Finally! A Truly White ~ Vegan White Cake Recipe!
Over the years I have tested out so many recipes across the internet for a Vegan White Cake Recipe
All of them claiming to be truly white and truly the best and I have not yet found any of those claims to be true.
Most recipes claim to be the “best vegan white cake recipe”
But the ones I’ve seen (and made) had terrible structures and textures so I just had to set out to formulate one of my own
Read the notes for success below to see how to get this Truly White ~ Vegan White Cake Recipe!
What is the difference between white cake & yellow cake anyway?
The short answer is the obvious one, the color of the cake.
While the flavors of both cakes will be very similar, after all it’s still flour, sugar, oil or butter and vanilla extract; then what makes a cake yellow and what makes a cake white?
Quite simply it is (was) the eggs; since the egg yolks make a cake yellow and the egg whites keep the cake white.
Wait a minute! There are no eggs in vegan baking!
Precisely! And why it has been so difficult to replicate the white cake in vegan form! UNTIL NOW!
Whenever I am veganizing a non vegan recipe I always set out to see how closely I can replicate the original non vegan ingredients with vegan ones
To make sure they can perform the same tasks and deliver the same results
The eggs are usually the hardest part to figure out in a recipe.
Today I decided to give aquafaba a try since that is the closest we have come to replicating egg whites in vegan baking.
Normally I do not implement AF in cake recipes because I find the result to be heavy and gummy which I just can’t stand!
However by giving it an addition of cornstarch for a slight drying element along with binding properties I’ve added some structure too!
There is no video tutorial for how I made this cake recipe but it is so easy you really don’t need one!
But for a visual you can watch the Lemon Cake video which is the exact same recipe only with lemon added
CLICK HERE TO WATCH HOW THIS CAKE IS MADE! (*In Lemon!)
Notes for Success:
The recipe listed below is for 1-9″ x 9″” cake pan that will be a single layer cake to serve about 10-12 people sheet cake style
Also makes 3-7″ cake layers as well!
Originally I used a portion of yogurt in the recipe but I have switched to using all plant milk since I rarely have vegan yogurt on hand.
The results are just as great!
Vegan Butter can often impart a yellow-ish tinge so try to find one that is white as possible!
Additionally I find that vegetable oil (like canola) works much better than coconut oil for a lighter result
Clear vanilla flavoring is also an added insurance to keep your cake super white
And by using a vanilla flavored plant milk your cake will be the best tasting ever!
The almond extract is completely optional but I think it adds a nice flavor
Cake flour can sometimes pose a problem for some as I have gotten messages at times saying the cake seems heavy and almost raw inside.
Be sure to weigh your ingredients especially the flour for best results and do not be afraid to whip the batter at the end to develop the structure
Additionally since most other countries do not bleach their flour like the US does
Due to this, my friends across the pond have found the color to not be as white as mine
Baking the cakes at 325°F will give the layers more oven time at a slower bake without getting over browned on top or sides
Because this cake recipe does not rise as much as other recipes cupcakes are going to come out flatter than desired
However some people still love this recipe for cupcakes, just be sure to fill the batter 3/4 full!
Vegan White Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 Tbs Vegan Butter (113g)
- 8 Tbs Vegetable Oil (113g)
- 1½ cup Granulated Sugar (300g)
- ¾ cup Vanilla Plant Milk (177g)
- 1 teaspoon White Vinegar (5ml)
- 1 teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract *see notes (5ml)
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract *optional (5ml)
- 6 Tbs All Purpose Flour (46g)
- 3 cup Cake Flour (360g)
- 4 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tbs Cornstarch (16g)
- 1 cup Aquafaba (237ml)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F & grease & parchment line your cake pan(s)
- Combine the softened vegan butter with the oil in the bowl of your electric mixer with the paddle attachment & cream on high speed until both are incorporated to one consistency
- Add the granulated sugar & cream on high speed for approx 5 minutes until light & fluffy, be sure to scrape the bottom & sides of the bowl from time to time. This will take about 4 minutes
- Combine the plant milk with the extracts & then in another small bowl combine the aquafaba with the cornstarch & whisk together so there are no lumps
- Once the butter/oil mixture is creamed to light & fluffy slowly add the aquafaba/cornstarch while continuing to mix on low speed & once it is all incorporated increase the speed to high for 30 seconds to emulsify & the mixture will get very silky, fluffy & smooth
- Sift the flour with the salt & baking powder then add 1/3 of that to the butter mixture while mixing on low speed & blend just until combined then slowly add half of the milk mixture
- Blend just until combined then add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients & the remaining liquid & then the last of the remaining dry ingredients.*This is called alternating creaming method & it is done in 3 parts dry & 2 parts liquid the total process to get everything mixed in should not take more than 2 minutes
- Be sure to scrape the sides & bottom of the bowl then whip it on high for 5 seconds to develop the batter
- Bake immediately in the preheated oven that has been set to 350°F but after loading the pans turn the oven temperature down to 325°F & bake for 25-30 minutes total (depending on your pan sizes) or when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pans then turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely before icing with your choice of icings & fillings
Video
Notes
Do you think I can do a DIY cake flour with normal flour and cornflour/cornstarch? Would it work the same? Thanks
Can I substitute gluten free flour for cake flour?
