White velvet buttermilk cake is made with buttermilk which has magical qualities when it comes to cakes. It makes it super moist, tender and gives it a little bit of something and its like wow.! It is important that all the room temperature ingredients are room temperature and measured by weight so that the ingredients mix and incorporate correctly.
Place your flour in a stand mixer and sugar, baking powder, baking soda, a dash of salt then combine that using a paddle attachment. Slowly start adding some of the softened butter until the dry ingredients combine with the batter and make something like coarse sand.
You will be using cake flour instead of regular flour because cake flour is made from the inside of the wheat kernel instead of the outside so its way is more tender. Combine your wet ingredients starting with the egg whites, with half of the milk, to the other half, you will add oil and vanilla, make sure you use good high-quality vanilla.
Add the oil and milk and vanilla mixture into the dry ingredients and mix that on medium speed for about two minutes. The batter should be thick, white and fluffy, gently whisk the egg whites and milk mixture then add the remaining milk mixture. Divide the batter into the cake pans about three-quarters of the way full then bake in 335 degrees Fahrenheit oven for about 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool inside the pan then flip it out once baked. The buttercream is made with cooked flour and whipped butter and its very similar to swiss meringue buttercream in that its nit very sweet, it’s very smooth. You should have about a quarter-inch of buttercream in each layer but you can out as much or as little as you like.
Ingredients;
- 12 oz cake flour
- 12 oz granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 5 oz egg whites room temperature
- 4 oz vegetable oil
- 10 oz buttermilk room temperature or slightly warm
- 6 oz butter unsalted and softened
- 2 tsp vanilla
Frosting Ingredients;
- 14 oz granulated sugar
- 3 oz flour
- 16 oz whole milk
- 16 oz unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions;
- Heat oven to 335º F/168º C — 350º F/177º C. I tend to use the lower setting to prevent my cakes from getting too dark on the outside before the inside is done baking.
- Prepare two 8″x2″ (or three 6″) cake pans (with a little leftover batter) with cake goop or preferred pan spray.
- Fill your pans about 3/4 of the way full of batter.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of .a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix 10 seconds to combine.
- Combine 1/2 cup of the milk and the oil together and set aside.
- Combine the remaining milk, egg whites and vanilla together, whisk to break up the eggs and set aside.
- Add your softened butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low until the mixture resembles coarse sand for about 30 seconds.
- Add in your milk/oil mixture and let mix until dry ingredients are moistened and then bump up to medium and let mix for 2 minutes to develop the cake’s structure. If you don’t let your cake mix on this step your cake could collapse.
- Scrape your bowl and then reduce speed to low. Add in your egg white mixture in three batches, letting the batter mix for 15 seconds between additions.
- Scrape down the sides again to make sure everything has incorporated then pour into prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly but the cake has not begun to shrink yet from the sides of the pan.
- Let cakes cool for 10 minutes inside the pan before flipping them out. The cake will shrink a bit and that is normal.
- Flip onto a cooling rack and let cool fully. I chill my cakes before handling or you can wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them to trap moisture in the cake. Thaw on the countertop while still wrapped before frosting.
Frosting Instructions;
- Whisk together your flour and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 2 minutes to toast the flour.
- Slowly add in your milk, whisk to combine and bring your heat to medium-high. Whisk continuously until the mixture is thickened and pudding-like. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool.
- Add your butter to the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk on high until light and fluffy. Slowly add in your cooled flour mixture one spoon at a time as you whip. Incorporating slowly ensures a smooth buttercream.
- Add in your vanilla and salt until everything is creamy and then you can frost your cooled cake.