My daughter loves white cake and it really came as a total surprise to me. She’s a sweets girl. She even says, “Can I have some sweets,” which is really cute and one of those sayings that only kids might blurt out. So I was determined to create a white cake recipe that would full-fill her sweet cravings.
I thought she would be like Kevin who is a chocolate on chocolate person. Chocolate cake – preferably flourless so there’s more room for chocolate – and then top it all off with more chocolate frosting and maybe some raspberry sauce.
But no. She is a simple vanilla ice cream and white cake recipe girl. I think she’s a bit of an old soul who feels deeply, loves intensely and likes simple things. At the end of the day she and I are a lot alike. Although, I love a good twist when it comes to flavor and probably life too.
When I made this simple, white cake recipe she was in heaven. She gobbled up a giant piece of it and asked for more. I declined since she had already eaten more than she needed. She took it in stride – especially since we decided to save some for the next day.
Most recently, I made this white cake recipe for the 4th of July. However, it’s simple enough that you can really make it for any occasion and decorate it however you want. I will probably get a request to make it for my girl’s birthday, which is coming up later this month.
As far as I go with dessert, I have to be honest, I’m more of an ice cream girl or a pie girl than a cake kind-of-girl.
But, in my option, it all truly rides on the frosting.
I’m actually not a huge fan of most frostings because butter cream just feels so heavy and overly sweet to me. Often times I think it’s is caked on so thick (pun not intended 🙂 ) that it overwhelms the cake or the cupcake that it’s placed on.
All that said, I find the frosting on this white cake recipe absolutely delicious! It’s light, it’s moist and the frosting is sweet without feeling heavy and overly sugared. Kevin said it tastes like a heavier angel food cake and ate a giant piece.
Thank you for visiting today, friends! You can find the full recipe for the White Cake recipe below. I hope that you will come back and visit us at Sugar Maple Farmhouse! For more dessert recipes, click {HERE}.
White Cake Recipe with Smooth Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- 9x13 Cake pan
Ingredients
White Cake Recipe Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cup of cake flour, sifted
- 1 Tbsp. of baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. of salt
- 3/4 cups of butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp. of olive oil
- 5 egg whites from large eggs, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. almond extract I literally pour the almond extract somewhere in between these two when using the measuring spoon
- 1/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk
- Fruit topping as desired.
Frosting Ingredients
- 1 cup of unsalted butter, softened at room temperature (Two sticks)
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl mix together your flour (sifted), baking powder and salt. Then set aside.
- In another large bowl use a hand-held mixer and blend together butter and sugar until well combined.
- Add in your oil, egg whites, almond extract and vanilla until well combined Then add your sour cream and fold it in with a spatula and blend again on low.
- Add in your milk and mix again on low.
- Begin combining the flour mixture with the liquid mixture until you've combined everything. Add a little of the flour mixture at a time until that bowl is empty.
- In a metal baking pan, line the bottom with parchment paper. Then oil the sides of the pan. I always use olive oil to do this but you can use any oil or even more butter.
- Carefully pour the cake batter into the pan and bake for about 30-35. Test with a toothpick.
- Let the cake cool for about 1 hour before frosting.
Buttercream Frosting Instructions
- Combine with a hand mixer your butter and sugar until they're well combined.
- Add your vanilla, salt and heavy whipping cream. Mix on medium for about 10 minutes or until your frosting is light and fluffy. Stop randomly to scrape the sides and make sure that you're getting all the ingredients into the mix.
- Top your cake once it's cool and then top with fruit as desired. Serve and enjoy!
What a great dessert! I tend to love all cakes with buttercream frosting, so we’ll be making this over the summer.
This cake looks so moist! I haven’t baked anything in months, this just inspired me to try something new!
That frosting sounds out of this world. I love a good buttercream frosting.
Sometimes simple is the best! I love simple cakes like this. It is perfect for what I am craving!
That looks so good. I’m a big fan of simple recipes. They’re easier, faster, and they usually taste better, too.
What a beautiful white cake! I love it’s simplicity. The flavors and design remind me of the cakes my grandmother used to make!
Your cake turned out super cute. I need to save this for our next party.
White cake with buttercream is my hands down favorite cake, but I tried a recipe a couple times and it tasted eggy and grainy to me. I’ve been looking for a good-from scratch-recipe for years because I know boxed cake isn’t the healthiest. This month we have 3 kids with birthdays so I am totally saving this to try!! Thank you for sharing!
Simple! I love that. It’s so beautiful too. This cake brings back so many wonderful childhood memories when we visited our grandparents.
