Easy Ina Garten White Cake Recipe: Fluffy Joy in Every Slice

Ina Garten’s white cake stands as a pinnacle of simple elegance in dessert crafting.

Soft, delicate layers whisper promises of sweet indulgence with each carefully prepared bite.

Professional bakers and home cooks celebrate this classic recipe for its remarkable texture and balanced flavor profile.

Delightful white cakes transform ordinary moments into memorable celebrations with their pristine appearance and cloud-like consistency.

Culinary enthusiasts appreciate the subtle techniques that elevate this dessert from ordinary to extraordinary.

Baking success depends on precise measurements and gentle mixing techniques that create an incredibly tender crumb.

The art of crafting such a cake requires patience, skill, and a deep understanding of ingredient interactions: come bake magic with us.

Why Ina Garten White Cake Is a Party Favorite

• Indulge in Luxurious Texture: This white cake delivers an incredibly soft, velvety crumb that melts smoothly in your mouth, creating a delicate and elegant eating experience.
• Master Professional Baking Techniques: The recipe showcases sophisticated methods like creaming butter and sugar for 5 minutes, carefully incorporating egg whites, and using a precise mixing technique that ensures a perfectly light and airy cake texture.
• Create a Showstopping Dessert: With its stunning white chocolate drip and optional gold paint effect, this cake transforms from a simple dessert into a glamorous centerpiece that's perfect for special occasions like weddings, anniversaries, or elegant dinner parties.
• Enjoy Foolproof Moisture Preservation: The unique flash-chilling method of wrapping warm cakes and quickly freezing helps lock in moisture, guaranteeing a consistently tender and succulent cake that stays fresh and delicious.

Essential Ingredients for Ina Garten White Cake

• All-Purpose Flour: A key structural ingredient that provides the cake's foundation and texture.
• Baking Powder: Essential leavening agent that helps the cake rise and become light.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances the sweetness of the cake.

• Milk: Adds moisture and helps bind the ingredients together.
• Vegetable Oil: Ensures a tender and moist cake texture.
• Almond Extract, Vanilla Extract: Provide deep, complex flavor notes to the cake.

• Unsalted Butter: Provides rich flavor and helps create a smooth, creamy base.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps with browning and texture.
• Egg Whites: Contribute to the cake's structure and create a light, airy texture.

• Powdered Sugar: Creates smooth, spreadable frosting with perfect sweetness.
• White Chocolate: Serves as the base for the decorative drip with a rich, creamy flavor.
• Water: Helps melt and smooth the white chocolate.
• Food Coloring: Adds desired color to the chocolate drip.
• Gold Dust: Provides a shimmering, luxurious finish to the cake.
• Everclear: Used as a medium to apply the gold dust effect.

Steps to Bake Ina Garten White Cake

Step 1: Prepare Baking Setup

Preheat oven to 335°F (170°C). Grease two 8″x2″ cake pans using butter or non-stick spray.

Step 2: Create Liquid Mixture

• Milk
• Vegetable oil
• Almond extract
• Vanilla extract

Set mixture aside.

Step 3: Blend Dry Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt

Set mixture aside.

Step 4: Whip Butter And Sugar

Use stand mixer with paddle attachment. Cream unsalted butter until smooth. Gradually add sugar. Whip on high speed for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

Step 5: Incorporate Egg Whites

Add 6 egg whites one at a time, mixing on low speed. Ensure each egg white is fully integrated before adding next.

Step 6: Combine Ingredients

Alternate adding dry ingredients and liquid mixture to butter mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined.

Step 7: Bake Cake

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 335°F (170°C) for 25-35 minutes. Test with toothpick for doneness.

Step 8: Cool Cake

Let cakes rest 10 minutes in pans. Transfer to cooling rack. Wrap warm cakes and freeze for 15 minutes to lock in moisture.

Step 9: Prepare Frosting

• Egg whites
• Powdered sugar
• Softened butter
• Vanilla
• Pinch of salt

Whisk on low, then high until fluffy.

Step 10: Create Chocolate Drizzle

• White chocolate
• Water

Whisk until smooth. Add food coloring if desired.

Step 11: Apply Chocolate Drizzle

Cool chocolate to 90°F. Drizzle over chilled cake edges.

Step 12: Add Glamorous Gold Touch

• Everclear
• Gold dust

Paint delicate gold accents over chocolate drizzle.

Expert Tips for Ina Garten White Cake

• Chill for Perfection: Refrigerate cakes before decorating to prevent crumbling and make frosting smoother.
• Measure with Precision: Digital scales guarantee accurate ingredient quantities, eliminating baking guesswork.
• Organize Your Workspace: Prep ingredients beforehand using mise en place technique, preventing missed steps during mixing.
• Temperature Matters: Bring all ingredients to room temperature to ensure smooth, well-incorporated batter without separation.
• Stick to Specifics: Follow recipe ingredient recommendations exactly, avoiding random substitutions that could compromise cake quality.

