The Perfect White Cake

This is the PERFECT white cake with a soft texture, moist crumb, and wonderful vanilla flavor; plus, it tastes incredible with creamy vanilla buttercream. Cake flour, egg whites, and sour cream are the secrets to the best texture. The cake batter is my gold standard and I use it as the base for many other cake flavors including strawberry cake, coconut cake, pistachio cake, burnt sugar caramel cake, and more.

slices of white cake with vanilla frosting on assorted plates on light pink gingham linen.

I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips.

One reader, Shandra, commented:This. Cake. Is. Excellent! Thank you, Sally, for such a delicious recipe. For my preference, this hit the spot on tenderness, fluffiness, and taste (which to me means non-eggy). And the frosting is excellent as well! Archived as my #1 white cake recipe. Yum! ★★★★★

Why This Is My Best White Cake Recipe

This white cake recipe is adapted from my perfect vanilla cupcakes, a longtime reader favorite. The cake is my definition of *cake perfection* and has become one of the most popular cake recipes on my website. This recipe is such a fan favorite, that it deserved a spot in print! You’ll also find it printed in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101 (which is now a New York Times Best Seller!). Here’s why:

  • Soft & airy crumb
  • Fluffy, but not eggy
  • Pure sweet flavor
  • Stick-to-your-fork moist & tender
  • Completely from scratch
  • Easy & approachable dessert recipe

I love this cake so much that I used it as the base for several other cake recipes I have published including espresso chocolate chip cake, pineapple coconut cake, cookies and cream cake, chocolate chip cake, plus more listed below. I even reduced the quantity of cake batter down to make the perfect 1-layer pineapple upside down cake.

It’s my flagship cake recipe, and I crown it with the smoothest, creamiest vanilla buttercream. Rainbow sprinkles add a little glitz and glamour because… what’s cake without sprinkles?

slice of white cake being taken away from cake stand.

In the past 7 years, I’ve made this cake so frequently that I have the recipe memorized. I’m talking birthday parties, baby showers, summer parties, anniversaries, and even a couple bake sales. There are several success tips I’ve picked up along the way, and I’m thrilled to share them with you so you can enjoy cake perfection on your 1st try.

White Cake Success Tips

  1. Cream the Butter: To achieve a good rise, properly cream the butter and sugar together. You have the crutch of baking powder and baking soda, but the cake’s crumb truly sings when that creaming process steps in. If you’re new to this technique, this quick tutorial and video walk you through how to cream butter and sugar.
  2. Use Only Egg Whites: Do not use egg yolks. Using only egg whites not only gives you a pristine white cake, but also it ensures that the crumb is not weighed down by the fat in egg yolks. Think about it: lighter confections such as marshmallows and angel food cake require only the egg whites. It’s the same story here. You need 5 large egg whites in this cake.
  3. Use Pure Vanilla: You need pure vanilla extract for this cake, and a full Tablespoon in the cake batter. You’ll really taste it, so don’t skimp on the amount. If you have a vanilla bean, go ahead and scrape the beans from half of it into the batter for extra flavor, or you can swap the extract for the same amount of vanilla bean paste.
  4. Sour Cream Instead of Egg Yolks: Sour cream is the cake’s security blanket. While it contains fat like the egg yolks would, it doesn’t really weigh down the crumb. It’s pure moisture and adds the most creamy, tender texture to every bite. It plays the same important role in coffee cake, too.
  5. You Need Cake Flour: Cake flour is almost 30x finer than all-purpose flour. Using it is a surefire way to achieve a delicate, soft-as-a-pillow texture. It’s sold in the baking aisle and you can use the rest of the box in any of these recipes that use cake flour including my popular confetti cake.
  6. Room Temperature: Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. When ingredients are the same temperature, they bind together more readily than if you had some cold and some warmer ingredients. Colder ingredients, especially egg whites, will produce a thicker batter and, since it’s cold, will take longer to bake. This changes everything.

