cream!
I love cream cheese frosting, but it’s even better when you fold in some whipped cream. I guarantee you will love it!
How to make this beautiful white cake from scratch
- Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Whisk together the buttermilk, egg whites, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In mixer with paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the mixture is very light.
- Reduce speed to low and gradually add half of the dry ingredients and half of the wet ingredients. When combined add the remaining dry and wet ingredients. Beat until combined, scrape down side of bowl if needed. Beat two minutes more on medium speed to aerate the batter.
- Divide the batter between the two 9 inch pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean.
- Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then remove from pans, peel off parchment, and let cool completely.
How to make my cream cheese frosting & frost the cake
- Using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sifted powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Remove to another bowl and clean out mixing bowl.
- Switch to the whisk attachment and beat the heavy cream at medium-high until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. When most of the cream cheese and whipped cream are incorporated, whisk the frosting together to make smooth, about one minute.
- Place one cake layer onto a plate and spread 1/2 – 3/4 cup of the frosting on top. If you prefer more frosting in the middle, feel free to add more!
- Place the second cake layer on top of the first, and frost the top and sides of the cake.
How to freeze this cake
This is my favorite white cake recipe. If I’m not making this for a party, I actually make the two round layers but frost them both individually. Then I cut those rounds into triangle slices and place them on a wax paper lined jelly roll pan. That goes into the freezer for a couple hours to set.
Then I remove the frozen slices and wrap them all individually in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer bag. Whenever I want a piece of cake, I remove one, unwrap it while still frozen and place on a plate. In about 20 minutes the cake is thawed out and ready to eat. Delicious!
You can also freeze and thaw the entire cake in the same manner!
More cake recipes you will love
- Carrot Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Banana Cake
- Chantilly Cake
- Dutch Apple Snack Cake
- Chocolate Prune Cake
- Marble Cake
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Best Classic White Cake
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
For the Cake
- 2 ¼ cups cake flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick, softened
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar sifted
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- I use cake flour, but if you don’t have any you can use all purpose flour by following this calculation. Replace 1 cup of cake flour with 1 cup all purpose flour MINUS 2 tablespoons all purpose flour PLUS 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to measure 1 1/4 cups.
- Some white cake recipes call for whole eggs, which makes no sense to me. That makes it a yellow cake simply because of the yellow from the yolks. Separate the eggs and only use the egg whites. You can save the yolks for making banana cream pie, Key Lime pie, homemade banana pudding, or my white chocolate ice cream!
- I love cream cheese frosting, but it’s even better when you fold in some whipped cream. I guarantee you will love it!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or spray two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper.
Cake
- Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Whisk together the buttermilk, egg whites, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In mixer with paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the mixture is very light.
- Reduce speed to low and gradually add half of the dry ingredients and half of the wet ingredients. When combined add the remaining dry and wet ingredients. Beat until combined, scrape down side of bowl if needed. Beat two minutes more on medium speed to aerate the batter.
- Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean.
- Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then remove from pans, peel off parchment, and let cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sifted powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Remove to another bowl and clean out mixing bowl.
- Switch to the whisk attachment and beat the heavy cream at medium-high until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. When most of the cream cheese and whipped cream are incorporated, whisk the frosting together to make smooth, about one minute.
- Place one cake layer onto a plate and spread 1/2 – 3/4 cup of the frosting on top. If you prefer more frosting in the middle, feel free to add more!
- Place the second cake layer on top of the first, and frost the top and sides of the cake.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on June 29, 2009 but has since been updated to include helpful tips and new photos.
Amanda Davis
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Susan L. Young says
Your recipes look so good. Thank you for sharing
Secret Server says
Happy belated birthday to you! And good for you for making your own cake! Your orangey version sounds superb and looks perfect.
Jess says
Lemon and orange…my kind of PPC! The frosting and nonpereils look great. Good for you for making your own birthday cake – that way, you get what you want!
Tiffiny Felix says
Looks so yummy! I love lemon and orange, too…I believe it was delicious! I make my own cakes, too…cakes from the store just aren't worth eating. :)
Liz says
Happy (very belated) birthday! Your cake is so cute and festive! I love the orange substitution, and I agree-the buttercream was too, too buttery.
AmyRuth says
I love looking at lots'O'pictures~ plus yours looks very pretty. Even if you did have to make it for your own birthday. Perfecto~ Love the flavors as well.
AmyRuth
Judy says
The cake looks luscious. The recipe is almost identical to Southern Living's recipe for basic vanilla cake (I made cupcakes out of the recipe, post coming soon.) It is absolutely the best cake recipe I've ever made, partly because of the low-protein flour and buttermilk, but also because the flour is sifted three times. It's so light, moist and flavorful.
Bunny says
Your cake is beautiful, I have to make this. Sorry for my absence Amanda work was killing me! I have to look back on your other posts cause I no I've missed alot!
Clivia says
I also found the buttercream too buttery. but this is now my go-to white cake batter. Yours turned out beautifully. Glad you enjoyed!
Cathy says
That is on gorgeous birthday cake! I think when you bake and are regularly baking things especially for other, there is something really fun about making your own cake exactly as you want it! I'm with you on the buttercream – I made this once with buttercream and while I am sure it was great buttercream, I just don't think buttercream is my thing.
PheMom says
My son would have loved your cake! As far as he is concerned, everything should have rainbow sprinkles of one kind or another on it. :)
Gabe's Girl says
What a fun cake! I like the way you decorated and would never have known you were covering up. We all do it. Ha! Especially with sprinkles and coconut flakes! I love making my own cake. Then, I know I will like it or if I don't, I do not have to complain cause I did it!
myfamousrecipe says
Love your cake, Amanda! Those sprinkles on the edge are so pretty. And the way you bake, I completely understand wanting to make your own birthday cake. Good for you!
SUGAR B says
OMG your cake is awesome! I think the best looking one I've seen so far!
Makes me so very happy looking at it!
Your cake IS the perfect party cake! :)
Jacque says
I like it a lot… the decorations definitely say "party" to me. Happy Birthday!
LOL, I've had my share of DQ ice cream cakes on my birthday.
Ingrid says
If you hadn't said I totally wouldn't have known that the swirled top wasn't done on purpose.
Happy belated birthday! :))
~ingrid
Erin Orr says
I love your cake! It looks so sweet! I also like to make my own birthday treats…it's kind of like my birthday present to myself. I bet it was delish!
MaryBeth says
I would take this cake for my next birthday…Gorgeous!!!
Jaime says
the swirl on top looks intentional!! great job :)
Cakelaw says
LOL – happy birthday to you! I think your version sounds delicious (love citrus) – I found the raspberry jam on buttercream way too sweet. I actually like the circular pattern on top – your cake looked lovely.