Best White Cake from Scratch

Best White Cake from Scratch: Now in Regular and High-Altitude Recipes

At this moment, I’m staying indoors and away from any nasty viruses out there, and with that spare time, I’m putting together several recipes I’ve had in my queue to investigate. The first is this Best White Cake from Scratch.

White cake from scratch can be a challenge. Manufacturers add all kinds of additives to make box mixes “moist”, but at Baking Naturally, that’s just not my thing. I think you can get a moist cake from balancing your ingredients, and using the correct technique to prevent dryness.

What makes a cake dry?

Over-baking is probably the number one reason for a dry cake. Recipes do provide a bake time and temp, but those depend entirely on your individual oven. I have another article on testing your oven temperature – it’s astonishing how far off the oven can be from your temperature setting! Invest now in an oven thermometer to ensure that you’re baking at the right temp.

The second reason for cake dryness is . . . well, just a bad recipe. I analyze every Baking Naturally recipe using baker’s formulas, and there are so many that are way out of whack. Often the weight of eggs is far below the weight of fat, or the weight of the liquid is below the weight of the sugar. Even if you avoid using emulsified shortening (as I do), your weight of eggs should at least equal the weight of fat.

And finally, I find many new bakers just don’t know how over-beating a cake can make it tough and dry. Agitating wet flour is going to create gluten, which is great in bread (hence the kneading), but it’s terrible for cake. You want some structure, but you don’t want to have to chew it that much.

This cake covers all the bases, plus it’s really an easy scratch cake! It uses the “reverse creaming” method, so no tedious creaming sugar and butter together, and the results are fantastic. Give it a try.

What is Reverse Creaming?

Reverse creaming is a cake-making method that adds softened butter directly into the flour and other dry ingredients. Only after you’ve thoroughly coated the flour with fat do you then add the wet ingredients. Here’s an article that fully explains all the benefits of this method, and why it results in a moist, tender cake: What is reverse creaming, and why does it make great cake?

More specifically, “not only does it emulsify better and have a more even texture,” Rose explains, “but it’s more tender.” Basically, by coating the recipe’s flour with butter, this method limits gluten development. Too much gluten development can make cakes tough, so this buttery coating acts as a safety net to prevent that from occurring with too much mixing. 

What is reverse creaming, and why does it make great cake? – King Arthur Flour

Here’s the high-altitude version for above 5,000 ft.

Try frosting with my Swiss Meringue Buttercream or my White Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream.

Best White Cake from Scratch – Questions and Answers

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour? You can, but expect a denser crumb. Cake flour has less protein than all-purpose, which means less gluten development and a lighter, more tender cake. If it’s all you have, substitute 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons, replaced with cornstarch, for each cup of cake flour called for.

Why does this recipe use reverse creaming instead of the traditional method? Traditional creaming beats butter and sugar together first, then adds flour — which risks over-mixing and gluten development once the flour goes in. Reverse creaming coats the flour in fat before any liquid is added, which limits gluten formation from the start. That’s what gives this cake its tender, fine crumb even if you’re a little heavy-handed with the mixer.

What’s the difference between the regular and high-altitude versions? The high-altitude version (above 5,000 ft) uses less baking powder, slightly more flour and liquid, an extra egg white, a higher oven temperature (365°F vs. 350°F), and a shorter bake time. These adjustments compensate for faster moisture evaporation and over-expansion of leavening gases at altitude.

Why egg whites instead of whole eggs? Egg whites keep the cake white (whole eggs would tint the crumb yellow) and their protein structure supports a lighter, more delicate texture — which is exactly what you want for a classic white cake, as opposed to a yellow cake.

Can I substitute the almond extract? Yes — it’s there for a subtle background note, not a dominant flavor. You can leave it out entirely (as the high-altitude recipe already marks it optional) or replace it with an extra 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla.

Can I make this ahead of time? Yes. Baked, unfrosted layers can be wrapped tightly and kept at room temperature for a day, refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. Frost only once the cake is completely cool to avoid melting or a gummy crumb.

Can I make cupcakes instead of a layer cake? Yes — the recipe already accounts for this. Bake 24 cupcakes for about 20 minutes at sea level, or 18 minutes at high altitude, using the same doneness test (springs back to the touch, few moist crumbs on a toothpick).

Why is my cake dry even when I follow a recipe exactly? Per the article: it’s usually one of three things — an oven running hotter than its dial suggests (worth checking with an oven thermometer), a recipe whose ingredient ratios are off-balance (eggs should weigh at least as much as fat), or over-mixing once flour is wet, which builds gluten and toughens the crumb.

Leave a note at the bottom of this post for any suggestions or comments.