Best White Cake Ever?

[Natasha]

Hi,

There are so many cake recipes out there, but for some reason I've never found a recipe for a simple white (or golden) layer cake that I'm satisfied with. I always end up at the same bakery for these cakes because of this. I don't know what it is about white/golden cakes. Homemade chocolate, coconut, carrot cakes etc. always come out fine.

Does anyone have any well-loved white or golden cake recipes that they'd like to share? Or have you come across any that you haven't tried but think are worth a try? I'd love to hear about them. I'm also interested in any accompanying icing recipes you might have.

Thanks in advance. This would be a great surprise for my sister, who's also a big white layer cake fan!

[Grace]

Here's one I've been wanting to try - haven't gotten around to it yet though - let me know if you try it out how it comes out!
CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

White Triple-Layer Cake With Lemon Filling

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: March 1998 PAGE: 81

INGREDIENTS FOR 16 SERVINGS:
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon cake flour
3-1/2 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large egg whites
1-2/3 cups fat-free milk
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon butter extract
Lemon Filling
Fluffy White Frosting

INSTRUCTIONS:
Our makeover halved the fat in this cake. You'll need a candy thermometer to
make its Fluffy White Frosting. Candy thermometers are different from meat
thermometers and can be found in many supermarkets. Store this cake loosely
covered in the refrigerator.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Coat 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray, and dust pans with 1
tablespoon flour.

3. Lightly spoon sifted flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
Combine sifted flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Combine sugar,
butter, and oil in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until
well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well
after each addition. Combine milk and yogurt. Add flour mixture to creamed
mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour
mixture. Stir in extracts.

4. Pour cake batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap pans once on counter to
remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick
inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks;
remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.

5. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with half of Lemon Filling, and top
with another cake layer. Spread with remaining Lemon Filling, and top with
last cake layer. Spread Fluffy White Frosting over top and sides of cake.
Yield: 16 servings.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 321 (14% from fat); FAT 5.1g (sat 2.3g, mono 1.5g, poly 0.9g);
PROTEIN 4.7g; CARB 64.3g; FIBER 0g; CHOL 36mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 186mg; CALC
87mg

CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Lemon Filling

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: March 1998 PAGE: 81

INGREDIENTS FOR 16 SERVINGS:
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Stir in water, orange
juice, rind, lemon juice, and egg yolks. Bring mixture to a boil over
medium-high heat. Cook until thick (about 2 minutes), stirring constantly.
Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cover and chill at least 1-1/2 hours or up
to 2 days. Stir well before using. Yield: 1 cup.

CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Fluffy White Frosting

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: March 1998 PAGE: 81

INGREDIENTS FOR 16 SERVINGS:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Dash of salt
3 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in top of a double boiler; place egg white
mixture over barely simmering water in bottom of double boiler on cooktop.
Beat at high speed of a hand-held mixer until stiff peaks form and candy
thermometer registers 160 degrees. Add vanilla; beat until blended. Yield: 4
cups.

[Natasha]

Thanks Grace! I will have to give this a try and will definitely let you know how it turns out.

[BeckyM]

I don't know how much help this will be, but a few months ago I tried a CL white cake which I REALLY liked. It was from a couple years ago maybe, but it was called Italian Cream Cake. I think in that particular article, they described it as being their best recipe (or maybe most popular) ever. I don't know if they have it in the recipe search on this website, but maybe someone could post it. (My issues are at home, and I'm at work right now. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif )

[Natasha]

Thanks Becky and Shirley. This does look good!

[Shirley Panek]

Becky, here you go.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Italian Cream Cake

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 20 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : April '97 Baked
Cakes International


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Cooking spray
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light butter
2 large egg yolks
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon butter extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large egg whites (at room temperature)
Lemon rind (optional) -- lemon rind

CREAM CHEESE ICING
1 tablespoon light butter -- chilled
1 (8-ounce) package Neufchâtel cheese -- chilled
1 (1-pound) package powdered sugar -- sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Prepare Cream Cheese Icing; cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 350º.

Coat bottoms of 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray (do not coat sides of pans), and line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray. Dust with flour; set aside.

Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour and baking soda; stir well. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in pecans and extracts.

