White Almond Sour Cream Cake
White almond sour cream cake, from scratch! An easy white cake recipe that’s so moist. Soft & delicate, yet sturdy enough for layering.
I’m so happy to be bringing you this white cake recipe today! It’s one of my very favorites.
I love making layer cakes and I’ve got plenty of recipes to prove it. Be sure to check out my favorite vanilla cake recipe, the chocolate cake recipe that so many readers have RAVED about, and the red velvet cake that my friends and family beg for.
I make all of these regularly, but sometimes you want something that is simple, beautiful, and elegant. This is when an amazing white cake recipe can truly be your best friend.
This one is so simple to make, with just a handful of pantry staples, and the flavor is so delicate.
And it’s gorgeous! I love how even the crumb is, and it’s white as snow on the inside. Perfect at any time of year, but especially for a spring celebration.
HOW TO MAKE THIS WHITE CAKE RECIPE
You are going to LOVE how easy this recipe is! It seriously takes less than 10 minutes to throw together, and it only has a handful of simple ingredients.
- Flour
- Sugar
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Sour Cream
- Oil
- Egg Whites
- Almond Extract
See what I mean? I bet you probably already have most of those things on hand.
Start with the dry ingredients. Flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt go into the mixing bowl.
Just give them a quick whisk to get them combined.
Now, in a separate bowl, combine the sour cream, oil, egg whites, and almond extract.
Whisk them together as best you can (the mixture may look a little lumpy), and pour that into the dry ingredients.
Give everything a good mix, then transfer the batter to greased, lined cake pans, and bake!
CAN THIS CAKE BE BAKED IN A DIFFERENT SIZED PAN?
I love the look of a tall cake, so I baked this white cake recipe in three 6-inch diameter pans. But you could also do it in two 8-inch or 9-inch diameter pans, in a 9×13-inch rectangular pan, or as cupcakes.
Just be aware that when you use a different sized pan, you may need to adjust the bake time. You’ll know your cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean.
For the cupcake version of this recipe, click here: White Cupcakes.
WHAT KIND OF FROSTING TO USE ON THIS WHITE CAKE
For the white cake you see pictured here, I used a half-batch of my favorite American-style Buttercream. It’s a snap to make and I like how fluffy yet stable it is.
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Whipped Cream Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Magical Cream Cheese Frosting
- Seven Minute Frosting
Any of these recipes would be fabulous paired with this versatile white cake recipe.
WHITE CAKE VARIATIONS
If you wanted to put a unique spin on this cake, here are a few suggestions:
- Substitute orange flower water or elderflower liqueur for the almond extract.
- Add fresh citrus zest and juice to the batter.
- Spread lemon curd or raspberry preserves between the layers.
- Flavor the cake with a teaspoon or so of coconut extract, and garnish with shredded coconut.
- Fill and frost with chocolate buttercream. Here is a great recipe: Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
WOULD THIS WHITE CAKE RECIPE WORK FOR A WEDDING CAKE?
While not as firm and dense as a pound cake, I think this recipe would work well as a larger, tiered cake. I would just suggest that you place each cake layer on a cardboard cake round, and dowel the cake well to help it support its own weight.
And it’s definitely a good base for covering with fondant. Just give it a smooth coating in buttercream and chill, before draping the fondant over.
CAN THIS WHITE CAKE BE MADE AHEAD?
You can absolutely make this cake ahead. In fact, I think most cakes are better when they’ve been made at least a day ahead.
Wrap the layers tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
You’ll find the cake becomes stronger, more moist, and easier to frost when it’s been chilled in this way.
HOW TO STORE WHITE ALMOND SOUR CREAM CAKE
If you have any leftovers, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and they should last for at least a week in the fridge.
Make this white cake recipe for your next special occasion- you’ll love how easy it is to make, and how moist and light it is, with that delicate flavor of sour cream and sweet almond.
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White Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (312.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon ) kosher salt , (scant)
- 1 1/2 cups (345 g) sour cream
- 1 cup (236.59 ml) oil
- 2 egg whites , (large)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, lightly mist three 6-inch diameter cake pans with non-stick spray, and line them with circles cut from parchment.
- Place the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl, and whisk to combine.
- Place the sour cream, oil, egg whites, and almond extract in another bowl, and whisk to combine.
- Add the sour cream mixture to the flour mixture, and mix on medium speed for about 1 minute, to aerate the batter and build the cake's structure.
- Divide the batter equally between the 3 prepared pans, and rap each one sharply on the counter to eliminate any large air bubbles.