Room-Temperature Ingredients

If a recipe calls for room-temperature eggs or any other ingredient such as milk or sour cream, make sure you follow suit. Recipes don’t do that for fun—room-temperature ingredients emulsify much easier into batter, which creates a uniform texture throughout your baked good. Think of cold, hard butter. It’s impossible to cream cold butter into a soft consistency. Same goes for eggs—they add much more volume to the batter when they’re at room temperature. Place your eggs in a glass of warm water for 10 minutes, and you can briefly warm the milk and sour cream (separately) on the stove or in the microwave to bring up the temperature. Here’s my trick for bringing butter to room temperature quickly.

ingredients on marble counter including vanilla, sour cream, egg whites, cake flour, and butter.
cake batter in glass bowl.
cake batter spread into 2 9-inch round cake pans.

This Is a 2-Layer 9-Inch Cake

You need two 9-inch round cake pans for this batter. This batter does not fit into two 8-inch cake pans (it’s too much). Three 8-inch pans work, as seen here in my fresh berry cream cake, but the layers are thin. If you want to make a 6-inch cake, use this 6-inch cake recipe, which is scaled down from today’s batter. Feel free to visit my cake pans & conversions page if you have any questions about changing the pan size.

Make sure you line your cake pans with parchment paper rounds, to help the cakes seamlessly release from the pan. If you need recommendations for round cake pans, I really like Fat Daddio’s pans and these Wilton cake pans.


White Cake Decoration

While the ingredients in the cake batter don’t leave any room for substitutions, we can have some fun with a variety of frostings. I prefer vanilla frosting, which I include in the recipe below. But I encourage you to play around with chocolate buttercream, rainbow chip frosting, or chocolate cream cheese frosting (also delicious on this zebra cake!). For a lighter, less sweet option, I love pairing this cake with whipped frosting. Each of these frostings are absolutely remarkable on this lovely cake. The vanilla frosting makes a lot, so expect a thick layer between the cakes.

*Crumb Coat Details*

To ensure the layer cake is stable, it’s important to apply a crumb coat. A crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting on the exterior of the cake that locks in any loose crumbs and helps stabilize the layers. After you stack the 2 layers with frosting in between, cover the top and sides of the layered cake with a very thin layer of frosting (about 1 cup). If desired, run a bench scraper around the cake to help smooth out the frosting. Refrigerate the uncovered cake for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour to “set” the crumb coat. Then cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. This detailed how to assemble and decorate a layer cake post is a great guide!

spreading frosting on white cake layer and cake shown again with crumb coat.
vanilla frosted cake with rainbow sprinkles on white ruffled cake stand.
slice of white cake with forkful taken out on ruffled ceramic plate.

Here Are All the Cake Flavors Made From This Perfect Batter

It’s impressive that this combination of ingredients can produce so many cakes. I will ALWAYS turn to this recipe.

To Change the Cake Pan Size:

Can I use 8-inch pans?

This batter does not fit into two 8-inch cake pans (it’s too much). Three 8-inch pans work at the same oven temperature, as seen here in my fresh berry cream cake, but the layers are thin.

Can I make this into a 6-inch cake?

If you want to make a 6-inch cake, use this 6-inch cake recipe, which is scaled down from this batter.

Can I make this into a Bundt cake?

Yes. Same oven temperature. This batter will fit into a 10 to 12-inch Bundt pan. I’m unsure of the exact bake time, so use a toothpick to test for doneness.

Can I make this into a 9×13-inch cake?

Yes. Same oven temperature. Simply pour the batter into a greased and lightly floured 9×13-inch pan and bake for 38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Can I use this for a tiered cake?

I recommend following my Homemade Wedding Cake recipe as a guide for a tiered cake, and it will be best to use cake dowels and boards for support. The bottom tier of that cake is sturdier than this white cake, though the flavor is pretty identical.

Can I make this into cupcakes?

My vanilla cupcakes recipe is essentially this same recipe, only halved. If you want more cupcakes, you can follow this white cake batter recipe and use the baking instructions for the cupcakes.

