Almond White Wedding Cake: A Step-By-Step Guide

White almond cake, also known as wedding cake, is a light, fluffy, and moist white cake flavoured with pure almond extract. It is typically frosted with a silky buttercream.

The recipe typically includes a white cake mix, flour, sugar, salt, vegetable oil, vanilla, and almond extract. The cake is baked at a low temperature of around 325°F until the top is a light golden brown.

The secret to a moist and dense cake is the addition of sour cream to the batter. The cake is also easily customisable, with some recipes adding in frozen berries, white chocolate, or even champagne.

Ingredients

A white almond wedding cake is a delicious, moist, and dense cake that is perfect for weddings and other special occasions. Here is a list of ingredients that you will need to make this cake:

Cake Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour
• Sugar (granulated or powdered)
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Butter (unsalted or salted)
• Vegetable oil
• Egg whites
• Sour cream
• Milk (whole or 2%)
• Vanilla extract
• Almond extract
• Cream cheese
• Shortening

Optional Ingredients for Cake:

• Corn syrup
• Apple cider vinegar
• Cream of tartar
• Instant Clearjel or vanilla instant pudding mix
• White chocolate chips
• Heavy cream
• White cake mix

Frosting Ingredients:

• Butter (unsalted or salted)
• Powdered sugar
• Cream cheese
• Shortening
• Vanilla extract
• Almond extract
• Heavy cream or whipping cream
• White chocolate chips
• Superfine sugar

Mixing the batter

To make the batter for a white almond wedding cake, you'll need the following ingredients:

• 1 (15.25-ounce) package white cake mix
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup water, room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 4 egg whites, room temperature

Firstly, preheat your oven to 325°F and grease and flour your cake pans. You can use either three round cake pans or one 11x13-inch cake pan.

In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients: the white cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt. Make sure these are well mixed.

Next, add in the wet ingredients: pour in the water, sour cream, vegetable oil, almond and vanilla extracts, and egg whites. Use an electric mixer to beat the mixture on low speed until all the ingredients are combined and moistened. The batter should still have some lumps remaining, and this process should take around 4 minutes.

Once your batter is ready, pour it into your prepared cake pan(s) and bake in the preheated oven. The cake is done when the top is a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. This should take around 25-30 minutes, but keep an eye on it and adjust the timing as needed.

Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

Baking the cake

Preheat your oven to 325°F/165°C. Grease and flour your cake pan(s). For a three-layer cake, use three 8-inch or four 7-inch pans. You can also use a 12x18-inch sheet cake pan or a 11x13-inch cake pan. If you're making cupcakes, line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients: white cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt. You can also add in instant clearjel or vanilla pudding mix at this point if you want an even more moist and stable cake.

In a separate bowl or pitcher, combine the wet ingredients: water or milk, sour cream, vegetable oil, almond extract, and vanilla extract. You can also add egg whites or whole eggs to this mixture.

With a stand mixer or handheld mixer, cream the sugar and butter together until they are light and fluffy. Then, add in the oil and corn syrup (if using) and beat until incorporated.

On low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and wet ingredients to the creamed mixture, a little at a time. Continue mixing until the batter is well blended and smooth, but be careful not to overbeat.

If you're using egg whites, use a clean bowl and a whip attachment to whip them with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Make sure your bowl and beaters are free of grease so that the whites will whip properly.

Carefully fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter, adding half at a time, until the batter is smooth and uniform with no streaks of egg white.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan(s), making sure it is evenly distributed. You can use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly.

Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 18-25 minutes, then turn the oven down to 300°F and bake for an additional 6-8 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. The cake is done when it is a light golden brown and springs back when touched.

Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting. If making a layered cake, wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours or overnight to make it easier to layer and frost.

Making the frosting

For a fluffy and silky buttercream, you will need:

• 1 cup of whole milk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of pure almond extract
• 1 cup of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 and 1/4 cups of granulated sugar

First, whisk the milk with 5 tablespoons of flour in a medium saucepan. Heat this mixture over medium heat until it begins to sputter, whisking constantly. Keep stirring as the mixture thickens. It is ready when it reaches the consistency of thick cake batter. This usually takes a couple of minutes, but depending on your setup, it may take longer.

Once the mixture is ready, stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and a pinch of salt. Set it aside to cool completely.

In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar. You can use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a handheld mixer for this step. Beat the mixture until it is light, fluffy, and white in colour. This should take about 3 solid minutes of beating on medium-high speed. You want the sugar to be totally incorporated and dissolved into the butter. If it is still a little gritty, don't worry—the sugar will dissolve as the frosting sets.

Finally, add the cooled milk mixture to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat all the ingredients for about 1 minute on high speed, scraping down the bowl halfway through. The frosting should be as light and fluffy as whipped cream.

If you want a lot of frosting, you can double the recipe.

Decorating the cake

Frosting

Start by levelling your cake layers with a serrated knife to ensure they are even and easy to stack. If you are making the cake in advance, wrap and freeze the layers until you are ready to decorate. This will make them easier to handle and frost.

For a classic look, a silky buttercream frosting is a perfect choice. You can make a simple buttercream by beating together butter, powdered sugar, and a touch of milk or cream. Flavour it with almond or vanilla extract to enhance the flavour of the cake. If you want a lighter and fluffier frosting, try making a cooked flour frosting. This type of frosting is made by cooking flour and milk together until thick, then cooling and whipping it into butter and sugar. It creates an incredibly smooth and silky texture that pairs beautifully with the almond cake.

Assembly

Once your cake layers are cooled and levelled, it's time to assemble the cake. Place one layer on a cake stand or serving plate and spread a layer of frosting over the top. Repeat with the remaining layers, stacking them on top of each other. Use a thin layer of frosting to cover the entire cake, also known as a crumb coat. This will help create a smooth finish and lock in any crumbs. Chill the cake in the fridge or freezer until the crumb coat is firm to the touch.

Final Decorations

Now it's time for the fun part—adding the final decorations! Using a palette knife or offset spatula, spread a thick layer of frosting over the entire cake, creating a smooth finish. You can leave the cake pure white, or decorate it with sliced almonds pressed into the sides and arranged on top. Fresh flowers or edible sugar paste flowers also make a beautiful addition to a wedding cake. For a more rustic look, try adding some textured buttercream or drizzling ganache over the cake.

Remember, the most important part is to have fun and be creative! This is your chance to make the cake truly unique and personalised.

Frequently asked questions