While I am not a GF baker, I have been told my many that my recipes work GREAT with a 1″1 GF mix.
I am not sure anyone has tried it here yet, but I think if you are able to get the rest of the recipe on point **the aquafaba whipped in and emulsified* the GF blend will work fine!
Which icing did you use on your cake?
This was my No Shortening Buttercream recipe made with country crock butter
Can this be used as a layer cake or do you think it’s too soft!? I love white cake and have to make my grandma a birthday cake next week so I’d love to give it a try, but it will have to be stacked. Thank you!!
Thanks, Gretchen for the recipe. I tried it, soon as I mixed the butter mixture and aquafaba mixture, it curdled and no amount of whipping brought it back to a smooth mixture as described in the recipe. Any tips on avoiding this?
oh no!! Did you switch to the whip attachment?? Mine also curdled, but came back to a silky smooth luscious mixture after whipping it for a minute!
Yup, used a whip attachment on the KitchenAid stand mixer. I continued with the recipe and although the final dough (after the flour and yogurt mix) still looked a bit curdled, I went ahead and made cupcakes. They turned out really fluffy and soft and were delicious. I got about 14 regular size cupcakes, baked at 10 mins on 350F and 8 mins on 300F.
These. Are. Amazing.
From an allergy mom who has tried for over 12 YEARS to find a good white cake recipe, THANK YOU!!! You’re my hero. I can’t wait for my kids to try these at their party tomorrow.
I didn’t have yogurt, so used soy milk. I also let the aquafaba mixture settle a little after whipping it up and only used the frothy part, no liquid from the very bottom (that has caused problems for me in the past). Best recipe ever!!!!
YAY! Excellent !! Thanks for the feedback!
I don’t know why but mine came to oily. I used biolife butter. Can I use only coconut oil?
I used all purpose flour, 180gr . in my opinion there was a lack of structure, like a bit more of flour was necessary or maybe less fat ????. It breaks just staring at it ????
I will try again however.
Thank you Gretchen!
Oh no! You are probably right, let me see if I can make my thoughts clear on this (I just woke up! LOL) But, the switch to all – All Purpose flour in a weight amount (180g) is slightly less than 1½ cups in volume measure. It’s only about 1 Tbs less and doesn’t seem like that would be a deal breaker, but that could have been the difference. I have not used Violife butter unfortunately. Mostly I use Earth Balance or a brand I get from a friend in the restaurant biz called Gold ‘n’ Sweet
I’m not sure I like the idea of all coconut oil because this is a creaming method recipe & coconut oil turns to liquid in an instant
All that said, I would feel OK to say take out 1 Tbs of fat from the recipe while making sure the flour amount is sufficient
I should have been more clear in my substitutions section ~ which I will update now~ to say “If you are using all – All Purpose flour, use a total amount of 1½ cups OR 190g
Sorry about that.
Not Sorry! I’m here to learn 😉
Thank you! :-*
Thank you ma for sharing your idea please can you send me more any platform under my mail or anywhere to get it thank you
Hi Gretchen
I would love to give this recipe a go, but not sure if a hand held mixer will work just as well… If so, please could you give me some tips on hand blender “speeds” in certain regions parts of the instructions.
Thank you in advance.
Hi yes the hand held mixer will work- to my knowledge there are just 3 speeds on hand held mixers?
In which case you will be fine to cream the first portion on high with a circular rotational motion as you mix, and when you add the aquafaba the mixture will curdle and separate this is where you will have to whip on high speed vigorously until it comes back together to a smooth emulsion.