- Bake the cakes for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
Looks wonderful but, I dislike almond extract is there any other flavor extract that you can suggest or have tried with this recipe>
You can use any kind of extract you like! I’ve tried it with vanilla and coconut and they both work well, but really any kind of extract!
Can this recipe be made in a bundt pan? And if so how does that affect the baking time?
You would have to double the recipe and the bake time would likely need to be extended quite a bit longer. Good luck!
The cake looks lovely. I am looking for a reduced-fat cake recipe. I wonder if i can substitute half of the oil with apple puree?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure, but feel free to experiment!
Made a 2 layered cake for my daughter’s 16th Birthday and it turned out great! I used 1/2 the amount for vanilla and the other half almond extract, otherwise everything else was the same in the recipe.
hi, can you substitute yogurt for the sour cream?
thanks!
Yes, just make sure it’s plain, unsweetened yogurt.
Not sure why but my cake came out yellow and not white
Perhaps a little yolk snuck in?
Can I sub the oil with butter? If so same amount?
Would I make 1 1/2 recipes for two 10″ pans?
Is this cake supposed to rise a lot. I used 3 6” 3” tall pans and it didn’t rise much. I double checked my ingredients. It’s more dense like a sponge cake?
Thanks for your help
So weird question can I half then half recipes? Im wanting to make few as possible cupcakes for samples.
So you want to bake 1/4 of the recipe? It can be done but you’ll have to weigh out the eggs in order to divide them. Good luck!
Did you forget the baking powder ?
No, this recipe uses baking soda, not baking powder.
Made this cake for a friend’s wedding, and got feedback it was the best cake they’ve ever had! I’m now making it, 2 days later, for my family. Thank you for a wonderful almond cake recipe!
You are so welcome Julie! I’m so happy your friends liked it and I hope you and your family do as well!
I was so relieved when I found this recipe for an almond cake using all purpose flour. I wanted to make an almond cake for my birthday and didn’t have cake flour in my pantry. It turned out absolutely amazing! I used an almond buttercream frosting I found as well. The cake itself was sturdy, moist and dense. I had no issues with the cake when transferring them from two 8” round cake pans for cooling on a rack, no cracking while layering it or any crumbling when icing it. I added toasted almond slices around the frosted sides and whole roasted almonds circling around a small pile of the sliced almonds atop the iced cake. It turned out beautiful with complimenting almond flavors and textures. It truly created the cake I so eagerly wanted! Thank you so much for sharing this! I will definitely be using this recipe every time I crave an almond cake!
Hey Christina! That is so great to hear! Your cake sounds absolutely fantastic. I’m so glad you were pleased with the recipe. Thanks so much for the awesome feedback!
Wonderful recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Had a question? Are the egg whites supposed to be beat prior to mixing them with the rest of the wet ingredients?
Thanks,
Lucy
Hey Lucy! Thank you- I’m so happy you liked it. I do not typically whip the whites first, but you probably could do that!
I made this recipe for my boyfriend’s birthday and it is sheer perfection! I also used your Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe to pair with it. The cake is so moist and crumb is so tender. I used an Amaretto Marmalade from Asheville’s Biscuit Head restaurant, which was the perfect complement between the layers. I am definitely going to make this cake again. Everything I had made from your blog has never failed me! Thank you for sharing such great recipes!
Aw, you are so welcome Liz! It’s truly my pleasure. Your cake sounds absolutely fantastic! That marmalade- wow!
How do I know the quantities for each ingredient?
Just scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post. All of the ingredients and their quantities are listed, as are the recipe directions.
I’m just making a 1/2 recipe of this white cake right now! I’ve already made your vanilla cake, which is just wonderful. I had a question: why is this white cake made with only all purpose flour, when your others (like the vanilla) are made with both cake & all purpose? My family and taste testers love your vanilla with both flours. Baking is an interesting science! Thank you.
It really is, isn’t it? A lot of what I do in recipe development is trial and error, and in the case of this cake, I just thought the texture came out better with all-purpose flour. This one is made with oil rather than butter, and the batter is thinner and the final cake comes out very delicate, so I think with all-purpose it helps it to be a little more sturdy. Hope that answers your question!
How many cups does the recipe yield?
I want to make a three layer 10” cake.
Delicious cake! Easiest recipe on the internet.
Is batter supposed to be thick? I double checked all ingredients and I have them all and used exact measurements with scale.
What do I use to replace my sour cream for Nigerian
I’m using yogurt. Maybe you can try that. 1 cup of plain yogurt mixed with 1 teaspoon baking soda (or bicarbonate of soda, same thing different name). I’m trying the recipe tonight.