This looks so delicious! Makes me wish I was not doing low carb. I especially love your simple fresh fruit flag – very creative!
I love simple recipes, they are my favorite! This looks delicious and I really want to eat it!
That looks so refreshing! It doesn’t look heavy or cloying. I love that your daughter asks for “sweets.”
This cake is perfect for summer parties… and I love how patriotic it looks.
The berries on this simple cake would add great flavor. I need to make this cake for my sons birthday
This looks good and would be perfect right now since I am craving something sweet!
Looks so good! I love buttercream frosting, can’t wait to make this.
I love the texture of this cake! So perfect for summer parties! Looks divine!
This cake is really adorable! Can’t wait to give it a try!
This sounds so amazing! I know my entire family will love it, so can’t wait to give it a try! I love the idea of decorating it with fruit, perfect for the 4th of July!!
This cake looks amazing and I really love the “decoration” x
Great decorative cake. I love the texture of the cake and very colorful. Really great for parties.
I love a good buttercream frosting recipe! The red and blue berries makes for a perfect 4th of July celebration dessert!
Everything about this cake looks so scrumptious. I also love the way you decorated it – so festive for these past celebrations!
I love this! I’m not a fan of chocolate so this is just down my alley!
Such a perfect summer dessert. Looks so tasty!
A true white cake! I also use a very similar buttercream frosting on my sugar cookies!
I love making simple white cake with my family. It is so versatile and yummy. I would love to try this out with my family this summer!
Such a pretty and patriotic cake for the 4th of July. And I bet it’s as delicious as it looks. Nom!
That looks so good, and I love the addition of fresh berries on top as well. Great summertime recipe!
Simple but so pretty! I’d love to try this delicious recipe!
This white cake looks so delicious, it really makes me crave now. I want to try this recipe though.
Perfect cake for summer! Love all the ingredients and how amazing it looks!
Talk about a perfect cake! Can’t wait to give this a try!
This cake looks so amazing! I just love buttercream frosting so I’ll have to try this recipe.
Om nom nom. Nothing beats a classic white cake for my money. I just love the flavor so much. I have to make this.
This has to be one of my favorite cake flavors! YUM! I can’t wait to make this.
Looks so festive and easy to make. I have my own recipe for a white cake that I bake for Holidays. But I’ll check out the dough recipe for yours. Really colorful!
This is my favorite kind of cake. I love a vanilla cake with buttercream frosting. Buttercream is so good.
That is one satisfying look, I’m sure it’s so moist.
Omg Can I say drooling over here!! look sooo good!
I’m all for a good treat! Love the idea of a white cake dessert for the holidays. Perfect for entertaining.
Buttercream frosting sounds delicious! I’ll definitely try your recipe maybe this weekend.
What in incredibly easy and perfect recipe. This will really do well for this weekend.
I do love chocolate but I’m also a purist when it comes to vanilla and buttercream. So delicious! Your cake looks so appetizing.
I love that it’s not too sweet and it looks so moist, nice fruit decor.
Oh my goodness! I love how easy is to make this cake and it looks amazingly delicious!
What a gorgeous cake. It’s so sweet your daughter loves the simple things. This is so elegant! Must try.
This looks so yummy!
Yum what a great recipe for the 4th of July with the berry topping. It is so festive and pretty!
oh my gosh yum!! this cake looks so tasty!! I love anything with strawberries on top :))
It looks delicious and pretty. I do love making simple cooking. I love this cake I’ll better try it.
i like buttercream frosting. this came out really cute
I have been on a cake making kick! I also have TWO 4th of July parties to attend and bring something. Thanks for solidifying my choice!!
I love buttercream but I’ve never made it myself. Thanks for the inspiration!
I must give this a go. It looks fluffy and delicious.
This looks so fluffy, I can’t wait to give this a try.
your photos are simply amazing ; whether of the decor or of food….and this one has me drooling..
A white cake is my moms favorite, I have never made one from scratch only because I don’t know what to do with the egg yolks after?? But I just might have to give this recipe a try!
Yum! This looks so tasty.
The cake looks delicious! I love the way you decorated it too. I am going to try and make it next week when our older kids come home.
I need to make this recipe this weekend for our pool party, yummy
That dish is looking quite delicious and I would love to try making this sometime for sure.
This looks like such a light and airy cake – yum!! I love chocolate but I quite enjoy a white cake with buttercream frosting. I can eat more of it!!
My go to frosting from now on. Delious!!!