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.
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?
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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!
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.
- Elmo Cake & Cookie Monster Cake
- Chocolate Chip Cake with Ganache Drip
- Cookies & Cream Sheet Cake
- Espresso Chocolate Chip Cake
- Pineapple Coconut Cake
- Fresh Berry Cream Cake
- Burnt Sugar Caramel Cake
- Coconut Cake
- Pistachio Cake
- Strawberry Cake (very popular recipe)
- Reduced batter for 1 layer: Pineapple Upside Down Cake & 1-Layer Sprinkle Cake
To Change the Cake Pan Size:
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.
If you want to make a 6-inch cake, use this 6-inch cake recipe, which is scaled down from this batter.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Perfect White Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: serves 10-12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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
- 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.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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)
- 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.
- Cake Flour: If you can’t find cake flour, here is a DIY homemade cake flour substitute you can use instead.
- Carton Egg Whites: You can use carton egg whites. The carton should give measurements for substituting for fresh egg whites.
- 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.
- Other Cake Sizes (6-inch, 8-inch, 9×13-inch, tiered cake, Bundt cake, cupcakes): Please see FAQ above the recipe.
- 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.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I just love your recipes, but for some reason I could not find success with this one. I made it twice, using all the suggested ingredients at room temp, opting to make my own cake flour, but I used vanilla sugar instead of extract, because that’s what I had.
I also wanted to bake 3 layers so I used 16cm round cake pans. The first time the cakes never baked through and were very watery inside. The second time I baked them for almost 40min to get them to cook through and the cakes came out really heavy, and eggy. Please help. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Leslie, This recipe yields about 7 cups of batter. You only need between 3-4 cups of cake batter for a three layer 6 inch cake, so your cake pans were likely over-filled and wouldn’t bake properly. For a cake that size we recommend using this 6 inch cake recipe instead, which is a lot like this cake batter. (And the cake is pretty soft, too.)
Hi, how would you do a dolly varden? I took bout 1.5x of this recipe and it has a sink hole, taking ages to cook and look eggy/undercooked despite being cooked for almost 2hours.
Hi is it possible to substitute the cake flour for just regular flour?
Hi Patricia, You really do need cake flour and not plain or all purpose flour in this (and any cake calling for it). Cake flour is much lighter. You can read more about it and also how to make your own if you don’t have any in this post on Homemade Cake Flour Substitute.
I used regular cake flour and the cake barely raised. My friend used cake flour and the same happened. This cake is delicious , unfortunately it did not rise well
I wish you would get a reply on this. I was planning on making this cake next week for our wedding anniversary cake. I have an unopened box of cake floor….
I made this cake a few months ago and my family is still talking about it, so I’m back again to make it a second time for company! I make a lot of cakes, and this one really stands out. I did have to use parchment rounds in my cake pans so that it wouldn’t stick – learned that the hard way on my first try. I topped this cake with your chocolate cream cheese frosting and it was just perfection. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Wonderful recipe! Would I be able to use heavy whipping cream for the cake next instead of whole milk next time? Thanks!
Hi Nav! We suggest sticking with whole milk for best results.
LOVE this cake! How could i go about doing a layered 8″ with this recipe?
Hi Christina! You can use two 8 inch pans instead of 9 inch pans. Bake time may be a minute or two longer — use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Wonderful recipe! Texture was on point. My only question is some of my family members aren’t fans of frosting in general so would prefer a slightly sweeter cake. Is it OK to add more sugar say 400-450 grams next time? Thanks!
Hi Nav, you can increase the sugar to 400g in the cake batter but I wouldn’t go over that.
Sally pls help!
I’m an experienced baker and when I made these the middle sank very low and is soggy /under baked in the middle and beautifully golden brown around the edges. I used two non stick 9 inch baking pans. And rotated halfway through the bake. What do you think I did wrong?
Hi Beth! Sounds like your cakes were simply under-baked. Always use the toothpick test to check for doneness as all ovens run slightly differently. If the edges seem to be browning too quickly, your oven may run a bit hot. We always recommend using an in-oven thermometer for best results, but you could also try reducing the oven temperature slightly in the future.
