White Cake

True white cake (not yellow with whitish frosting) gets its color from one critical decision: only egg whites go into the batter. Yolks would tint the crumb pale yellow. The recipe also leans on shortening rather than butter (butter has natural yellow pigments) and on cake flour rather than all-purpose, which gives the finished cake its signature snow-white interior and tender, fine crumb.

Almond extract is the giveaway flavor in classic white cake. Just a teaspoon brings a marzipan-adjacent perfume that makes the cake taste like ‘wedding cake’ to most American palates. Vanilla alone would taste flat; the almond does the heavy work of building flavor without adding color.

The technique is old-fashioned: cream the shortening and sugar, alternate dry ingredients with milk, then carefully fold in stiffly beaten egg whites at the end. The whites are the leavening backbone that gives the cake its lift and lightness alongside the baking powder.

Pro Tips

• Beat the egg whites in a completely grease-free bowl. Even a trace of fat will keep them from whipping to stiff peaks.
• Fold the whites in gently with a spatula in a figure-eight motion. Aggressive stirring deflates them and gives you a dense cake.
• Use real cake flour, not all-purpose. Cake flour has lower protein content and produces a more tender crumb.
• Cool the cakes 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling completely before frosting.

Variations

• Substitute butter for the shortening if you don’t mind a slightly off-white color and want a richer flavor.
• Frost with classic vanilla buttercream, cream cheese frosting, or a 7-minute meringue icing for a true wedding cake feel.
• Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter for a citrus-forward variation that pairs well with berry fillings.