Julie Clark
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Moist White Cake Recipe
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The best homemade white cake recipe! Tips on how to make a moist white cake from scratch. This cake holds up well to layering and frosting for wedding cakes, birthday cakes, fruit filled cakes and cupcakes.
I took our popular almond cream cake recipe and made it into this foolproof vanilla cake now lovingly called “the best white cake recipe”. The key to the texture is that I use half butter and half vegetable oil for the best of both words: flavor and a moist crumb.
Try our sour cream chocolate cake, too!
A moist white cake recipe for your timeless recipe box.
One of our most asked questions is “How do you make cake from scratch?” We’ve taught your our yellow cake recipe, strawberry cake and chocolate cake recipe, so now it’s time for our white cake recipe!
When it comes to homemade cakes, they are often not quite as fluffy as box mix cakes. They are sturdier, butterier, maybe a little more dense, but they can still absolutely be moist.
I myself prefer a more dense, buttery from scratch cake, so that was my goal with this white cake recipe.
If you’re looking for a simple cake recipe with delicious flavor, this is one of the best! It bakes up tall, is strong enough for layers, but has a velvety crumb.
You may also love our other popular recipes: ho ho cake with chocolate ganache, lemon pound cake, pistachio bread, pumpkin swirl cheesecake and easy cut out cookies.
Looking for a quick cake? Try our pistachio bundt cake recipe!
Enjoy! -Julie
Before you begin.
There are 3 tips to ensure a perfectly delicious homemade white cake. Yes, they take an extra few minutes to do, but if you want your cake to turn out the best, don’t skip them.
- Froth the egg whites. This is a white cake so it calls for only egg whites…no whole eggs. Egg yolks will give the cake a yellow tinge. The first step in this recipe calls for frothing the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. You’ll then set those aside and fold them in at the very end. Whipped egg whites help the cake to be as light as possible. Don’t skip this step!
- Use cake flour. What is the difference between cake flour and all-purpose flour? It’s all about the protein content. Cake flour has less protein which means it won’t develop gluten strands as much you mix it. This is important to ensure a soft cake. You can use all-purpose flour in pinch though!
- Carefully measure with a kitchen scale. This is the best way to get the accurate amount of the ingredients. If you don’t have a scale, simply spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. Don’t pack the flour into the measuring cup or your white cake will end up dry!
Moist White Cake Recipe
The best homemade white cake recipe! Tips on how to make a moist white cake from scratch. This cake holds up well to layering and frosting for birthday cakes and fruit cakes.
Servings 15
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup egg whites plus 3 tablespoons This is about 6-7 large egg whites
- 1/2 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or almond extract
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 3/4 cups cake flour*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup whole milk
For the buttercream:
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer, beat the egg whites with the whisk attachment until they are stiff and form peaks. This may take a minute or two. Pour the egg whites into another bowl and place them in the refrigerator until you're ready to add them to the batter.
- Place the softened butter in a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer) and cream or about 2 minutes until it is white in appearance. ½ cup salted butter
- Add the sugar to the butter and beat with the paddle attachment until fluffy (about another 1-2 minutes). 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- Add the vegetable oil, vanilla and sour cream. Mix well. ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup sour cream
- Add 2 cups of the flour, plus the salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix just until barely combined. 2 ¾ cups cake flour*, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Add in half the milk and mix until combined. Then mix in the remaining flour, then the last of the milk. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. 1 cup whole milk
- Add the stiffly beaten eggs to the cake batter. Fold the egg whites in gently. Do not over mix at this point.
- Grease and flour 2 8" round cake pans. Line with parchment paper to ensure the cakes come out cleanly. Pour the cake batter equally into the prepared cake pans. Bake the cakes at 350ºF for 27-30 minutes or until the top bounces back when you touch it.
- Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges and remove them from the pans to a cooling rack, allowing them to cool completely.
- In a stand mixer bowl, using the paddle attachment and on medium speed, whip the butter for 2 minutes until it is almost white in color. 1 cup salted butter
- Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla and 3 tablespoons milk. Beat on low speed for 3-5 minutes, adding in the last tablespoon of milk if the buttercream needs to be thinner. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during the mixing to ensure no clumps 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, 4 cups powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread with vanilla frosting. Then place the second layer on top. Frost the top and outsides of the cake with frosting. Decorate with sprinkles if desired.
Notes
This was originally the same as our almond cream cake recipe (except with vanilla), but was updated on February 17, 2026 to be more user friendly and moist! The original recipe called for 1 cup of butter, no oil and no sour cream. The rest was is the same.
