The Best White Cake Recipe

Ashley Manila · bakerbynature.com · 2025 · 1 Layer Cake (9")

Against 126 vanilla cake recipes

More egg than 98% of recipes and more fat than 88%.

How it compares

Against the typical cake: the median of 126 vanilla cake recipes, per 100 g of flour.

More egg than 98% of recipes: 90% of the flour weight against the typical recipe's 56%.
More fat than 88% of recipes: 85% of the flour weight against the typical recipe's 66%.
More leavening than 88% of recipes: 4.9% of the flour weight against the typical recipe's 3.9%.
Less sugar than 82% of recipes: 90% of the flour weight against the typical recipe's 108%.

Percentile on each ingredient. Shaded ring: the middle half of recipes.

2 and 3/4 cups (330g) all-purpose flour (be sure not to pack your flour into the measuring cup)330 g
3 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder≈ 16 g
3/4 teaspoon salt≈ 4.5 g
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter (room temperature )227 g
1 and 1/2 cups (298g) granulated sugar298 g
1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract OR 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (see notes )≈ 13 g
9 large egg whites (beaten until foamy )≈ 297 g
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (finely grated )≈ 1 g
3/4 cup (171ml) whole milk≈ 183 g
1/2 cup (113g) sour cream113 g
1 Tablespoon CLEAR vanilla (regular vanilla will taint the batter lightly brown) (or use 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon almond extract )≈ 13 g
1/4 cup (57ml) neutral oil (canola or vegetable )≈ 55 g
This cake goes great with ANY frosting! I used this cream cheese frosting for the one you see in my photos!n/a

flour 330 gbatter 1549 g

≈ marks grams converted from cups and spoons with standard densities; the rest are weights the source printed.

Grams per 100 g of flour, and where that falls among all 126 recipes. Shaded: the middle half. Tick: the median.

Nearest by baker's percentages: sugar, fat, egg, liquid, leavening, salt.