Sally can I add lemon juice and rind to your white layer cake without having to alter any of the other ingredients?
Hi Sharon, You can certainly experiment with adding lemon to this cake. You can add zest with no other changes. You can also try replacing a bit of the milk with lemon juice (but we have not tested this) or add lemon extract with no other changes. Otherwise this Lemon Cake is always a hit: https://route-span.live/lemon-cake/%3C/p%3E
Hi Sally,
Thanks for the recipe. Can I use buttermilk instead of milk? Thanks!
Hi Nav, The best way to use buttermilk 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. Enjoy!
Hi is there a recipe to make this or the funfetti/confetti version in layered 6 inch pans?
Hi Dawn! You can use our confetti cupcake batter to make a three layer 6 inch cake – let us know if you give it a try 🙂
Hi Sally, This cake is phenomenal! Each time I make it for guests I receive rave reviews. Since its only the two of us I tried making this as an everyday cake and put it into two loaf pans, baked for 40 minutes at your suggested temperature and topped with sprinkled powdered sugar. Still so delicious.
Thank you,
I used AP instead of cake & I can’t get it to set in the middle. Help!
Hi Kayla, You really do need cake flour and not plain or all purpose flour in this (and any cake calling for it). Cake flour is much lighter. You can read more about it and also how to make your own if you don’t have any in this post on Homemade Cake Flour Substitute.
I wrote this recipe down in my baking notebook probably a little over a year ago and have 2.5 cups of *sifted* cake flour. Did I write it down wrong or has the recipe maybe changed? I feel like I’m in the twilight zone haha
Hi Kate, if you have cake flour, you can measure it by the spoon and level method. If at the time you didn’t have cake flour, it’s possible you were planning to use the cake flour substitute, which is sifted. Hope that helps!
Kate and V, thank you for asking and/or providing info on this recipe. I’ve made this cake so many times. Today I decided to make it again but when I read the instructions on the cake flour I thought I was losing my mind. I KNOW it use to say to sift the flour then measure the amount. It’s been a while since I’ve been here so seeing the new look of the site put a smile on my face but yeah. This recipe DID call for sifted flour. Why it was changed I don’t know but it would be nice if Sally explained. That way those of us who know what this recipe did call for us to do won’t think we’re losing our minds, lol…
Have you ever put almond extract into this recipe? Should I substitute some of the almond extract for some of the vanilla extract? Or just add it in?
Hi Rhagen, Yes! We recommend using 1.5 teaspoons almond extract and 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract. Happy baking!
I just made this for our Christmas get together & it was a hit! Thank you Sally for your detailed directions, since I am more of a cook than a baker. Because I chose the 13×9 baking dish, halving the icing ingredients was enough for the cake. It truly is a beautiful cake & I had to share it with family. Thank you again & have a Merry Christmas!
Hi Sheila, We are so glad you loved this cake!
Hi, I loved how this cake turned out for the Cookies and Cream cake. I wanted to try it plain, but also try a chocolate chip variation. Do you think it would turn out ok just adding in chocolate chips? Any amount or edits you’d recommend to do that?
Hi Kristin, absolutely! 3/4 – 1 cup mini chocolate chips would be plenty.
What if all I have on hand is all purpose flour? Do I need to change anything? Looking forward to making this!!
Hi Jennifer, you can use our homemade cake flour substitute with no other changes to the recipe. Hope the cake is a hit!
Love this recipe!! I’ve been using this recipe for years now and it always turns out perfect! Everyone comments on how moist and fluffy it is. This recipe is a keeper!
Baked this as a round layer cake for my 4-year-old’s birthday and it was absolutely outstanding. It was so good and was gone so fast I found an excuse to make it again the next week! I’m going to bake it for my 8-year-old’s birthday but she wants it in a 13x18x2” Wilton pan (we’re creating Candyland on top). Can I just double the recipe and bake as in a 9×13 or are there other considerations I haven’t thought of? Thank you so much! We love your recipes and cookbooks we have!