Print
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slice of white cake being taken away from cake stand.

The Perfect White Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 263 reviews
  • Author: Sally McKenney
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 24 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours
  • Yield: serves 10-12
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

This is the PERFECT white cake with a soft texture, moist crumb, and wonderful vanilla flavor; plus, it tastes incredible with creamy vanilla buttercream. See various flavors above and all of my recipe Notes below. This recipe is also in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.


Ingredients

  • 2 and 1/2 cups (295g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
  • 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature*
  • 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract (yes, Tbsp!)
  • 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, at room temperature*

Vanilla Buttercream

  • 1 and 1/4 cups (282g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 5 cups (600g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (or use clear imitation vanilla for stark white frosting)
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt, as needed
  • optional: sprinkles, for garnish


Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the egg whites and beat on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract, and beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute.  Add the dry ingredients and then, with the mixer running on low speed,  slowly pour in the milk and beat just until combined. Do not overmix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. 
  4. Bake for 24–25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans set on a cooling rack for 1 hour. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the sides, remove the cakes from the pan, peel off the parchment, and place on the rack to finish cooling. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
  5. Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar and then add the cream and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then gradually increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 full minutes. Taste; beat in the salt if the frosting is too sweet. Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin, more cream if frosting is too thick, or a pinch more salt if frosting is too sweet. 
  6. Assemble and frost: (For additional help with this step, see this how to assemble a layer cake video & post.) First, using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place one cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Spread 3/4 to 1 cup 3/4–1 cup (180–240g) of vanilla buttercream in an even layer on top. Top with the second cake layer, upside down, and spread the top and sides with 1 cup of buttercream (240g) in a very thin layer to make the crumb coat. If desired, run a bench scraper around the cake to help smooth out the frosting on the sides. Refrigerate the cake until the crumb coat has set, about 20 minutes. Finish by spreading the top and sides with the remaining buttercream. Decorate the cake with sprinkles, if desired.
  7. Slice and serve immediately or keep at room temperature for a few hours before serving. Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

  1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Likewise, the frosting can be prepared and then covered and refrigerated overnight. Assemble and frost the cake the next day when you are ready to serve. See this post & video on how to freeze cakes for information on freezing.
  2. Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Round Fat Daddio’s Cake Pans or Wilton Cake Pans | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack | Cake Turntable | Straight Spatula and Bench Scraper (for frosting) | Round Cake Carrier (for storage)
  3. Amount of Batter: If it’s helpful for using different size cake pan sizes and conversions, this recipe yields about 7 cups (about 1680g) of cake batter.
  4. Cake Flour: If you can’t find cake flour, here is a DIY homemade cake flour substitute you can use instead.
  5. Carton Egg Whites: You can use carton egg whites. The carton should give measurements for substituting for fresh egg whites.
  6. Milk, Sour Cream, Substituting Buttermilk: Whole milk and sour cream are strongly recommended for the best taste and texture. A full-fat plain yogurt would work instead, though the cake may not be as light. Same goes for a lower-fat milk. If you want to use buttermilk, the best way to do so is to have it replace both the sour cream AND milk in this recipe. Use 1 and 1/2 cups of buttermilk, then leave out the sour cream and whole milk.
  7. Other Cake Sizes (6-inch, 8-inch, 9×13-inch, tiered cake, Bundt cake, cupcakes): Please see FAQ above the recipe.
  8. Almond Cake: If you want to add almond flavoring, I recommend using 1.5 teaspoons almond extract and 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract for an almond cake. I usually just do this to the cake, but you could certainly swap some of the vanilla extract in the frosting for almond extract for an even deeper almond flavor. Decorate the cake with sliced almonds, if desired.
sally mckenney headshot purple shirt.
About the Author

Sally McKenney

Sally McKenney is a baker, food photographer, and New York Times best-selling author. Her kitchen-tested recipes and step-by-step tutorials have given millions of readers the knowledge and confidence to bake from scratch. Sally’s work has been featured on TODAY, Good Morning America, Taste of Home, People, and more.

