My Winter Wonderland White Cake is perfect for the upcoming holiday season no matter how you celebrate it.
This delicious moist white cake can be decorated for the season, birthdays or any holiday. Think of it as a blank canvas and have fun making this cake to fit your celebration or simply to treat your family to a special dessert.
What’s on your holiday dessert menu?
What do I need to make a white cake with vanilla frosting?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Winter Wonderland White Cake. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
How do I make a white cake?
The first step is preparing your pans for the cake batter and preheating the oven.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease two round 9-inch cake pans.
- Place round pieces of parchment paper in the bottom of each cake pan and grease the parchment paper.
- Flour the bottom and sides of the cake pans by tapping a spoonful of flour around to coat. Discard any remaining flour.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together the egg whites, ¼ cup of milk, and the vanilla. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds.
- Add in the butter and the remaining ½ cup of milk. Mix on low speed just until moistened. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 1 ½ minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer on medium speed, add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.
- Divide the batter evenly into the cake pans using an offset spatula to level the batter. You can weigh the cake pans on a kitchen scale to ensure even layers.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Be very careful not to over bake.
- Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes then loosen the sides of the cakes with a small knife or spatula and invert cakes onto greased wire racks.
- Gently re-flip the cakes so that the top of the cakes are facing up. Let cakes cool completely.
How do I make vanilla frosting?
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the butter on medium speed until pale and creamy, about 8 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, add in the remaining ingredients and mix for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and whip until frosting is very light and fluffy, about 6 minutes.
How do I assemble the winter wonderland cake?
- Place the first cake layer flat side up on a cake stand (or any dish that you will be serving it on).
- Place about 1 cup of frosting on the top and spread it evenly with an offset spatula.
- Gently place the 2nd cake layer top/rounded side down on top.
- Place a small amount of frosting on top of the cake and create a crumb coat by spreading the frosting thinly over the top and sides with a small offset spatula. Place in the refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator and add the remaining frosting on top of the cake and spread it evenly over the top and sides. You can make the frosting textured to look like freshly fallen snow, as I did, or make it smooth.
- Decorate the cake with your choice of holiday sprinkles
FAQ about White Cake
What makes a white cake white?
A white cake uses egg whites instead of the whole egg. Some bakers will use half shortening and half butter to get a whiter color to the cake layer.
Is white cake the same as vanilla cake?
White and vanilla cake are created from the same ingredients, the only difference is a yellow cake will use the whole egg. The yolk of the egg gives the cake a yellow color.
Do I have to only use egg whites for this cake?
No, you don’t if you don’t mind a yellow cake. If you do use the whole egg, reduce the number of eggs used to 4.
Can I add other ingredients to the white cake?
Yes, you can. Try adding chocolate chips to the cake, or sprinkles to make a funfetti cake.
KITCHEN TOOLS I USE FOR MY CAKES
- offset spatula (essential for bakers)
- 9-inch USA Pan Bakeware cake pans
- 9-inch parchment cake circles
- silicone spatulas
- wire whisk
- mixing bowls
Whether you’re looking for a beautiful holiday dessert or just dreaming of a Winter Wonderland, try making this cake to share with your family and friends.
The best part about this cake is that it’s a blank canvas ready for your decorations. It’s the perfect cake for any holiday or occasion!
More Cake Recipes You’ll Love!
Winter Wonderland White Cake
One of my all-time favorite cakes is my Winter Wonderland White Cake. It's perfect for your holiday get-togethers or any time of the year you're craving that perfect white cake.
Servings: 16
Calories: 503kcal
Ingredients
White Cake:
- 5 large egg whites at room temperature
- ¾ cup whole milk divided, at room temperature
- 2½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups cake flour sifted then spooned & leveled
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon PLUS 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature and cubed, 1 ½ sticks
Vanilla Frosting
- 1 ½ cups PLUS 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened but cool, 3 sticks
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Assembly
- winter sprinkles of your choice for decoration optional
Instructions
White Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two round 8-inch cake pans. Place round pieces of parchment paper in the bottom of each cake pan and grease the parchment paper. Flour the bottom and sides of the cake pans by tapping a spoonful of flour around to coat. Discard any remaining flour.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together the egg whites, ¼ cup of milk, and the vanilla. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds.
- Add in the butter and the remaining ½ cup of milk. Mix on low speed just until moistened. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 1 ½ minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.
- Divide the batter evenly into the cake pans using an offset spatula to level the batter. You can weigh the cake pans on a kitchen scale to ensure even layers.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Be very careful not to over bake! Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides of the cakes with a small knife or spatula and invert cakes onto greased wire racks. Gently re-flip the cakes so that the top of the cakes are facing up. Let cakes cool completely.
Vanilla Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the butter on medium speed until pale and creamy, about 8 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, add in the remaining ingredients and mix for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and whip until frosting is very light and fluffy, about 6 minutes.
