Better Homes And Gardens White Cake Recipe

The Perfect {Bakery Style} White cake is a beautiful, moist, and light cake with the perfect texture that I topped with my whipped vanilla buttercream. Try this White Cake Recipe if you are looking for more of a snack cake.

The Perfect {Bakery Style} White Cake

I have been searching for this cake for about two years now. In my experience, making a White Cake at home is just never as good as the bakery. (Sorry! I know some of you just cringed reading that.) Until now. I am not kidding when I tell you that this recipe is it. The flavor is fantastic and the texture is truly perfect. Even the-pickiest-dessert-eater-ever, aka my hubby, loved it.

White Cake Recipe

I found this cake on Epicurious who got it from Cooks Illustrated. I have never been led astray with either of those sources so I am confident you will find the same success I did!

One major adaptation I did was using 8-in cake pans. The original recipe calls for 9-in and about 5 minutes less cooking time. If you plan on using 9-in plans please do consult the original recipe. The first time I made it I used 8-in cake pans with no time adaptation and was not as successful. And, if you live at a higher altitude, be sure to check out my High Altitude Baking Tips.

The Perfect Homemade White Cake

How to Make The Perfect White Cake

To get started making this cake, first, pour the milk, egg whites, and both extracts into a bowl. Blend the ingredients with a fork. Next, in the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. (If you don't have cake flour, here is how to make homemade cake flour to use.)

Add the cubed butter to the flour mixture and continue to beat on low speed for a couple more minutes. Then, add all but 1/2 cup of the milk mixture to the flour mixture. Beat at medium speed for a minute and a half before adding the remaining milk mixture to beat for one additional minute.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 27-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out with a few crumbs, but no wet batter. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 5 minutes before flipping them onto a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

The Best Homemade White Cake

Frosting

I used my famous Whipped Vanilla Buttercream recipe to frost this cake. (You can see a video of me decorating a cake with this design here) This is the BEST buttercream (American version) that I have ever tried. FOR AN EXTRA VELVETY TEXTURE: try subbing sour cream for the butter. You would use 3/4 cup for this recipe. I have made this cake more times than I can count! It works every time and tastes bright and fresh.

Partial Frosting of White Cake

How do you get a Truly White cake?

Egg whites in the recipe. There should not be egg yolks in a white cake recipe.
Butter color. I try to use pale butter. There are many brands of butter that have the most glorious, rich, and vibrant yellow tones. I don't use those when trying to make my cake white. You can also whip the butter on its own for 3-5 minutes to lighten its color.
Imitation clear extract. Vanilla can add a dark tinge to your batter, taking away from a vibrant white. Imitation clear vanilla extract helps to keep the batter colorless.

The Perfect White Cake

Can I make this Cake into Cupcakes?

Yes… kind of. You will need to adjust cooking times dramatically. Start checking at 15 minutes; you want to cupcakes to no longer appear "wet" in the center and to spring back when touched. If the edges are brown(dark) the cupcakes may be overdone.

Do not fill the cupcake liners more than 2/3 full; the cupcakes do not create a big dome, they will be a bit flatter. If you want the PERFECT WHITE CUPCAKE, I recommend my Elegant Cupcake Recipe.

whitecake

Looking for More Cake Recipes?

The Perfect Chocolate Cake

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Recipe

perfect-white-cake

Making a white cake at home is never as good as a bakery...until now!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: white cake

Servings: 8 slices

1 cup (245g) whole milk, room temperature
6 large (197g) egg whites, room temperature
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2¼ cups (261g) cake flour
1¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup (1½ sticks or 169g) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cut into cubes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two 8-inch cake pans. (Use butter and flour, line with parchment paper, or spread GOOP.)
Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into a medium bowl. Stir with a fork until blended.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed (just to sift and incorporate ingredients). Add butter, cut into cubes, and continue beating on low for about 1-2 minutes.
Add all but ½ cup of the milk mixture to the flour mixture and beat at medium speed for 1½ minutes. Add the remaining ½ cup of the milk mixture and beat for about 1 minute.
Pour batter evenly between two prepared cake pans (approximately 2¾ liquid cups or 612 grams per pan).
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs and has no wet batter clinging to it, about 27 to 30 minutes.
Allow cake to cool in pan about 5 minutes then carefully flip onto a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
Frost cakes with your favorite frosting.

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meet Amanda Rettke

Amanda Rettke is the creator of I Am Baker, and the bestselling author of Surprise Inside Cakes: Amazing Cakes for Every Occasion – With a Little Something Extra Inside.Over the course of her 15+ year blogging adventure, she has been featured in and collaborated with the Food Network, New York Times, LA Times, Country Living Magazine, People Magazine, Epicurious, Brides, Romantic Homes, life:beautiful, Publishers Weekly, The Daily Mail, Star Tribune, The Globe and Mail, DailyCandy, YumSugar, The Knot, The Kitchn, and Parade, to name a few.