Store covered at room temperature. Freeze any leftover cake in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.
*The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of unfrosted cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 549kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 292mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 666IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 0.3mg
How to Make White Cake: Step by Step
Beat the egg whites. Using a stand mixer, beat the egg whites with the whisk attachment until they are stiff and form peaks. This may take a minute or two. Pour the egg whites into another bowl and place them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to add them to the batter.
Mix the wet ingredients. Place the softened butter in a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer) and cream or about 2 minutes until it is white in appearance. Add the sugar to the butter and beat with the paddle attachment until fluffy (about another 1-2 minutes). Add the vegetable oil, vanilla and sour cream. Mix well.
Mix in the dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Add 2 cups of the flour, plus the salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix just until barely combined. Add in half the milk and mix until combined. Then mix in the remaining flour, then the last of the milk. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Add the stiffly beaten eggs to the cake batter. Fold the egg whites in gently. Do not over mix at this point.
Bake the cakes. Grease and flour 2 8″ round cake pans. Line with parchment paper to ensure the cakes come out cleanly. Pour the cake batter equally into the prepared cake pans. Bake the cakes at 350ºF for 27-30 minutes or until the top bounces back when you touch it. Allow the white cakes to cool for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges and remove them from the pans to a cooling rack, allowing them to cool completely.
Alternative Frostings for White Cake
We’ve shared a basic white cake recipe here, but we have a lot of frostings on our site that would be delicious on this cake!
- Chocolate Frosting: A classic. Chocolate goes with everything, right?
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream: If you don’t like super sweet frosting, this is for you.
- Easy Strawberry Buttercream: Made with strawberry jam. This is the easiest and tastes delicious.
- Homemade Whipped Cream: For those who like simple!
- Fresh Strawberry Buttercream: Made with a reduced strawberry puree. Plan ahead for this!
Question – does it make a difference using whole milk vs 2%?
This will be my go-to cake recipe from now forward! I followed the directions to a tee! Absolutely the best white cake recipe that I ever tried! Thank you!
What kind of butter do you use? Salted or unsalted?
Thank you!
FINALLY. Finally, a White Cake Recipe that is: 1. WHITE and 2. Not dense and grainy. 3. And tastes better than box cake!!! lol. For SEVERAL years I have tried TONS of white cake recipes, NOT ONE was good enough to even finish. I actually found box white cake mix superior to every single white cake mix recipe I found on the internet and in cookbooks until now. This one is SUPERB. Follow the directions and you won’t be disappointed. I did not have clear vanilla and really wanted a WHITE cake, so I used amaretto instead…that was the ONLY… Read more »
Hi. Is it ok to use this recipe for 2 tier cake? It looks so good in the picture and i wanted to try it for my brother’s birthday.
Can this recipe be increased to a 18×15…..
Just want to say that I absolutely LOVE this recipe! Comes out perfect every time. I make it using soy milk and a dairy free baking margarine due to a dairy allergy, and it comes out perfectly fluffy, moist, and flavorful. In the last 3 days, I’ve made it as a 15×11 sheet cake three times (double recipe to fill the pan) and it has been a huge hit! A great base for any flavor you want to throw at it. (Side note, when baking the sheet cakes, I did the typical things I do for a cake that size… Read more »
Can i use meringue powder instead of real egg white?
Has anyone tried making this recipe into cupcakes?
Hello! I tried this recipe last night and had one major issue and I would love help. It crumbled apart the second it came out of the pan. I made adjustments based off living in high altitude and for what I needed, regarding size. I am making a tier cake, 8inch bottom 6 inch top. What I did is below. Please advise. • I did try to split it into three 8inch pans rather two 9 inch pans. • I increased the temperature 15° The edges were light brown and cake fluffy. It fell apart so fast I realized there… Read more »
I’m hoping to use this recipe for an R2D2 cake for my stepson’s birthday. Can you make this cake a day ahead? If so, should it be wrapped and placed at room temp or refrigerated? Thank you!
I know this is a white cake, but I wanted to add colors to make a rainbow cake. I figured I would get more vibrant colors using a white cake rather than your usual yellow cake. How would I add the colors without over mixing?
works amazing when making it vegan!!! keep everything the same but use almond milk for the milk – avocado oil for butter (freeze before if you are feeling fancy) – and (a little sweetened) whipped aguafaba ( canned chickpea liquid) in place of the egg whites!
how many eggs?
Hi, I want to do 5 layers (6″ diameter, round pans). Will this effect the baking time?