The Best Yellow Cake Ever

I don’t throw around the phrase best cake ever lightly, but this might just be the best cake I’ve ever made. It’s impossibly soft, light as a cloud, and somehow manages to be rich and delicate at the same time. The crumb is absolutely dreamy, and every person I’ve served it to has immediately asked for the recipe.

Now let’s talk about the ingredient that sounds a little wild: white wine. Trust me, I was skeptical too. But it works. The wine adds incredible moisture and helps create the most tender texture without making the cake taste like wine. And before you ask—yes, the alcohol bakes out completely, leaving behind nothing but a beautifully soft, flavorful cake.

Ingredients

• 5 large eggs, separated

• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

• 1 cup dry white wine

• ½ cup buttermilk

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• 2½ cups cake flour

• 2½ teaspoons baking powder

• 1¾ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

• Buttercream frosting, for decorating

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare two 8-inch cake pans. Cut parchment circles to fit the bottoms and place them inside the pans. Don’t grease the pans or use cooking spray—trust me, it feels wrong, but it’s right.

2. Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in the bowl of a stand mixer.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla, white wine, and buttermilk until smooth and well combined.

4. Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until soft peaks begin to form. Slowly add the sugar and continue whipping until the mixture is glossy and holds soft, slightly droopy peaks.

5. In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

6. Pour the yolk mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until mostly incorporated.

7. Add the melted, cooled butter and whisk until the batter is smooth.

8. Fold about one-quarter of the whipped egg whites into the batter to lighten it.

9. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined. Don’t worry if you see a few faint streaks—overmixing will knock out all that beautiful air.

10. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.

12. Bake for 33–35 minutes, or until the cakes are lightly golden and the centers spring back when gently touched.
13. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10–15 minutes before carefully loosening the edges. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before frosting.

The secret to this cake’s dreamy texture is the whipped egg whites. Be gentle when folding them in—you want to keep as much air in the batter as possible for that soft, cloud-like crumb. Pair it with a silky vanilla buttercream and you’ll have a cake that’s worthy of every celebration.