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Reader Comments and Reviews

  1. Mary says:
    July 31, 2021

    The cake is amazing!! The frosting I made as directed and then added about 1/4 cup fresh strawberry purée. The frosting tasted great but had a strange texture which I believe was my fault. Any advice on adding fruit to frosting in the future!? Thanks for another great recipe

    Reply
  2. Jill says:
    July 29, 2021

    If I half the frosting recipe for a 9×13 cake will it be enough?

    Reply
    1. Hilari @ Sally's Baking Addiction says:
      July 29, 2021

      Hi Jill, this vanilla buttercream recipe yields enough to thinly frost a 9×13 inch cake!

      Reply
  3. Laura says:
    July 24, 2021

    Hi sally,

    I have made this cake a couple of times and everyone loved it. I have one issue that I can’t seem to solve though, each time I add the milk the batter splits. I tried leaving the milk out longer and adding less, also tried mixing in tiny amounts? Any ideas? (I mean the cake still turns out great but I’m pretty sure it would greater if it didn’t split right?) thanks Laura

    Reply
    1. Stephanie @ Sally's Baking says:
      July 26, 2021

      Hi Laura, When batter splits it’s usually because of different temperature ingredients. I know you said you leave the milk out, but make sure that your egg whites, sour cream, and butter are all room temperature also. You might find the post Room Temperature Ingredients Make a Difference helpful!

      Reply
      1. Srabani says:
        July 28, 2021

        Hi Sally

        I had the same issue. I kept at room temperature for 2hrs. Everything was room temperature but after I added milk it split.

  4. Julie Genter says:
    July 23, 2021

    Hi, this is the second time I’ve made this cake.
    My husband absolutely loves it !!!

    Thank you for sharing the recipe

    Julie

    Reply
  5. Sarah Clavin says:
    July 21, 2021

    I’m looking at making this for my daughters birthday. Could I put strawberry between the layers and cover with the strawberry icing?

    Reply
    1. Lexi @ Sally's Baking says:
      July 22, 2021

      Hi Sarah, absolutely. This cake would be delicious with strawberry frosting. You could also put strawberries between the layers if desired. You might want to add a ring of frosting around the strawberries so that they don’t slide out the edges. Hope it’s a hit for your daughter’s birthday!

      Reply
    2. Michelle says:
      July 23, 2021

      Hi Sally,
      I am making your triple chocolate cake (2 layers) and want to sandwich this cake (1 layer) in between. Is the white cake sturdy enough to hold 1 layer of your triple chocolate cake on top? I am making this in September.

      Thank you
      Michelle

      Reply
      1. Stephanie @ Sally's Baking says:
        July 23, 2021

        Hi Michelle, Yes this white cake should be fine as the middle layer. Enjoy!

  6. Gillian says:
    July 21, 2021

    Hi, I’m trying this recipe today but I accidentally picked up curd/yoghurt instead of sour cream. Google says add an extra tsp of baking soda… Is that alright or should I stick with the amount of baking soda in the recipe?

    Reply
  7. Jennifer says:
    July 20, 2021

    My daughter wants a Confetti Cake for her birthday, would this recipe stand up to the addition of Sprinkles in the batter? I am worried that the sprinkles will impact the cake rising…

    Reply
    1. Lexi @ Sally's Baking says:
      July 20, 2021

      Hi Jennifer, You can fold in 1/2 -2/3 cup of sprinkles (jimmies, not nonpareils) to this batter for a funfetti cake. Enjoy!

