White Cake Recipe
The Perfect High-Altitude White Cake
At high altitude, lower atmospheric pressure causes the air incorporated during the creaming together of butter and sugar—along with gases released by baking powder—to expand more rapidly and aggressively than they do at sea level. Without enough structural balance, the delicate cell walls of a white cake stretch until they pop, resulting in a "mountain sinkhole" in the center of your cake as it cools.
The white cake recipe below is designed to control the expansion while preserving a fine, velvety crumb. It bakes up evenly domed, moist, and sturdy enough for layering without sacrificing tenderness.
The High-Altitude Science
To get these results, we made three key shifts:
Structural Support: The reduction in sugar (which tenderizes and weakens gluten) and increase in flour ensures the cake doesn't collapse under its own weight in the thin mountain air.
Evaporation Control: To prevent a dry texture, the liquid ratio has been increased and we added a touch of sour cream for fat and acidity. At high altitude, liquids evaporate faster in the oven and these changes keep the crumb tender without sacrificing strength.
Oven Temperature: The increased oven temperature of375°F, sets the exterior and the internal protein structure quickly, capturing the rise at its peak before the lower air pressure can cause it to deflate.
White Cake Recipe
PREP TIME: 20 minutes COOK TIME: 25-30 minutes SERVINGS: Two 8-inch round cakes
Leavening: Reduced to 1 1/2 teaspoons to prevent an unstable rise.
Sugar: Reduced to 1 1/2 cups to strengthen the crumb structure.
Temperature: Baked at 375°F to set the height.
Liquid: Increased milk and added sour cream for mountain-proof moisture.
Ingredients
Directions
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (clear vanilla works best for a pure white cake)
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 5 large egg whites, room temperature
1. Preheat and Prep : Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease two 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients : In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. The Reverse Creaming Method : Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until the mixture looks like fine damp sand. This coats the flour in fat, which limits gluten development and ensures a tender crumb.
4. Combine Wet Ingredients : In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, sour cream, vanilla, and almond extract.
5. Build the Batter : At low speed, slowly pour half of the milk mixture into the flour/butter mixture. Increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute to build structure. Add the remaining milk and the egg whites. Beat for another 1 minute until completely smooth and pale.
6. Divide and Level : Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula.
7. Bake : Bake for 25–30 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
8. Cool : Let the cakes cool before frosting.
Simply Altitude Pro-Tips
Don't Over-Whip the Whites: Don't whip the egg whites to stiff peaks separately here. Adding them as liquid into the batter provides enough lift for a high-altitude environment without introducing too much air, which causes the cake to overflow and then crash.
Sifting Dry Ingredients: In using more flour for structure, sifting the cake flour is vital to prevent the cake from being dense.
Explore More High-Altitude Baking
If you enjoyed this recipe, head over to our High Altitude Baking Made Simple page. It’s our combined resource for mastering the science of elevated baking, featuring helpful adjustment charts and troubleshooting tips for different altitudes.
Looking for more mountain-tested treats? Try these next:
High-Altitude Buttermilk Biscuits: Tall, flaky, and never flat.
High-Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookies: A classic cookie with height.