Assembly
- Place the bottom cake layer bottom/flat side down on a cake stand (or any dish that you will be serving it on).
- Place about 1 cup of frosting on the top and spread it evenly with an offset spatula.
- Gently place the 2nd cake layer top/rounded side down on top.
- Place a small amount of frosting on top of the cake and create a crumb coat by spreading the frosting thinly over the top and sides with a small offset spatula. Place in the refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Place remaining frosting on top of the cake and spread it evenly over the top and sides. You can make the frosting textured to look like freshly fallen snow, as I did, or make it smooth.
- Decorate the cake with winter style sprinkles of your choice
Nutrition
Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 136mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 821IU | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg
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Veronika Sykorova
Nothing beats a fluffy simple vanilla cake! I haven’t made any for a while and y our cake was definitely a treat for the family!
Gloria
Well, it was a winter wonderland here yesterday and your cake was delicious. This cake is perfect for any holiday celebration….especially Christmas. Presentation perfect.
Jeannie
This was such a decadent cake, it was perfectly delicious
Alexandra Cook
This was a beautiful and delicious cake, it made a perfect festive celebration.
AMANDA M WEAVER
I want to make this but for two people on Christmas. How can I make this into a two layer 6 inch cake? I have to follow recipes when baking. lol I can’t be left to figure this out on my own. What would baking time be also?
Chef Dennis Littley
in the recipe card you can change the serving size to 12 servings, that should help you get close to the right amount for 6 inch layers. Your other option is to make the full recipe, and make cupcakes out of the remainder
Gulen McKeever
Great, thank you . My cake came out fluffy, light and just great.
Chef Dennis Littley
happy to hear that! Thanks for the great review!
DonnaT
One and one-4 pounds of (expensive) butter. But, after all, it is Christmas. And this delicious cake is worth it!
Gulen McKeever
Hi Chef Dennis,
I tend to freeze my cakes . Can I freeze the Christmas cake and then do the frosting after I defrost it?
Thank you,
Gulen
Chef Dennis Littley
I don’t see why not. As long as you wrap the layers well, it should be fine.
Ravi cake-delivery
Really nice dream. Really awsome.
Shelby
This is just absolutely stunning! Perfect for Christmas!
Linda billingsley
I just made this white cake and I took it out of the pans to cool, the center has fallen in both layers. What went wrong? Thank you linda
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Linda
it could be for a number of reasons
1. your oven temp may have been off, which could mean it needed to cook longer
2. over beating the mix
3. baking powder was old or used too much
4. if you let it sit too long before baking
Hope this helps some
Dennis
Betty
I started having this problem with a couple of my cakes in the past. What I found was my oven not preheating properly. Now I use an oven thermometer to make sure it is truly up to temp. Haven’t had the problem since….
joan
THANK YOU! I made the cake for Christmas! it looks MAGICAL! you gave easy to follow instructions and I can not wait till my grandchildren see it!
Chef Dennis Littley
You’re very welcome Joan, I’m sure your Grandchildren are going to love your cake!
Katie
I am so excited to make this for Christmas dinner this year – absolutely beautiful! The snowflakes call for “clear alcohol or extract.” I should probably know what this means, but I’m not really sure what to use. Can you explain this ingredient?
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Katie
a clear alcohol could be any clear liquor that you enjoy the flavor of, or any clear extract (not vanilla) You don’t want to discolor the cake or frosting
Katie
Thank you! It turned out perfectly and everyone loved it.
Rhonda
I made this cake last year when I first came upon it. It is quite possibly the most magical tasting cake I have ever made. It made our mouths sing “Hallelujah”. It has been my go to white cake ever since and when I am asked for the recipe, I really don’t want to share it. LOL…. but I do because how can I hold on to this tongue happy deliciousness.
Diletta
Mi piace molto il tuo blog!
Chef Dennis
hi Lara
the ingredient amount should be as written, i.e 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon. That means both of the amounts should be used when called for, nothing should be held back for later or as needed. This was a guest post by a friend of mine and that’s just how she wrote the ingredients out.
Good luck with the cake, I’ve gotten rave reviews from people that have made it.
Cheers
Dennis
Gopal Iyer
Thanks for sharing the recipe. The cake looks great. I am going to try it out
Aly
I made this yesterday to take to a friends party and it turned out great although I just used a plain buttercream frosting with a few crushed up fruit tingles in it turned out fab, I didn’t sift any flour either and still turned out great nice light and airy was yum! Thanks for a great recipe.
Peggy Cousar
Hi. By any chance, have you weighed your flour? I like to have precise measurements if at all possible. Do you sift a bunch of cake flour first and then spoon that into a measuring cup and level it off to get the right amount? Thanks!
Chef D
hi Peggy
no the flour wasn’t weighed, sorry. It was sifted first, then spooned into the measuring cup and leveled off. This was a guest post on my blog, but I did make it for myself and followed the instructions and it came out really well.
Dennis
marla
Such a stunning cake I just found via Pinterest 🙂