      Reply
  8. Danielle says:
    July 19, 2021

    Hello Sally,

    I have tried this recipe with a special shaped pan and it turned out really well! Just wondering if I can use this one to do 2 of the 9 x 13 sheet (doubling recipe) for a 2-layer sheet cake. I want to use cut strawberries and fresh cream in the layer. Would the layers be too heavy? Is this the right recipe to do so? I am planning to do it for a special occasion. Also, what do you recommend I use to pipe the letters on the whipped cream?
    Thanks, Danielle

    Reply
    1. Trina @ Sally's Baking says:
      July 19, 2021

      Hi Danielle! Yes, this cake should do well as a two layer sheet cake. We recommend making two batches of cake batter instead of doubling for best results. Vanilla buttercream is great for piping!

      Reply
  9. Jessica says:
    July 15, 2021

    Hi, I wanted to ask your thoughts on adding almond flavoring?

    Reply
    1. Trina @ Sally's Baking says:
      July 15, 2021

      Hi Jessica! For an almond cake, we recommend using 1.5 teaspoons almond extract and 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract. Happy baking!

      Reply
  10. Caron says:
    July 14, 2021

    My recommendation is to whip the egg whites separately and fold them in. My Mom always did that with a white cake with these exact ingredients. Cake flour etc !! Always amazing. Great recipe

    Reply
  11. Julie says:
    July 12, 2021

    How do I turn this recipe into a reverse creaming method?

    Reply
    1. Trina @ Sally's Baking says:
      July 12, 2021

      Hi Julie, we haven’t tested it so we can’t be sure. You may enjoy this vanilla sheet cake which utilizes the reverse cream. (Love it too!)

      Reply
  12. Nina says:
    July 10, 2021

    Hi, I followed the recipe exactly but my cake didn’t rise in the oven at all. It looks very flat. I was wondering if you could tell me what the cause of this is. This is also my first time baking a cake, so I’m definitely not an expert. Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Lexi @ Sally's Baking says:
      July 10, 2021

      Hi Nina! Are your baking soda and baking powder fresh? We find they lose their strength after about 3 months or so. The cake doesn’t have a ton of rise, but it shouldn’t be completely flat. It’s also possible it was slightly over mixed, causing it to be dense and squat. Let us know if we can help troubleshoot further, and thanks so much for giving this recipe a try!

      Reply
  13. Kelly says:
    July 1, 2021

    I don’t know why I went to a site other than yours. I have so much success here, but somehow when searching for a white cake recipe I missed this. I just failed with another recipe and so I want to try this one. I’ve made several of your cakes and they’ve all been perfect! Anyway, how white is this cake. I’m planning to use gel color for two of three layers and the third I want to be as white as possible (red, white, and blue checkerboard is the idea). If you don’t think it is white enough for that idea would you recommend using (shudder) imitation vanilla flavor to sub for the vanilla extract? I hate the idea but could see the extract making the cake a little more off white… Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    1. Trina @ Sally's Baking says:
      July 1, 2021

      Hi Kelly, we hope you love this cake! I would say it’s an off-white. Using imitation vanilla will help, we find that the color of your butter can make a big difference as well – best to look for a lighter one if possible for an extra-white cake!

      Reply
      1. Kelly says:
        July 1, 2021

        Thank you. My last white cake was a bomb – so I think I’ll still try yours instead maybe with the imitation, maybe not. All the best!

  14. Andrea Dettelbach says:
    June 30, 2021

    Fabulous Cake! Do you see any problem with folding in sprinkles to make it a funfetti cake?

    Reply
    1. Trina @ Sally's Baking says:
      June 30, 2021

      Hi Andrea! You can fold in 1/2 -2/3 cup of sprinkles (jimmies, not nonpareils) to this batter for a funfetti cake.

      Reply
  15. Lisa says:
    June 23, 2021

    Hi! I’m looking to use this recipe to make a 9in 3 layer cake, so I plan to 1.5x the recipe? The recipe calls for 5 egg whites originally so how many should I use since I am going to halve the recipe? 2?

