Best White Cake
The very best recipe for a white vanilla cake. The buttercream frosting is incredibly smooth and creamy. Ideal to use for a wedding cake, birthday or any special occasion. Also great for a weeknight dessert. Strong in structure, so it can withstand decorating yet it's still incredibly soft, fluffy and moist.
Ingredients
WHITE CAKE
- 2½ cups all purpose flour 300g
- ¼ cup cornstarch 28g
- 1½ cups sugar 300g
- 3 teaspoons baking powder 20g
- 1 teaspoon salt 10g
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, soft 75g
- ⅓ cup shortening, soft 75g
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup milk 250ml
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- 1 cup unsalted butter, soft 250g
- 3-4 cups confectioner's sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon boiling water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon almond extract optional
Instructions
FOR THE CAKE
- Grease two 8 inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper circles cut to fit the pans. Or simply grease well and sprinkle with flour. Preheat oven to 350℉/177℃.
- In a large bowl combine all purpose flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using 2 sheets of parchment paper, sift these dry ingredients 3 times. Return to bowl.
- Using an electric beater or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat in the butter and shortening for about 2-3 minutes. The mixture should look sandy with no large chunks of butter or shortening. Use your fingers to break down any pieces that are not incorporating well.
- Next add egg whites. Combine the milk and vanilla together in a measuring cup and add half of this mixture with the egg whites. Beat for 1 minute or until the mixture begins to look smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to incorporate everything well. Add remaining milk and vanilla mixture and beat another 30-60 seconds or until smooth.
- Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake 32-35 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. A toothpick inserted should also come out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes before removing. Peel off parchment paper from bottoms, if used. Cool cakes on racks completely before frosting.
FOR THE FROSTING
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric beater or paddle attachment in a stand mixer, combine butter, 2 cups of the confectioner's sugar and salt. Beat on low speed, scraping sides of bowl as necessary to mix in all the sugar.
- Gradually add in more confectioner's sugar, half cup at a time, continuing to scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary. Once the frosting begins to take on a fairly firm spreading consistency, increase speed to medium and begin drizzling in the boiling water one tablespoon at a time. This will loosen the frosting and give it a very creamy consistency. You may not need the entire amount of boiling water called for, only enough so the frosting is very creamy and spreadable. Do not add too much or the frosting may curdle.
- Add vanilla and almond extracts (if using almond too). Beat well until fully incorporated and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Frosting is ready to use. If you make it ahead of time, be sure to whip the frosting with the electric beater or by hand to smooth out any air pockets that have formed.
Notes
You can use cake flour instead of the all purpose flour and cornstarch. Simply use 2-3/4 cups or 328g of cake flour.
This recipe also works for a 9x13 inch slab.
You can half this recipe to make two 6 inch layers.