I’ve mentioned a few times that I’m still on the hunt for “the” white cake recipe. I’m still searching for the perfect from-scratch one, but in the mean time this one is pretty darn good. My sister sent me the recipe from a cake decorating class she took, and while it’s similar to other doctored cake mix recipes you’ve seen here on Our Best Bites, it stands out because you’re actually adding more bulk and flavor like flour, sugar, salt and extracts to the mix as well. This significantly cuts the “from a box” flavor and creates a tender, yet sturdy cake that tastes home made.
This recipe makes plenty for two 8″ round pans. I’m making cupcakes with my batch today, and the nice thing about this recipe is that it increases the standard box yield of 24 up to 36. I often need more than the 24 cupcakes a box will make, but less than the 48 from 2 boxes so this works perfectly. The cake overall is more dense than a boxed mix so it holds up nicely if you’re using it for the base of a decorated cake. While the basic recipe is for white cake, this recipe will work for any flavor with a few minor adjustments.
Ingredient Notes
- One boxed cake mix – While any brand will do, Duncan Hines Super Moist was preferred in the original recipe.
- Flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Egg whites – This recipe calls for egg whites to keep the cake white. If you don’t care about the color, or you’re making a different flavor, use two whole eggs instead.
- Water
- Vegetable Oil
- Sour cream – Use full fat sour cream for best results.
- Vanilla extract – If you are making a true white cake, consider getting clear vanilla from a cake supply store. If you don’t mind the color, regular vanilla works great.
- Almond extract – Almond extract elevates the flavor of white cake. It is also great in chocolate. If experimenting with other flavors, feel free to replace the almond with something else or leave it out completely.
How to Make Easy White Cake
- The prep is about as easy as it comes. With a standard from-scratch cake it’s important to do things like alternate wet and dry ingredients, but not with our half-home-made cake. Just whisk all of the dry ingredients together (I just use the whisk attachment on my Kitchenaid and give it a whirl) and then add in all of the wet stuff. Beat it all up and you’re set!
- If making cupcakes, fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and then pop them in the oven. For cake, grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch cake pans. Fill 3/4 of the way and bake for the times listed in the recipe card below. Use a toothpick to check for doneness.
One thing I really like is that you get really uniform raised tops on them. Perfectly smooth and round. Try our favorite White Vanilla Frosting or this amazing Chocolate one.
Flavor Options
- Chocolate – Use a chocolate cake mix and add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to your dry ingredients. Feel free to use two whole eggs instead of two egg whites. Chocolate is still super yummy with almond extract, but you can always swap it out with flavoring oils such as peppermint or orange.
- Spice Cake – Use a spice cake mix. Use two whole eggs and omit almond extract. You can sprinkle in some extra cinnamon, cloves, or other spices if desired, but it’s delicious even without adding extra. A little orange flavoring oil works great here as well!
- Lemon Cake – You know the drill: use a lemon cake mix and two whole eggs. Add some additional lemon flavoring oil if desired. This one is super yummy with blueberry filling and lemon frosting!
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope! If you are making 8 inch cakes, you will likely have a little extra batter. Make a few cupcakes or grease and flour a couple of ramekins and make some mini cakes. Just remember to check on these smaller cakes frequently as they will cook much faster than a full cake!
Grease your pan with butter or shortening, then cut a circle of parchment to cover the bottom. Grease the top of the parchment, then sprinkle in some flour (or cocoa powder if you are making a chocolate cake) and roll it around to cover all of the greased areas. Bake your cakes and then run a knife around the outside edge. Your cake should pop out beautifully and you can then peel the parchment paper off the bottom.
Storing and Other Tips
- One great thing about this cake is that you have options after it’s baked. My sister wraps the cakes (removed from pans) in plastic wrap as soon as they are cool enough to handle in order to hold in that moisture. Once completely cooled, she pops them in the freezer overnight for easy decorating the next day (or later in the week).
- No need to freeze your cupcakes unless you made them several days early. If you aren’t ready to frost yet, simply cover and store on the counter.
- If you’d rather, go ahead and frost cakes or cupcakes as soon as they are completely cool. Cover and store on counter or refrigerator (depending on what type of frosting you use) until ready to serve.
Easy White Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix or desired flavor, see notes below
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 4 egg whites Egg whites keep the cake white. If you don't care, or you are making a different flavor, feel free to replace with 2 whole eggs.
