Moist White Almond Cake with Silky Buttercream Frosting
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If you’re looking for a cake that’s soft, moist, and guaranteed to impress, this White Almond Cake is it. Made with simple pantry ingredients and plenty of almond flavor, this classic layer cake bakes up tender and fluffy every single time, then gets finished with a silky, cloud-like buttercream frosting that’s smooth, rich, and not overly sweet. This almond cake is perfect for birthdays, weddings, showers, or anytime you want a bakery-style dessert at home. Best of all, it comes together in about 45 minutes, making it just as practical as it is beautiful.
I love this cake so much that I served it at my wedding. I had it made of course. I like to bake, but left that one up to Glorious Desserts in Des Moines. Her almond cake is bad ass. My mom will order one for family celebrations and haul it 5 hours from Des Moines to Chicago for us…she’s the best.
But because I love almond cake so much, I had to have a recipe that I could make at home that I equally loved as much as Glorious Desserts.
This is it! I have made this cake plenty of times and no matter what, it’s everyone’s favorite. They actually say I don’t make it enough! My mother-in-law’s best friend made this cake for her wedding! She said it was outstanding. See! This is why I love to blog – sharing recipes and my love for almond cake inspired someone to make it for her wedding! That makes me smile. 🙂
This cake could not be any easier to make. It’s very straightforward and starts out with a cake mix that’s doctored up quite a bit. What you’re left with is a runny batter that turns into the lightest, fluffiest and moist cake that there is. The flavor is WONDERFUL. No egg yolks in this one so the cake is totally white and beautiful.
I topped it off with my favorite frosting recipe…a silky buttercream that’s made with flour. It can be slightly tricky to make, but follow the directions and you should be fine. I’ve never had an issue making it!
To give you a visual of the frosting – the flour mixture is to the left – it looks like cake batter actually and is sticky, the middle is what it looks like after it’s whipped – so fluffy! and the last is the final the product!
You can’t go wrong with this one my friends. If you need a cake, this is your recipe. You can switch it up if you don’t like almond…add lemon extract, just vanilla extract, orange extract, etc. etc. The best part of this cake is that it’s full proof and tastes amazing every time!
Wish I had a piece now!
White Almond Cake with Whipped Buttercream Frosting
This white almond cake with whipped buttercream frosting is outstanding. It's moist, has wonderful almond flavor and the frosting is so light and fluffy. The perfect cake for any celebration!
Ingredients
White Almond Cake
- 1, 15.25 ounce package white cake mix
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cups room temperature water
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or refined coconut oil)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 egg whites, room temperature
Whipped Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 5 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 3, 8 inch or 9 inch round cake pans; set aside. You can also use 2 cake pans, the layers will just be thicker.
- In a stand-alone mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (Hand-held mixer would work, too), mix together the white cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt.
- Pour in the water, sour cream, vegetable oil, almond extract, vanilla extract and egg whites. Mix on low until all the ingredients are mixed and moistened but some lumps still remain, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans, and bake for 25-30 minutes. The tops should be lightly golden. Remove and let cool before frosting.
- To make the frosting, whisk 1 cup of milk with 5 tablespoons of flour in a medium sauce pan and place over medium heat until the mixture begins to sputter, whisking constantly. Continue to stir as the mixture thickens. You will know it’s done when it reaches the consistency of thick cake batter (This took only a couple of minutes for me, but it can take longer). Remove from heat and whisk in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract, and a pinch of salt, and set aside to cool completely - you can place in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.
- In a stand-alone mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (hand-held mixer would work, too), beat 2 sticks of softened room temperature butter (1 cup) with 1 1/4 cups of granulated sugar until light, fluffy, and white in color, about 3 solid minutes of beating on medium-high speed. You want the sugar to be totally incorporated and dissolved into the butter. If it’s a little gritty, don’t worry. The sugar will dissolve at the frosting sets.
- Next, add the cooled milk/flour paste to the butter/sugar mixture. Beat all ingredients for 1 minute on high-speed, scraping down the bowl halfway through. The frosting should be as light and fluffy as whipped cream. Frost the cooled cake and enjoy!
Notes
Cake will last up to 3 days in a container, or up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Unfrosted cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.
This recipe can be made into cupcakes. Bake for 15 minutes then check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. It it comes out clean, they're done. If not, add a few additional minutes and try again. Frosting makes just enough for the cake. If you want a lot of frosting, I suggest doubling the recipe. Refrigerate cake if not eating right away then bring to room temperature before eating. It's delicious cold, but room temperature is ideal.
Cake Recipe: allrecipes.com Frosting: Can you stay for dinner?
The picture shows pink icing but i don’t see anything in the ingredients that would make it pink? Is it food coloring?
Yes, just food coloring!
Thanks! One more question, can I make it without sour cream?
You’re welcome! unfortunately no. the sour cream is what makes it moist. You can sub Greek yogurt if you want!
Do you have to use egg whites? Can it just be 4 whole eggs?
Has to be egg whites. If you add 4 whole eggs it will effect the cakes texture. The egg yolks will also change the color of the cake.
Is there a way to make this without using a box cake mix? (Not that I’m opposed to a box mix, at all!) I’m just avoiding excessive grocery trips, like most right now. 🙁 Will this cake taste the same if I make a “box cake mix”?
sure! You can use my recipe for almond cupcakes instead. Enjoy! https://www.stuckonsweet.com/almond-cupcakes-with-whipped-almond-buttercream-frosting/
Did you use nonstick cake pans when baking this cake?
I did but you don’t have to.
Hi! I made this cake for my daughters birthday last year and it was a huge hit!! I used a buttercream frosting though… I’m thinking of using this frosting this year but am curious if you know if it will hold shape? Nothing crazy, just more of a ribbon style than an even spread. Thanks 😉
I think it will be fine!
I do not bake. I have never had the patience for it for some reason. But I have a question. I ordered a cake from a bakery in the shape of a beer can. (son’s 21st birthday). The bakery told me they cannot do the almond flavored cake as a shaped cake. I either had to order white or chocolate. Isn’t it all the same?
Yes, it’s all the same. Perhaps they just don’t offer custom shaped cakes in almond? For example – the baker who did my wedding cake often had the cake already frozen and it just needed to be thawed so perhaps they only make white and chocolate cakes on hand for those type of orders? But the only difference may be it has almond flavoring or they used almond milk to bring in more almond flavor.
Hi! I made this cake for my sister’s 30th birthday party, and I just wanted to come back and say how much of a hit it was. I have never received so many compliments – and I am definitely not a baker. The recipe was easy and straightforward, not to mention, insanely delicious.
I did sub (extra) almond extract for the vanilla extract in the frosting to make it even more almond-y.
Thanks for a delicious recipe!
You’re welcome! SO glad you all liked it!
I pride myself on my cooking but I have never been a baker…I think you just made me one! This was one of the best cakes I’ve ever had and I made it! Thank you for a really great recipe!
You are so welcome!! I would love to try a few of your favorite recipes if you don’t mind sharing!
Was wondering if this recipe will work in a Bundt pan. Have you made it that way?
I haven’t but yes, it should work. I would just check it often to make sure it bakes through.
Just tried Pillsbury white cake and Betty Crocker white cake. Betty Crocker is less sweet and much better in my opinion (a bit moister, a bit denser).
Can I substitute oil for butter?
Probably not. You could try it but it may effect the texture of the cake. Oil does make for a moist cake, though.
Could you add a bit of amaretto to either the cake or frosting or would this mess it all up?
That would be fine!