    I wanted to use this recipe instead of your other recipe because this uses only egg whites. Should I make the 1.5x batter at the same time or split it up?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Trina @ Sally's Baking says:
      June 23, 2021

      Hi Lisa! We usually recommend our vanilla cake for a three layer cake, but you should be able to multiple this recipe by 1.5, if desired, though be very careful not to over or under mix the batter. Our general rule for halving an egg is to crack it open, beat the yolk and white together with a fork, measure the volume (should be a few Tbsp), then use half. Let us know how it goes!

      Reply
      1. Lisa C says:
        June 25, 2021

        Hi! I did a test run by just halving the recipe, so for 1 egg I actually separated the white from the yolk and then took half the white in volume for the recipe.

        After baking I let the cake pan rest for 10 mins then took the sponge layer out. But while I was flipping it, it crumbled in half! I tried moving it gently and it teared apart. Was the sponge layer suppose to be that fragile?

        I am not sure what I did wrong…thank you for the advice!

  16. Tracy says:
    June 23, 2021

    I am planning on making a square 3 tiered cake. 14″ base, 10″ middle layer and 6″ top layer. I will be making 2 layers of each size. Will this cake hold up to that? Does this recipe yield 8 cups of batter? I’m trying to convert to how many batches of batter I’ll have to make. Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Trina @ Sally's Baking says:
      June 23, 2021

      Hi Tracy! We recommend following our Homemade Wedding Cake recipe as a guide for a tiered cake- it will be best to use cake dowels and boards for support. This recipe yields about 7 cups of batter. You can use our cake pan sizes and conversions guide to find out how much batter you’ll need.

      Reply
  17. Heather says:
    June 23, 2021

    I’m planning to make a 10” Bundt cake with this recipe for a large “doughnut” looking cake. Will this be the right amount of batter? Any recommendations for temp and cook time? Thank you. Your site is my go-to for all my baking needs!

    Reply
    1. Lexi @ Sally's Baking says:
      June 23, 2021

      Hi Heather, this batter will fit into a Bundt pan. We haven’t tested it so we’re unsure of the bake time needed. We’d bake it at 350. Let us know how it turns out for you!

      Reply
  18. Hilary says:
    June 22, 2021

    Hi Sally – we love this cake base. Can we add lemon to it, and if so, how much do you recommend? We’ve done your lemon buttermilk which is excellent but would love to use this as a base if possible. Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Trina @ Sally's Baking says:
      June 22, 2021

      Hi Hilary! You can certainly experiment with adding lemon to this cake, otherwise this Lemon Cake is always a hit!

      Reply
  19. Nim says:
    June 21, 2021

    Hi! I wanted to make this for my husbands birthday cake and he was requesting mini chocolate chips. Can I add it to the batter before throwing it in the oven? Would you recommend another recipe for the chips to hold up better?

    Reply
    1. Trina @ Sally's Baking says:
      June 21, 2021

      Hi Nim, absolutely! 3/4 – 1 cup mini chocolate chips would be plenty. Hope it’s a hit!

      Reply
  20. Jocelyn Jones says:
    June 21, 2021

    Am I able to use Greek yogurt instead of the sour cream?

    Reply
    1. Trina @ Sally's Baking says:
      June 21, 2021

      Hi Jocelyn! Plain greek yogurt is a great sub for the sour cream.

      Reply
    2. Brionna says:
      July 27, 2021

      Would chilling the layers in the fridge dry out the cake? I’d like to do a crumb coat but don’t want to end up with a dry cake in the process. Similarly, would placing the tightly wrapped, unfrosted layers in the freezer ruin the cake? Thanks for the delicious recipe!

      Reply
      1. Trina @ Sally's Baking says:
        July 27, 2021

        Hi Brionna! Yes, chilling the cake in the fridge can dry it out, but if only chilling for a short amount of time for a crumb coat, the cake will be fine. Freezing unfrosted layers is the best way to make a cake ahead of time – we made a post about it that you may find helpful!