Otherwise the recipe is pretty easy! 🙂
Yup, used a whip attachment on the KitchenAid stand mixer. I continued with the recipe and although the final dough (after the flour and yogurt mix) still looked a bit curdles, I went ahead and made cupcakes. They turned out really fluffy and soft and were delicious. I got about 14 regular size cupcakes, baked at 10 mins on 350F and 8 on 300F.
Hi Gretchen, thank you for the recipe. I had an issue with emulsifying the mixture with a whisk attachment so I switched back to paddle attachment and it brought it all together no problem. However, after baking the cake came out gummy. Any idea why that would be? I followed the recipe step by step and used gram measurements and also used plain/all purpose flour as I couldn’t find any cake flour. I have tried a few of your recipes before and never had a problem with the outcome until now.
Oh Nooo! I’m sorry to here that! It’s hard to say what could be the cause if you did everything exactly as listed & used a scale! The flour would not cause that as AP will absorb more liquid than cake flour~ so this would not hurt the outcome as you described. I have used both yogurt & plant milk, so I’m not even going to ask if that was the difference since they have both worked fine for me. Again I’m sorry this happened!
Thanks Gretchen. I used coconut yogurt first time round so will try this recipe again but with milk. Would the type of butter or coconut oil make a difference? I used 89% fat plant butter and deodorised coconut oil. I’m determined to make a fluffy white cake! 🙂
Hello,
I found your recipe in a google search and let me just tell you this cake is perfection! I am beyond amazed.
To be honest as I was getting all the steps together I was thinking of all the dishes I was dirtying in the process, Lol, there were a lot of different things going on. But I will never use any other cake recipe when I need a white cake. Thank you so much!
YAY!! THANK YOU for the comment! I appreciate the feedback so much! I really tells others that they can trust my recipes! 🙂
Thank you for the receipe is there a substitute for the aquafaba. Thanks marg
Hey thank you too, this recipe was formulated specifically to use AF as an integral part of the recipe.
If you would like to use an easier recipe for the a similar result you can use THIS RECIPE here *just omit the coconut
Hi! This is a great recipe. Is there any way to get it to rise more? I made cupcakes and they barely rose at all but taste amazing. Thanks!
Hi, any advise on this?
Gretchen!!!! Out of all the recipes this white cake is literally bakery style amazing!!!! I know that most people want the easiest fastest recipes. But as a novice (dreams of being a real baker) baker and hairstylist lol. I love complex recipes that have above average results. And this cake has all of that and more flavor wise. It did not rise very much for me but the crumb is awesome. I’m thinking the type of yogurt I used and the vegan butter was beyond soft. But thanks for all these amazing recipes ????????????????????????????
YAY! awesome! thankyou for the feedback I shared your comment on my facebook page! 😀
Made this twice so far and the first time it came out a little dense, but the second time it came out so fluffy and beautiful! My guess is that since it’s still quite warm where I am, the first could have been nonideal due to the coconut oil being too soft to aerate properly, or perhaps the aquafaba I used was a bad consistency (it was quite thick!). The second time (since it’s still too warm…) I used all Earth Balance and also used soymilk (w/ vinegar) instead of the yogurt, and it came out amazing! Delicious, super tender crumb, so airy. I also love the almond extract addition! Such a nice flavor. I think mine is not as white as Gretchen’s (as forewarned) due to the Earth Balance, but that’s all right by me. Absolutely love this recipe. Thanks, Gretchen!
Hi Gretchen! Just put the two 8 inch cakes in the oven and the batter looks and tastes so good! Wondering if avocado oil can be used in place of the coconut oil, since it has a milder flavor. Thanks in advance!
HI Great! yes you can use whatever oil you prefer!!
Hi Gretchen! I was so glad I was finally able to make this cake (as cupcakes) correctly the second time – it was so DELICIOUS that I felt confident enough to give them as gifts. The first time it turned out dense and gummy probably because my butter was partially melted and didn’t cream correctly.
I do want to use this recipe again for future cakes…I am wondering, is there a safe amount of sugar I can omit from the recipe to make it less sweet? Thanks in advance!