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 2 Tbs vegetable oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract use clear vanilla if you want a pure white cake
- 1 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Mix all dry ingredients with a whisk, then add wet ingredients. Beat for two minutes until fluffy.
- For Cake: Pour into greased, floured pans (fills two 8 or 9″ rounds) and bake according to cake package directions.Tip: When cakes come out, cool for 5 minutes on wire rack, then cover with two sheets of plastic wrap (in a “+” sign), turn them out and wrap the plastic around them. Allow to cool all wrapped up (keeps the moisture from evaporating out) then pop in freezer on a cutting board to keep them flat. Once they are frozen, they are super easy to frost and defrost in about a half an hour.
- For cupcakes: fill paper liners 3/4 full and bake according to box directions. Makes 36 cupcakes.
Notes
- Chocolate – Use a chocolate cake mix and add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to your dry ingredients. Feel free to use two whole eggs instead of two egg whites. Chocolate is still super yummy with almond extract, but you can always swap it out with flavoring oils such as peppermint or orange.
- Spice Cake – Use a spice cake mix. Use two whole eggs and omit almond extract. You can sprinkle in some extra cinnamon, cloves, or other spices if desired, but it’s delicious even without adding extra. A little orange flavoring oil works great here as well!
- Lemon Cake – You know the drill: use a lemon cake mix and two whole eggs. Add some additional lemon flavoring oil if desired. This one is super yummy with blueberry filling and lemon frosting!
Questions & Reviews
I recently used this recipe to make a 5 tier wedding cake. It got RAVE reviews from all. Thank you SO much for a delicious and user-friendly recipe!
I was so impressed and thankful for your Breadstick recipe, that I wanted to share my most fav Vanilla cupcakes and Vanilla Layer Cake recipe:
Very Vanilla Cupcakes:
2 1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup veg. oil
1 cup milk
2 eggs
3 tsp vanilla (artificial)use less if using pure extract
Bake 350 for approx. 16 min. using Lg cupcake wrappers
White Layer Cake: For 2 9"rounds
(I have been playing around with the ingredient amts because I like a sweeter cake, and a bit denser so easier to icing)
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup veg oil
4 eggs
3 tsp vanilla (artificial)
1 cup milk (I use skim)
1 cup sourcream
2 3/4 cup flour (approx)
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
Bake 350 for 30-40 min (usually 34 min)
Enjoy, and thanks again! I am so glad I stumbled upon your site 🙂
I know I'm late in the line-up of comments, but I wanted to tell you that I made this cake and it was really, really marvelous. It was so light and fluffy. I made it in 2 8-in. pans and put one layer in the freezer. I thawed it about two weeks later and it was still light, fluffy and delicious. I did change a couple of things–I used cake flour instead of all purpose because I had it and needed to use it up and I left out the almond flavoring because I didn't have any. I know it would have been just as good exactly as written.
I'll keep watching your blog to see if you come up with a chocolate version. Thanks for the recipe.
I'm not sure Allie, but a lot of times it's the brand of cake mix. If you're testing things out, I might test it with a different brand and see how that works.
I tried this with a chocolate cake mix and put it in a 6"X3" pan and a 10"x3" pan (i'm testing it for a wedding cake i'm doing) but the middle keeps sinking in. Is there something i'm doing wrong or any way to prevent that?
Future Mrs. Heim–I'm so glad they were yummy! I'd definitely freeze them until you need them.
Hope that helps! 🙂
YUM!! I just made these – they are delicious! The vanilla and almond extracts really make the flavor. I am using them to make your Tres Leches cupcakes…but I don't need them until Friday. I want to store the plain cupcakes and add the "tres leches" on Thursday night. Is it best to freeze them for a few days, or store them in a container on the counter at room temp?
Thanks for this great recipe. I made this over the weekend for birthday and the cake turned out great! Nice & moist and without that "out of the box" flavor.
Thanks for another awesome recipe!
Krista- unless you have time to test it out first, I definitely wouldn't try a new recipe for a paying client. But that's just me!
hmm… now i'm not sure whether to try this recipe or go with a recipe i've been tweaking for the 3 tiered 50th wedding anniversary cake i'm making this weekend… i'm a little nervous cause this one's a 'paying' client… what to do, what to do…
I'm so shocked that you haven't found a good white cake recipe. Please try this one: http://www.crumblycookie.net/2009/07/01/white-cake-comparison-2/
It is my go-to white cake recipe, and she did the extra work of comparing three white-cake recipes.