Beat egg whites at high speed of a mixer until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Fold egg whites into batter; pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350º for 23 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes on a wire rack. Loosen cake layers from sides of pans using a narrow metal spatula; turn out onto wire racks. Peel off wax paper; let cool completely.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate. Spread with 2/3 cup Cream Cheese Icing; top with another cake layer. Repeat with 2/3 cup icing and remaining layer, ending with cake layer. Spread remaining icing over sides and top of cake. Garnish with lemon rind, if desired.

Serving Size: 1 slice

____________________

To Make Cream Cheese Icing

Beat butter and cheese at high speed of a mixer until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and vanilla; beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat, or icing will become runny). Cover and chill.

Yield: 2 2/3 cups

Cuisine:
"Italian"
Source:
"Cooking Light, April 1997, p.121"
Copyright:
"© Cooking Light"
T(Baking Time):
"0:23"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per serving: 326 Calories (kcal); 11g Total Fat; (29% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 54g Carbohydrate; 45mg Cholesterol; 193mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat; 3 Other Carbohydrates

NOTES : In its original form, Italian Cream Cake is infamous for its calories and cholesterol. Our version changed that image but kept the rich taste. In fact, at the time the recipe ran in our November/December 1995 issue, we hailed it as our best cake ever. We replaced the traditional five eggs with two egg yolks and six egg whites, and used 1/2 cup light butter instead of 1 cup butter and shortening. Best of all, this elegant concoction couldn't be simpler to make.
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 222 0 0 0 25045 0 222 397 0 533 801 0 222 947 0 0

[Pat]

The Italian Creme Cake is my favorite, but if you are in a hurry, the following is a great little cake. It comes from a restaurant and I have modified the oil with canola, the evaporated milk with evaporated skim milk, etc. It is a very light cake with a very good flavor. The thing that makes it outstanding the the old-fashioned caramel icing.

* Exported from MasterCook *

The Feed Bag's white cloud cake

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 16 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : dessert

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Cake:
6 egg whites
1 white cake mix
1/2 cup sour cream, light or fat free
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Sprite soft drink
Caramel Icing:
1 pound light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons evaporated skim milk
6 large marshmallows

Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans. Heat oven to 350.

Slowly combine egg whites with cake mix. Add sour cream, oil, flour and Sprite. Stir to combine. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Frost with your favorite icing, if desired, or use the recipe for caramel icing.

For caramel icing; in a heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes by the clock. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallows. Beat just until stiff enough to spread. Overbeating will cause icing to harden.

Source:
"Courier-Journal, 9-16-98"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per serving: 309 Calories (kcal); 11g Total Fat; (30% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 51g Carbohydrate; 4mg Cholesterol; 203mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat; 3 Other Carbohydrates

NOTES : The caramel icing cracks when the cake is cut, but tastes wonderful.

[Mamasue]

Pat,

This cake sounds real good! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif The Italian Cream Cake is delicious and was a big hit when I had the family over. There was not a crumb leftover! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Natasha]

Thanks, Pat! This cake sounds good, and so does that icing! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif
I m going to try to make one of these cakes for my sister either this weekend or next.

[Pat]

I hope you and your sister like it. I have had good reviews whenever I have made it. The nice thing is that the cake is so easy. The icing is not hard, but be careful not to beat it too long or it will harden.

[luv2cook]

Has anyone made these suggested recipes from this old thread? I am looking for a scratch yellow, white or other. I've never made a cake from scratch before - always cheated. I think someone made the cream cake and it was good. What about the white???

[mah]

i have made the first white cake listed with the lemon filling and it is great but be prepared to spend about two to three hours making it...i substituted their frosting for a frosing recipe out of my kitchen-aid manual...this is the best white cake i have ever made and is a keeper

[luv2cook]

mah, why did it take you so long? I looked at the ingredients...doesn't seem that unusual. Am I missing something? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/confused.gif I definitely will nOT make that white fluffy frosting. yuk.

[hlao23]

I've made the white cake a couple of times as well. It's excellent.

It's been several years, but I seem to remember it being time consuming as well. Maybe because I'm not used to making a cake, plus filling, plus frosting from scratch. Sometimes when my workspace starts to get cluttered it seems like something is more time consuming than it really is.