  21. Jan says:
    June 21, 2021

    I made this cake yesterday. Oh wow it is SO good. Light moist crumb and a lovely vanilla taste. I did use 2 x 8 inch cake tins and it did take longer to cook but I just kept checking it every few minutes. This will definitely be my go to birthday cake recipe . Thank you

    Reply
  22. Matt says:
    June 17, 2021

    I love the resulting cake, but I found the 25 minutes bake time wasn’t nearly enough (barely set in the middle). I haven’t had an issue with another other cakes in these pans—any idea why they might need so much more time? At least 10-15 more mins

    Reply
    1. Trina @ Sally's Baking says:
      June 17, 2021

      Hi Matt! Are you using two 9-inch cake pans? Using 8-inch pans will result in a longer bake time. Always use your best judgment and bake as long as the cakes need. Thanks for giving this recipe a try!

      Reply
      1. Lucie says:
        June 26, 2021

        It has just came out of the oven! Pure success! Thank you!

  23. angieb says:
    June 14, 2021

    Sally this cake recipe is the best… I was wondering if I doubled this recipe would it be enough for a 11×18 sheet cake? and what would the time be? Thank for sharing your WONDERFUL RECIPES

    Reply
    1. Trina @ Sally's Baking says:
      June 14, 2021

      We’re unsure exactly how much batter you will need for an 11×18 sheet cake, but you can use our Cake Pan Sizes and Conversions Guide to determine the correct amount. We’re unsure of the bake time, use a toothpick to test for doneness. You may also love this Vanilla Sheet Cake recipe!

      Reply
      1. Matt says:
        June 17, 2021

        Thanks—I believe they’re 9” but even for 8” it seems like a much longer bake time. Still, they came out great after 10 mins more so no harm!

  24. Pam says:
    June 10, 2021

    I love this cake! It is delicious and has a great texture. Quick question…can it be used as the base of a 2 tier cake? I’m planning to stack 4 6” layers on 4 9” layers. Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Lexi @ Sally's Baking says:
      June 10, 2021

      Hi Pam, With the proper dowels/supports it should hold up to a 6 inch tier on top. You can see exactly how we support this size tiered cake in the post on Simple Homemade Wedding Cakes.

      Reply
  25. Jeremiah says:
    June 9, 2021

    Hi, I would like to ask why sour cream is needed and can it be left out?

    Reply
  26. Autumn says:
    June 9, 2021

    Hello, I want to make this cake and use a white icing so I can decorate it but my husband doesn’t like buttercream….any other suggestions for a white icing/frosting that I can use to decorate? I’ll be using gel food colouring. Thanks, I love all your recipes, they turn out perfect every time!

    Reply
      1. Autumn says:
        June 13, 2021

        I just made this cake for the first time and it turned out fabulous. Moist and flavourful. My only twist was I used gel food colouring to turn it into a ‘rainbow’ cake….I doubled the recipe and made 6 thin layers, each a different colour (my 4 year old wanted a rainbow cake for her birthday). I used the buttercream icing recipe that goes with the cake for the outside as well as decorating (flowers and a rainbow, again, for a 4 year old) and your cream cheese icing for in between the layers (my husbands request). It was a hit! I wish I could include a picture. Thanks for another perfect recipe and also thanks for posting in metric and imperial, that is a huge help.

  27. Lizz says:
    June 8, 2021

    Hello! I’m not sure if this was asked yet (i love reading comments and reviews but i’m short on time!) How make cupcakes does this cake recipe make? Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Trina @ Sally's Baking says:
      June 8, 2021

      Hi Lizz! See recipe notes for cupcake details

      Reply
  28. Elaine says:
    June 7, 2021

    Is there something I could use in replace of heavy cream in the frosting?

    Reply
  29. Jan Irmscher says:
    June 6, 2021

    Thank you for the quick reply. Baking today!

    Reply
  30. Jan Irmscher says:
    June 6, 2021

    Can I use the Cage-Free liquid egg whites instead of fresh eggs?

    Reply
    1. Lexi @ Sally's Baking says:
      June 6, 2021

      Hi Jan, Yes, you can use carton egg whites. The carton should give measurements for substituting for real egg whites.

      Reply