Simply.Food- They just get barely brown around the edges. The top of the cake stays perfectly white so make sure to keep an eye on them when they are nearing the end of baking time!
Southworths- thanks for sharing the recipe!
Silver White Cake [from Betty Crocker]
* 2 1/4 cups flour (or 2 1/2 cups cake flour)
* 1 2/3 cups sugar
* 2/3 cup shortening
* 1 1/4 cups milk
* 3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. vanilla (or almond extract)
* 5 large egg whites
1. Heat oven to 350 deg. Grease bottom/sides of 13×9 pan or 2 9in round pans w/ shortening and lightly flour.
2. Beat all ingredients except egg whites in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
3. Beat in egg whites on high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan(s).
4. Bake rectangle 40-45 minutes and rounds 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool rectangle in pan on wire rack. Cool rounds 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
5. Frost w/ your favorite frosting!
Hi
i just tried your recipe and the cupcakes came out of the oven looking great but they are very fragile. and soft is that normal?
Thanks x
Lovely cakes and I like the sound of white cakes.But do they not brown when you bake them or do you remove from oven before they brown???
if anyone would be willing to share the Silver White Cake recipe I would love to have it!!
either on here as a comment or email to me at [email protected]
thanks
Coleene
Coleen- yes you can substitute any flavoring you want. I actually used lemon and vanilla in the batch pictured. Just replace the almond with vanilla and you're set. 🙂
I love this idea and I am going to try it.
but one question.
when I send anything to school with my kids it has to be "nut free"…….so that would include no almond extract (which I personally love).
Can I substitute extra vanilla extract?? will they still turn out??
Coleene – in Canada (where the nut free thing in schools has gotten out of control/excessive in my opinion)
Grrr… My sister (Elisabeth) was still signed in. The above comment was from me (Jennifer)!
Ok, I just might have to actually give this a try! I am SO anti-cake-mix it's not even funny! But, you've given me hope. 🙂
Also, I'm with Katie (above comment)… we love, love, LOVE the Betty Crocker silver white cake!! I make it for my little boy every year. It's my go-to for white cake. Give it a try.
This looks great! Just wanted to mention that the hands-down best from-scratch recipe I've ever tried is the Betty Crocker Silver White Cake recipe that is in their 1969 cookbook. 🙂
-Katie
Wow, you got that up fast 🙂
A note on flavors: ANY flavor cake mix turns out great with this. The almond is a must, even if it seems weird (like in carrot cake). The great thing is that even with the chocolate mix, you don't need to add any extra chocolate flavor.
This is my favorite way to start a cake and I don't consider it a doctored cake mix… I just consider the cake mix one of the ingredients 😀
Cheri- that's awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Alexis- I use a standard cookie scoop (ya know, the kind with the spring-loaded handle) to make it both clean and even. Works like a charm!
Looks dee-licious. I have a question, how do you get your cupcake batter plopped in without making a ginormous mess?
My daughter puts her cakes in the freezer too.. I think she will like your recipe. deb
Oh those are lovely. I'll have to give them a try soon. Thanks for sharing!
Kayci- my sister has made this same recipe with chocolate and it's great. Even with the almond extract too! The egg whites are just for keeping the cake white, so you could also use 2 whole eggs instead of 4 whites for chocolate.
Double Dipped Life- yup. Strangely enough the cooking time seems to be the same 🙂
This sounds great! 1 question though- the cooking time is the same, even though you've added more ingredients?
Thanks!
Aren't you a lifesaver! I have to make rainbow cupcakes tomorrow, which, with the dividing of the batter, makes less cupcakes than 24, and I need at least that many. I was going to cheat with the cake mix, since it's for kids, who will care more about the frosting and the rainbow effect 😉 But now they'll have better tasting cupcakes too! I'm excited to try this – thank you!
Those look tasty! Do you have one for chocolate?? 🙂
This is a great idea of add-ins.
As much as possible, I try to bake from scratch. But, if ever I'm stuck…this would be a great solution.
You said you were looking for a good white cake recipe from scratch? If, I'm not mistaken…the one I have used in the past with excellent results was from Cook's Illustrated.
Hope this was helpful ;o)
Flavourful wishes, Claudia