A Classic White Cake Recipe Perfect For Afternoon Tea
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This White Cake Recipe makes a simple classic cake that is always a crowd-pleaser and ideal as an offering for afternoon tea or taking when visiting friends and family. Ready in around an hour and using ingredients we probably all have in our pantry including butter, sugar, egg whites, and vanilla extract.
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White Cake Recipe
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
Do you love Afternoon Tea as much as I do?
There’s something so special about spending time with friends, eating delicious treats, and sipping tea.
One of the things I love most about Afternoon Tea is the variety of sweet treats you can enjoy.
This classic white cake recipe is perfect for those times when you want something simple and delicious!
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon or other stores if available online. Staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., aren’t always included here as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ALL ingredients with measurements is found on the recipe card.
- Dairy – Unsalted Butter, Whole (Full Fat) Milk
- Vegetable Shortening
- White Sugar
- Pure Vanilla Extract – always buy good vanilla as it really does make a flavor difference.
- All-Purpose Flour – also known as Plain Flour.
- Baking Powder
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Cake Recipes To Try
Looking for more cakes to make? Check these recipes out next:
- Make This Lemon Raspberry Loaf for Brunch or Afternoon Tea
- Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Lemon Poppy Seed Coffee Cake
- Classic Carrot Cake Recipe with Chopped Pecans
- Totally Awesome Hippie Tie Dye Cake for 60s Parties
- A Delicious Pina Colada Layer Cake Perfect for a Tropical Luau Party!
Recipe Tips
- A thin layer of frosting on the sides of the cake offers a trendy modern look to the decorated cake. If you’d like a thicker frosting on the sides, increase the frosting recipe by one-half. You can also top the cake with berries for a gorgeous presentation.
- Storing Leftovers: Cool and transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: It is best to freeze cooked and cooled cake without any frosting or icing. Wrap each cake layer well with two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of foil. You could then put it into a freezer-safe food bag if you have one large enough. Squeeze the bag to expel as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. Label the container with the name of the dish and the date so you can keep track of your food storage. To thaw, unwrap and place them on a wire rack at room temperature for 2-3 hours, and decorate as required.
How Do I Make a Classic White Cake?
Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Classic White Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 8 large egg whites room temperature
- 1 Tbsp real vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose plain flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup whole milk
For the Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tsp real vanilla extract
- ¼ cup whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans by spraying with non-stick cooking spray and lining the bottom with a parchment paper round. Set aside.
- Cream the butter, shortening, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add in the egg whites and vanilla, and mix until smooth.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix to combine.
- Add in the milk and continue mixing until smooth.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared baking pans and place in the center of the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- To make the buttercream frosting, cream the butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until perfectly smooth.
- Sift in the powdered sugar and continue mixing until smooth.
- Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
- Slowly add in the milk, one tablespoon at a time, while mixing until reaching the desired consistency.
- To frost the cake, first level the top of each cake layer by carefully slicing the rounded portion of the cake off. (A cake leveler works great for this). Put the leveled side down on a cake plate. Add a thin layer of buttercream frosting to the exposed top side.
- Add the second cake layer, again with the leveled top side down. Add the remaining frosting to the top of the cake, slowly working it around from the middle of the cake top to the edges. Scrape some of the frosting over the edges and apply a thin layer of frosting to the sides of the cake.
- Slice and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- A thin layer of frosting on the sides of the cake offers a trendy modern look to the decorated cake. If you’d like a thicker frosting on the sides, increase the frosting recipe by one-half. You can also top the cake with berries for a gorgeous presentation.
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Special Dinner!
You’ve made the dessert, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:
- Appetizer: Crispy Zucchini Fries with Marinara Sauce – A Tasty Gluten-Free Appetizer
- Soup: Gluten-Free Minestrone Soup with Cannellini Beans
- Salad: Roasted Fennel and Grapefruit Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
- Main Dish: The Absolute Best Five-Cheese Lasagna Recipe
- Side Dish: Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe
- Beverage: Pink Grapefruit Martini Cocktail (with Vodka or Gin)
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.