Have you ever arrived at the cake mix section of the baking aisle only to realize you have no idea which kind of cake you actually want?
When you’re on the hunt for a classic vanilla cake, you’ll likely encounter “Classic White,” “Butter Golden,” “French Vanilla,” and everything in between. So what’s the difference, and which one do you really want as your birthday cake this year? We’re here to help.
To start, note that both white and yellow cakes are vanilla cakes. Subtle differences in the flours and fats determine which cake is better suited for certain frostings (or even certain occasions).
French vanilla cake is also a vanilla cake, but with a more distinct flavor. The “French” part of the name doesn’t signify where the vanilla came from, as it does with Madagascar vanilla or Tahitian vanilla. It actually just refers to the flavor of a vanilla custard (aka the classic French way of making ice cream from cream and egg yolks). French vanilla cake mimics a custard flavor by including egg yolks in the batter, making it a yellow cake.
What’s the difference between yellow cake mix and butter yellow cake mix, you ask? Simply put, butter mixes require butter in the ingredients; yellow cake mixes can use any type of fat, though they typically call for vegetable oil. If you like a buttery flavor, Betty Crocker’s mix is on point.
What is yellow cake?
Yellow cake doesn’t get its golden hue from food dyes, but from the vibrant color of egg yolks. This cake uses whole eggs rather than separated egg whites, which makes the cake rich and tender. The fat in yellow cake is usually solid butter rather than a combo of butter and shortening, which also enhances the sunny shade.
Yellow cakes typically call for all-purpose flour, which gives the batter a thicker, denser structure. The extra fat added from the egg yolks also contributes to the cake’s texture, making it moister and a bit denser than a white cake. Yolks give the cake a mild custard flavor which holds up exceptionally well to chocolate or cream cheese frostings.
Try our: Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck
What is white cake?
Pure white and cloud-like, white cake can be both a sophisticated, layered wedding cake or a perfect blank canvas for a funfetti cake.
Unlike yellow cake, white cake typically uses all egg whites, no yolks. This means less fat and more sponginess. White cake recipes might also call for a combination of butter and shortening to tone down the yellow hue of a pure butter cake.
White cake traditionally calls for cake flour rather than all-purpose, which makes for a thinner batter and a lighter cake. Cake flour is bleached for a pure white color and has a lower protein content, which reduces the amount of gluten that forms inside. Using cake flour, you’ll achieve a good rise from the cake and a very light, fine crumb in the structure.
Credit: Aaron Kirk; Prop Stylist: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Sarah Epperson
Yellow Cake
FAQ
What is the difference between butter cake and regular cake?
What is butter type cake?
Does yellow cake taste different?
Is butter cake the same as pound cake?
What is the difference between a yellow cake and a butter cake?
A quick primer: Yellow cakes get their custard-like flavor and richness from egg yolks, while fluffy white cakes owe their lightness to egg whites, but butter cakes are a whole-egg affair. That distinction puts it squarely between the two styles, with a mellow flavor and light but velvety crumb.
What is yellow cake?
On the opposite side of the coin is yellow cake, which has a golden-yellow hue, thanks to using whole eggs — yolks and whites — and solely butter instead of a combination of shortening and butter. “This creates a golden color that you probably remember proudly wearing some chocolate frosting ,” says Reid.
Is a vanilla cake a yellow cake?
Vanilla is the flavoring in the cake. The cake is yellow because of the eggs in the cake. That being said, not all vanilla cakes are yellow cakes. If you eliminate the egg yolks in the cake and make white cake flavored with vanilla, it too is a vanilla cake. I always make my butter cakes using the “ reverse creaming ” method of mixing.
Are white and yellow cake the same?
This is where things get a little confusing, because you see, both white and yellow cakes are actually vanilla cake.