The Perfect Moist White Cake Recipe

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This perfect white cake recipe features a plush interior with a moist and velvety smooth crumb. Carefully chosen ingredients and a virtually foolproof method make this cake a long time reader favorite for good reason. Better yet, this beloved classic white cake recipe is the base for many other cakes on my website such as berry cake, champagne cake, rainbow cake, and confetti cake.

It’s so reliable that it lays the framework for so many of the cake recipes on my site, and no matter how many other cakes have stolen my heart with just one bite (like, even my beloved carrot cake), this simple cake recipe has never not been at the top of my “basic favorites” list.

Egg whites are the bulk of the glue that holds this whole cake business together, and you’ll need 6 of them for this two layer cake. I know, that’s a lot of unused egg yolks, but save them, toss them in an egg casserole, or use cartoned egg whites (see my notes in the ingredient section of this post or the notes section of the recipe card below).

But do you know the cake I’m talking about? Dense but not heavy, the perfect amount of moisture, a tight crumb that flows seamlessly into the filling and/or frosting surrounding it?

Hopefully you’ve tried the cake I’m describing, and you’re nodding your head in wedding cake delight. Are we on the same cake page now? 

Mmm… That page sounds yummy. But I digress.

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NO CREAMING: this is quite possibly my favorite thing about the reverse creaming method! There’s no “is this mixture light and fluffy yet? How long have the sugar and butter been creaming? Did I cream them too much?” The reverse creaming method means you’ll add the softened butter right in with the sugar and other dry ingredients.

MIX, POUR, BAKE: since we aren’t creaming anything, the method for this cake feels as easy as a box mix with some ownership. Making the batter for this cake recipe means you just add all the ingredients (in a specific order, don’t let the rules go out the window!) to a bowl, pour the batter into your cake pans, and bake. It’s a one-bowl wonder (we love those around here).

NO TRIMMING: one of the amazing things about the reverse creaming method is that it’s kind of magical in that it produces flatter, more evenly baked cake layers. This method minimizes gluten development and air incorporation meaning the layers won’t dome during baking and they’ll wind up with a velvety smooth and delicate crumb.

ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR + CORNSTARCH: this recipe is adapted from Cook’s Illustrated which is a white cake recipe with cake flour. While I typically do have cake flour on hand, I find that using a DIY cake flour mixture of all-purpose flour and cornstarch yields the same results and makes this cake recipe more accessible to home bakers. Cake flour, even the DIY version, means a lighter, softer, and more delicate cake texture when compared to cake made with just all-purpose flour. Not only that, but this combination also means a superbly moist crumb as cornstarch helps absorb moisture.

GRANULATED SUGAR: no brown sugar in this cake because, remember, we want to keep it white.

BAKING POWDER: no acidic ingredients in this cake to activate baking soda, so we’re relying solely on baking powder to bring all the lift to this white cake recipe. 

SALT: this perfectly offsets the sweetness of the cake. Don’t leave it out!

UNSALTED BUTTER: be sure your butter is at room temperature and no warmer. Anything warmer than room temperature and you run the risk of a greasy cake.

WHOLE MILK: whole milk is crucial to the texture of this cake. While you can use a lower fat milk or even a non-dairy one, whole milk produces the best balance of moisture and richness without weighing down the cake crumb.

EGG WHITES: while fresh eggs are my preference, you can use cartoned egg whites for this particular recipe. Aim for 30g per egg white as opposed to the 46g on the carton.

VANILLA EXTRACT: be sure you’re using pure vanilla extract since that’s all we get in this white cake! 

STEP #1: start by combining the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then blend the ingredients together on low until completely combined.

STEP #3: combine the milk, egg whites, and vanilla extract in a large container with a spout (like a 2-cup glass measuring cup) and mix gently with a fork until blended.

STEP #4: with the mixer speed on medium-low, add half of the milk mixture (about 1 cup) to the crumb mixture and mix until blended. Add the remaining milk mixture to the batter and beat again on medium-low until everything is incorporated. Turn the mixer off, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula, and increase mixer speed to medium. Beat the batter for about 30 seconds until batter is smooth.

How to Store Moist White Cake

Note: This cake will stay fresh at room temperature and covered tightly for 5 days. If it is particularly warm in your house or kitchen, I suggest storing it in a cooler place and allowing it to come to room temperature before enjoying for best results in texture and flavor.

Variations for this White Cake Recipe from Scratch

While I personally like flavoring my white cake with just vanilla extract, you can actually add any flavoring to this cake to change the flavor. I often add almond extract to the cake batter itself and have also used citrus extract for a fun citrus punch.

Don’t miss this cake in my berry cake, champagne cake, rainbow cake, and confetti cake recipes.

STORAGE: this cake will stay fresh covered tightly at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If storing in the fridge, be sure you let the cake come to room temperature before serving.

FREEZING LEFTOVERS: when freezing a cake, it’s important to tightly wrap all exposed points to prevent air from drying out any of the frosting or cake crumbs. I like to wrap everything in plastic wrap and then again in foil.