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Sturdy Bakery-Style White Cake (Perfect for Layer Cakes)

Slice of bakery-style white cake with vanilla buttercream frosting on a plate
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This sturdy bakery-style white cake is soft, moist, and structured enough for beautiful layered celebration cakes. Made with whipped egg whites for lift and a butter-oil combination for richness, this dependable recipe bakes flat layers that stack easily and frost cleanly with buttercream.

Ingredients

  • 6 TBSP salted butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup canola oil
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 TBSP vanilla extract
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 TBSP baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup milk, at room temperature
  • 6 large egg whites, at room temperature

For frosting:

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottoms of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment rounds and generously grease the sides.
  2. In a stand mixer, beat softened butter on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy.
  3. Add sugar and canola oil, beating until fully combined and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix in vanilla extract.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  5. With mixer on medium speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour. This method keeps the batter stable and prevents it from becoming overly wet, helping create a cake with a soft crumb that is still sturdy enough for layering. Mix until just combined, scraping the bowl between additions.
  6. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites on high speed with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
  7. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold egg whites into the batter until fully incorporated, being careful not to over mix.
  8. Evenly divide batter between prepared pans. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cakes should be lightly golden.
  9. Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 15–20 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges, then flip upside down onto a cooling rack. Flip cakes right-side up and cool completely before leveling and frosting.

Notes

👉 For best layering results:
Level cakes with a long serrated knife once fully cooled.

👉  Doubling Tip: This recipe doubles beautifully for taller layer cakes or larger gatherings without sacrificing structure or crumb.

👉 Crumb coat tip:
Separate a small portion of buttercream for the crumb coat to keep your final frosting smooth and free of crumbs.

👉 Chill between frosting stages:
Refrigerate the cake for 20–30 minutes after the crumb coat and between frosting layers for the cleanest finish.

👉 Recommended frosting:
Use a double batch of our stable Vanilla Buttercream Frosting for a cake that pipes beautifully and holds its shape.

👉 Double the recipe:
Perfect for tall celebration cakes — and the extra layer makes excellent cake pops.

Equipment

Find it online: https://ourgratefulkitchen.com/sturdy-white-cake-recipe/