Hi Amy! We always recommend making multiple batches instead of doubling – this prevents over or under-mixing large amounts of batter. This guide for cake pan sizes and conversions be also be a handy tool. Happy baking!
Thanks! I do make two batches instead of mixing the doubled recipe together, but I did word that terribly.
Hi there
I’m wondering, can I used boxed egg whites?
Hi Andrea, Yes, you can use carton egg whites. The carton should give measurements for substituting for real egg whites.
Hi! Love all your recipes!!
If I were to make this on a Friday afternoon, what’s the best way to store it until the birthday party Sunday??
Hi Rebecca, if frosting the cake on Friday as well, it would be best to cover it tightly and store in the refrigerator until just a bit before you plan to serve. If you’re just storing the layers, you have the option of freezing them. Feel free to choose whichever works best for your timeline!
Hi Sally! I’ve been using your recipes for years and have never been disappointed 😀
I have a question about the extract. Could I use maple or almond instead? And if so is it the same amount as the vanilla? Thanks!
Hi Stacey! We recommend using 1.5 teaspoons almond extract and 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract for an almond cake. We haven’t tested maple extract, but would guess the proportions would be similar to the almond version. Happy baking!
This cake came out way too soft and o need to stack it. I followed it to the letter.
I have five kids aged 24-10 and have baked many birthday cakes. My kids ask for all kinds of cakes, but this is the best, most consistent recipe and has become our favorite. I think I will adapt this recipe for as many of their requests as possible because it is so reliably wonderful. This cake is a real winner. I made it for the third time yesterday and came back to say thanks.
I was looking for a base cake recipe without complicated steps and so glad I found this! Just made it with whipped cream frosting and mango cubes between layers. So good. Thanks for the amazing recipes! Your chocolate cake with sour cream version is also my go-to chocolate cake recipe after trying a few others without success.
Hey, should I whip the egg whites.
Hi Curt – no need to whip the egg whites in this recipe.
Hiya, what would the ingredient measurements and baking time be for this recipe when using the wilton dome cake tin to make a doll cake? It is just one cake tin. Thank you.
Hi, I made this white cake the other day for the first time. I followed the directions carefully. Everything was at room temperature, measured all dry ingredients with care. I don’t think that I over mixed it. It resembled a pound cake….nice flavor, but it was not light and fluffy at all. I baked it in 2 8 inch round pans and so I baked it longer, checking it frequently after 25 min. Tooth pick was finally clean at 31 minutes. Do you think I baked it too long and that would create a dense cake? Your recipes are wonderful and I will try this white cake one again. Thank you.
Hi Patricia, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. It’s possible that the cake was over baked a bit. It will take a few minutes longer than the stated bake time if using 8 inch pans, but it’s possible the 31 minutes was a bit too much. Even just an extra minute or two can contribute to a dry or dense cake. As you mention, over mixing can also be the culprit. This post on how to prevent dry and dense cakes may also be helpful for next time. Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try!
Hey Sally!
Do you have any recommendations for how I could add a raspberry filling to this cake? Thanks!
Hi Natalie, a raspberry filling would be delicious between layers of this cake. We recommend lightly frosting the cake rounds and then creating a ring of frosting around the edges to keep the raspberry jam in place. Hope it’s a hit!
I am wanting to add a bit of Aperol to this cake, as well as I am soaking it in an Aperol syrup. How much Aperol do you think I could add to the batter itself without sacrificing the crumb of the cake?
Hi Christina! We haven’t tested it, but you could try replacing some of the milk with Aperol in this recipe. Let us know what you try!
Did 3/4 cup milk and a 1/4 cup Aperol, added fresh orange zest, and brushed the cake with an Aperol simple syrup. Topped it with your champagne buttercream recipe (used Prosecco instead of champagne) and it was a DELICIOUS Aperol Spritz cake!
Thanks!
This cake is 10/10. It was easy to make and super soft and fluffy. Very yummy