Storing Ina Garten White Cake

• Room Temperature Storage: Keep cake in an airtight container at cool room temperature for maximum flavor preservation. Consume within 2 days to guarantee peak freshness and prevent potential moisture loss.
• Refrigeration Method: Carefully wrap cake with plastic wrap or place in sealed container to prevent absorbing other food odors. Refrigerated cakes maintain quality for up to 5 days when properly protected from air exposure and potential contamination.
• Freezing Technique: Individually wrap cake layers with plastic wrap, then add a protective aluminum foil layer for extra moisture retention. Freeze flat to maintain structural integrity, storing for maximum 3 months without compromising taste or texture. Label container with date to track storage duration and ensure optimal quality when thawing.

Creative Variations on Ina Garten White Cake

• Chocolate Heaven: Transform the white cake into a rich chocolate version by replacing some flour with cocoa powder and adding melted dark chocolate to the batter for an intense chocolate experience.
• Citrus Burst: Incorporate lemon or orange zest into the cake batter and replace vanilla extract with citrus extract for a bright, refreshing flavor profile that brings a tangy twist to the classic recipe.
• Berry Bliss: Fold fresh or frozen berries like raspberries or blueberries into the batter before baking, and top the frosted cake with a mixed berry compote for a fruity and vibrant dessert option.
• Coconut Dream: Mix shredded coconut into the batter and replace some of the milk with coconut milk, then coat the frosted cake with toasted coconut flakes for a tropical-inspired treat.

A Quick Note on Ina Garten White Cake

Culinary magic sparkles through Ina Garten’s white cake, whisking bakers into a realm of delicate sweetness and elegance.

Precise measurements and careful techniques transform simple ingredients into an extraordinary dessert masterpiece.

Layers of pure white perfection invite celebration with each delightful slice.

Smooth buttercream frosting embraces the tender cake crumb, creating harmonious texture and flavor.

White chocolate drips add luxurious drama to this classic confection.

Passionate bakers can elevate this recipe into an art form – share your golden-touched creation, inspire fellow sweet enthusiasts, and spread deliciousness across social media platforms!

Ina Garten White Cake Recipe

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4.8 from 8 reviews

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s classic white cake brings elegant simplicity to dessert tables with its pristine crumb and delicate flavor. Smooth buttercream frosting and tender layers promise a delightful slice of pure culinary pleasure you won’t want to miss.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 14 ounces (396 grams) all-purpose flour
• 14 ounces (396 grams) sugar
• 10 ounces (284 grams) milk, room temperature
• 6 large egg whites, room temperature

Fats and Oils:

• 8 ounces (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 ounces (57 grams) vegetable oil

Flavor Enhancers and Seasonings:

• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon clear almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 335°F (170°C). Prepare two 8-inch (20-centimeter) cake pans using your preferred non-stick method.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, vegetable oil, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Set this liquid mixture aside.
3. In another bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Reserve this dry mixture.
4. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth and silky. Gradually incorporate sugar, whipping on high speed until the mixture becomes light and white, approximately 5 minutes.
5. Gradually introduce egg whites into the butter-sugar mixture, mixing on low speed. Ensure each egg white is fully integrated before adding the next.
6. Gently fold in dry ingredients and liquid mixture alternately: begin with one-third of the dry ingredients, followed by half the liquid mixture, then repeat, ending with the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
7. Distribute the batter evenly between prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
8. Allow cakes to rest in pans for ten minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Wrap warm cakes and place in the freezer to lock in moisture. Once cooled, trim the browned edges.
9. In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, combine egg whites and powdered sugar. Start mixing on low speed, then increase to high. Gradually add butter chunks, vanilla extract, and salt.
10. Continue whisking until the frosting becomes light, fluffy, and pristine white.
11. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine white chocolate and water. Heat until chocolate melts completely, then whisk until smooth.
12. Introduce a few drops of food coloring, stirring until thoroughly blended.
13. Allow the chocolate mixture to cool to approximately 90°F (32°C). This temperature prevents frosting from melting during application.
14. Apply the colored chocolate drip around the cake’s edges, letting it cascade naturally down the sides.
15. Once the chocolate sets, create a metallic paint by mixing Everclear with gold dust. Delicately brush this over the chocolate drips for a luxurious, shimmering finish.

Notes

• Ensure ingredients reach room temperature before mixing for smooth, well-blended batters that prevent potential curdling.
• Invest in a kitchen scale to precisely measure all ingredients, guaranteeing consistent and reliable baking results every time.
• Set up your workspace with pre-measured ingredients using the Mise en Place technique, streamlining your baking process and minimizing mistakes.
• Refrigerate cakes for at least 30 minutes before decorating to create stable, easy-to-handle layers that stack perfectly and maintain their shape.
• Stick to the exact ingredients listed in the recipe, avoiding substitutions that could compromise the texture, flavor, and overall success of your baked creation.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 350 kcal
• Sugar: 24 g
• Sodium: 97 mg
• Fat: 16 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 47 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg