My favorite cake recipes are all from the same cookbook: Betty Crocker’s New Cake Decorating
The white cake recipe below is the one I use whenever I want a cake that simply must not let me down. As soon as I start thinking, “This cake has to be special… it has to be delicious… it must be absolute perfection….” I just start rounding up the ingredients for this very recipe.
You can change the flavor by changing the extract used. 8 times out of 10 I use vanilla – but almond extract or maple flavoring also produce amazing cakes.
My favorite cake and icing recipes are from this Betty Crocker’s Cookbook.
White Cake Recipe
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup shortening
1-1/4 cups milk
3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 egg whites
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour desired pan(s). (Line small muffin cups with paper baking cups.)
Beat all ingredients except egg whites in large bowl on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in egg whites on high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
Pour batter into pan(s).
Bake as directed below or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 10 minutes: remove from pan(s). Cool completely.
13 x 9 x 2 inch rectangle – 40 to 45 minutes
15-1/2 x 10-1/2 x 1 inch jelly roll – 25 to 30 minutes
two 8 x 1-1/2 inch rounds – 35 to 40 minutes
two 9 x 1-1/2 inch rounds – 30 to 35 minutes
24 medium 2-1/2 x 1-1/4 inch muffin cups – 20 to 25 minutes
12 small 1-3/4 x 1 inch muffin cups – 10 to 15 minutes
12-cup ovenproof ring mold – 35 to 40 minutes
This white cake is excellent with a white frosting, cream cheese frosting, or (YUM!) Buttercream frosting. Betty Crocker’s New Cake Decorating has these frosting recipes as well as other frostings including a Penuche frosting, White Mountain Frosting, decorating frosting, chocolate frostings, and several different glazes that are out of this world.
I have absolutely nothing against cake mixes – the ones on the market today are pretty fantastic – but there’s just something extra special about a cake made from scratch. Give this one a try the next time you need a special cake – you’ll never buy a white cake mix again.
The signs of a much-loved and much-used cookbook:
