Pat's Favorite White Cake
Submitted by mousey2
Classic white cake with buttermilk and egg whites for a pure white, tender crumb. Easy two-layer recipe with a marble cake variation built in.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
35 minREADY
40 minA true white cake, meaning no egg yolks to tint the crumb yellow. Four egg whites and buttermilk give this two-layer cake a fine, velvety texture that’s lighter than a butter cake but sturdier than angel food. The buttermilk adds tang and tenderness while reacting with the baking soda for extra lift.
The mixing method matters here. Beat the dry ingredients with the buttermilk, shortening, and vanilla on low first to combine, then crank it up to medium-high for a full 2 minutes. This aerates the batter and develops the structure. The egg whites go in last for another 2 minutes of beating, which gives the cake its characteristic light, fine crumb.
Shortening produces the whitest cake, but butter gives better flavor. It’s your call. Butter will tint the cake slightly ivory, which is only noticeable if you’re going for a perfectly snow-white finish.
Pro Tips
- Grease AND flour both pans. White cake batters stick more than yellow cakes because there’s no egg yolk fat to help release.
- Cool in the pans for exactly 10 minutes, then turn out. Too long and they steam and stick. Too short and they break apart.
- A toothpick in the center should come out clean at 30 minutes. Check early since ovens vary.
- This cake takes frosting beautifully. Its flat, even layers stack cleanly and the crumb doesn’t shed into the icing.
Variations
- Marble cake: Reserve a third of the batter, stir in one melted square of chocolate, then dollop it back into the pans and swirl gently with a knife for a classic marble pattern.
- Lemon white cake: Add 2 teaspoons of lemon zest and a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the batter for a citrus twist.
- Almond white cake: Swap the vanilla for almond extract for a more fragrant, wedding-cake style flavor.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and ⅛ teaspoon salt.
Add buttermilk, shortening (butter or margarine) and vanilla.
Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl.
Beat on medium to high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
Add egg whites and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping bowl.
Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 x ½ inch round baking pans.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.
Loosen sides and remove from pans.
Serves 12.
To make a marble cake from this recipe, simply reserve one third of the cake batter before putting in the cake pans.
Then, melt one square unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate either over boiling water or in the microwave oven.
Stir to blend. Add to the cake mixture and mix well.
Put one half of the chocolate batter in each cake pan in dollops, and swirl carefully, so as not to mix the white batter with the chocolate.
What you are trying to achieve in a marble effect.
Bake as directed.
(BTW, this is GREAT!!)
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