You can make those changes to pretty much any recipe--use oil instead of butter. You can usually get away without sifting flour these days. Use 2 egg whites for each whole egg called for--and if you want a really fluffy cake, whip them into a meringue, then fold in to the batter last (that extra step is well worth it. And you can bake a cake in whatever pans you have--providing you put the appropriate amount of batter in, and adjust the time accordingly. I'd recommend starting out with your favorite yellow cake--and just turning it into a white cake.

Of course, you'll probably want to use white vanilla, if you want a truly white cake.

Oil is typically not used in a white cake, they require a solid fat - shortening/butter/coconut oil, or a combination of solid fats (some recipes will include half shortening and half butter - the butter contributes flavor).

CAKE 101 -

Cakes are classified according to whether or not they contain fat. The majority of cakes are either shortened or unshortened; a third category is chiffon cakes.

Shortened cakes are also called butter or conventional cakes and use a solid fat. Examples of shortened cakes include the standard plain white, yellow, chocolate, spice, Bundt, pound cakes, and fruit cakes. The solid fat is combined with the sugar (creamed) until it's light and fluffy and the cake is leavened with chemical leavening. The solid fat contributes to tenderness, volume, moistness, and flavor.

Oil coats the flour proteins which prevents them from adhearing to water. This reduces gluten formation and leaves more moisture in the batter. An example of this is a tea bread or quick bread. The addition of a liquid fat (which can be a melted solid fat or a vegetable oil) will result in a heavy and compact cake (think banana bread or pumpkin bread which are quick breads, not cakes).

Unshortened cakes, also known as sponge or foam cakes (include angel food), use no fat, but get their volume from beaten egg whites.

Chiffon Cakes are a hybrid of shortened and unshortened cakes. The fat, usually from vegetable oil and egg yolks, is combined with foamed egg whites, cake flour, and leavening agents. Common examples include lemon or chocolate chiffon cakes.

One of the best white cake recipes is from Betty Crocker - SILVER WHITE CAKE, but it's made with shortening, and you can find the recipe on-line or in all the older Betty Crocker cookbooks (Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book). If you find a white cake that uses liquid vegetable oil, it's an anomaly, or includes a commercial mix.

-Grainlady

Thank you Azzalea and Grainlady, you are both very kind and helpful. I remembered 2 egg whites for one whole egg, but it's helpful to know that for sure.

It has been a long time since I baked a white cake. I'm beginning to think that perhaps I could be remembering using a cake mix, since most cake mixes call for oil. Or possibly I used one of my simpler recipes with substitutions.

I buy an organic yellow cake mix sometimes (they don't make a white mix) so I think I will try that, substituting egg whites for whole eggs and see how it turns out.

Thank you both again for the information. :-)

White Cake

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 20 Minutes

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg whites
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour baking pan; 9x13 inch, or 2 round 9 inch pans.
2. In a large bowl, measure flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, milk and the vanilla into a large mixing bowl. Beat 2 minutes on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally.
3. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.
4. Pour batter into pan(s), Bake 9x13 inch cake for 35 to 40 minutes. If using 9 inch rounds, bake 30 to 35 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the cake will come out clean.
Found this recipe on all recipes. Hope this helps.

Linda

spedigrees:

I'm just curious. Why would you want such a simple cake recipe? Allergies? Time constraints? Costs? Experimental?

No judgement here; I'm truly curious.

Joe

Thank you so much, Linda. This recipe is quite similar to the one I remember, if it actually ever existed. It's in my recipe file now! :-)

No allergies or anything else, Joe. I just like everything simple. I'm not really fond of cooking, but by necessity I do a lot of it, so the simpler each dish can be made, the happier I can. I'm a big fan of dinners that can be cooked in a single crockpot and eaten all week long!

I've cooked for all my pets for the past two years (since the petfood contamination debacle) and that takes hours and hours. Also there are very few pre-packaged foods for human consumption that I trust anymore, so I cook from scratch for us too. Thus any time saving measures are welcome indeed.

I made white cupcakes today by making substitutions to the yellow cake mix I mentioned and they came out very good. But I'm going to try your recipe next time Linda, either as is or substituting oil for shortening. Thanks again.

Although I don't have the recipe saved on my computer, milk cake is very easy and very tasty- even unfrosted. I make it all the time.
Perhaps someone can post the recipe - I got the recipe here.

spedigrees - for future reference, this is a really good one from Rose Levy Berenbaum.

WHITE VELVET CAKE

4-1/2 large egg whites
1 cup milk
2-1/4 tsp. vanilla
3 cups sifted cake flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 Tblsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
12 Tblsp. (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)

Grease & flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
In a medium bowl lightly combine the egg whites, 1/4 cup milk and vanilla.
In a large mixer bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and remaining 3/4 cup milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed (high speed if using a hand mixer) and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Pour batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface with a spatula. The pans will be about 1/2 full. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center.
Let the cakes cool in the pans on racks for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a metal spatula and invert onto greased wire racks. Cool completely before frosting. Serves: 12.

Recipe by Rose Levy Berenbaum.