Okay, this is HANDS DOWN the absolute BEST vanilla cake I have ever tasted in my life, vegan or not. I am seriously blown away by the amazing velvety and soft texture of this cake and beautiful vanilla flavor. it is truly divine. The method to make this cake is advanced and truly makes all the difference in how this cake turns out compared to all other vegan vanilla cakes on the internet. This weekend I baked this cake into a big sheet cake for an event I went to. I multiplied the recipe by 3 for an 11×15 cake pan, twice, so that I had 2 layers. I stacked and filled it with a raspberry cake filling I made and coated the sheet cake in vanilla buttercream. It was a HIT. No one at the event was vegan, but about 50 people came up to me raving about the cake asking me to make it for other events and things coming up, I couldn’t believe it. When people found out it was vegan/dairy free they really couldn’t believe it lol. I also made it again today for cupcakes for a customer and they LOVED them. I tried one of the cupcakes myself and it was absolutely amazing, so this cake is great for cakes and for cupcakes. It doesn’t rise a whole bunch, but comes out flat everytime and perfectly fluffy and amazing. Try this recipe!! You will NOT be disappointed!! Absolutely amazing. Thank you!! 🙂
Hi! Just wanted to share my success story making this gluten free in hopes this will help someone else. I don’t know why but a basic vanilla cake has been the most challenging to make both vegan and GF for me. And then I have family members who have nut allergies and so many recipes use almond flour.
This is the first success I’ve had in all my years of failed experiments testing applesauce, yogurt, oil, vinegar/ baking soda combo, flax, extra baking powder, etc. Plus so many recipes go by volume instead of weight and I find converting volume to weight rarely works when there’s already too many variables to go wrong in GF vegan baking. They end up either really gummy, sticky, too oily, too moist, dense, dried into a brick- or give off a weird apple or sweet cornbread flavor (to me at least). Aquafaba adds a little extra work (and extra chickpeas to eat after) but worth the extra effort and meals! 😛
I didn’t care too much about the color of the cake as I just wanted an edible vanilla cake and used all plant butter for this, but it still turned out to be the most pale, fluffy GF vegan vanilla cake I’ve made so far.
Ingredient list:
100g Vegan Plant Butter (*used Earth Balance Buttery sticks)
150g Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup (60ml) Plant Milk (*used Unsweetened Vanilla Ripple)
2 tsp (10ml) Clear Vanilla Extract
222g Bob Red Mill GF 1:1 Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
8g Cornstarch
1/2 cup (118ml) Aquafaba (*drained from one tetra box of Whole Foods 365 Garbanzo Beans, Unsalted)
Followed instructions, except did everything with a hand mixer with the basic metal beaters. Took roughly 3 minutes to cream the sugar and butter, then roughly 3 more minutes to combine aquafaba mixture to the butter mixture. Then at the very end, after all ingredients are combined, beat on high for an extra minute to combine everything (original directions called for just 10 seconds for gluten-based flour). Only had a 9 inch pan, used a cake strip, and baked for about 40 minutes.
Definitely my go to GF vegan nut free vanilla cake recipe from here on out! Can’t wait to start building on it with flavor options. Thank you so much! =D
WOW! Thank you for this in depth review it will surely be helpful for others! I appreciate you!
WOW!! What a great recipe, thanks so much. I used 180g plain flour+26g cornflour to creat the cake flour, and my mix curdled aswell HOWEVER this didnt matter once the dry ingredients were mixed in. Topped it with your buttercream and some bananas and strawberries and it was JUST DELICIOUS!!!
YAY! Thanks for the feedback!
I made this recipe into cupcakes. Worked super well. Very yum! One note is that after the aquafaba mixture was whipped for 5-6 minutes on high I still didn’t get a “smooth” mixture. It still looked slightly broken but it all came together with the flour and tasted great.
I’m wondering if i could whip the aquafaba separately into what looks like egg whites and fold that into the mixture at the end? That would avoid the curdled look. I might just give it a try and report back.
Gonna try the lemon cake next!
I usually make the other white cake recipe of yours that calls for part box cake mix. I thought that was the best white cake recipe UNTIL I tried this one! I followed the recipe except I didn’t have clear vanilla extract so I used pure vanilla extract. I didn’t mind that the batter color wasn’t pure white bc I used food coloring for the batter anyway. My daughter and I both agree this was the best we’ve had. I made cupcakes and followed the 10 mins at 350 and down to 300 for additional 23 mins. Perfect!
WOW thanks for the review! I am so happy you love it!