Classic White Cake
For this delicate, fluffy cake, snow white layers are made by ditching egg yolks and going straight for egg whites. To avoid overmixing, the batter calls for the reverse creaming method, made popular by the cookbook author Rose Levy Beranbaum, in which the dry ingredients are mixed with a solid fat (butter in this case) before the liquid ingredients, including oil, are added. A mix of butter and oil helps create the soft, tender crumb. Ice the cake with whatever frosting you prefer, though vanilla is classic. Use clear vanilla extract for the brightest layers and buttercream.
- Total:
- Serves: 12 persons
Ingredients
- ¾cup/170 grams unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pans
- 3cups/385 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
- 1 ¾cups/350 grams granulated sugar
- 2teaspoons baking powder
- ½teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 1 ¾cups/420 milliliters whole milk
- ¼cup/60 milliliters neutral oil (such as canola, vegetable or grapeseed)
- 6large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1tablespoon clear vanilla extract
- 4 ½cups
- Sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
Step 1
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter 2 (9-inch) cake pans, and line each with parchment paper. Butter the parchment, then dust with flour, tapping out the excess.Step 2
To a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and mix on low to combine. Cut the butter into tablespoon-size pieces and add to the bowl all at once. Mix on low until the butter is evenly distributed and the mixture looks sandy. (A few larger lumps of butter is OK.)Step 3
Add the milk, oil, egg whites and vanilla extract to a large measuring cup and whisk with a fork to combine. With the mixer on low, slowly stream in the liquid ingredients. When moistened, stop the mixer and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure there aren’t any dry pockets. Adjust mixer speed to medium and mix for 1 minute.Step 4
Divide the batter between the prepared pans, spread evenly and tap the pans on a countertop to release any large air bubbles.Step 5
Bake the cakes until slightly risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. The cakes will have a bit of color along the edges, but the tops will still be quite pale.Step 6
Set the pans on a wire rack and let the cakes cool for about 20 minutes. Then, run a thin knife along the edges of the pan and carefully turn the cakes out onto the rack to cool completely. (You may have to tap the pans gently on the rack to release each cake.)Step 7
While the cakes bake and cool, clean the mixing bowl and make the buttercream.Step 8
Assemble the cake: Just before frosting the cake, stir the buttercream vigorously with a flexible spatula to knock out any large air bubbles. (This will help make the final application of the buttercream as smooth as possible.)Step 9
Add a small spoonful of buttercream to a serving plate or cardboard cake round and place one layer of cake onto the buttercream, dome side up. Spread 1 heaping cup of buttercream evenly over the top of the cake. Place the second layer on top of the buttercream, dome side down, and press gently. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of buttercream (be careful not to transfer crumbs back into the bowl of frosting), leaving about 1 1/2 cups buttercream in the bowl. Refrigerate the cake until the buttercream is firm, about 30 minutes.Step 10
Spread the remaining buttercream over the top and sides of the cake, and decorate with sprinkles. Store the cake at room temperature, loosely covered, for up to 4 days. Use a clean, hot and dry knife for the tidiest slices.