Moist White Cake Recipe With Sour Cream: Easy Step-by-Step Guide

Last Updated on January 14, 2023

Today, we’re going to be taking a look at how to make a moist white cake recipe with sour cream from scratch. Flavorful, moist, and light, the sour cream white cake recipe from scratch is ideal for any occasion; especially at a wedding ceremony. Sour cream is perfect for recipes like sponge cakes. In addition to that, sour cream’s creamy texture produces moister baked goods, in comparison to milk. 

Likewise, sour cream is an appropriate alternative for other ingredients, such as ordinary cream and yogurt. Because of that, it has a higher fat content than milk or buttermilk. You can also substitute it with a fat-free type. By doing so, you can taste the minor difference in its flavor. With that, I guarantee you that this moist white cake recipe with sour cream from scratch can be as delicious as any white cake from a fancy bakery.

Jump to Recipe / Print Recipe

What You Will Need: Moist White Cake Recipe With Sour Cream 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt 
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups of cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 5 large egg whites
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Equipment 

• Mixing bowl 
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoon 
• Whisk 
• Rubber spatula 
• Hand or stand mixer
• 8″ Round Cake pans
• Parchment paper
• Wire rack

Cuisinart SM-50BC 5.5-Quart Stand Mixer, Brushed Chrome

Step by Step Instructions: Moist With Cake Recipe With Sour Cream From Scratch

Step 1 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Afterward, grease and line the cake pans.

Step 2

Then, grab a mixing bowl and whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

Step 3 

After that, in a mixing bowl of your hand or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream the butter and beat on medium speed until smooth. Afterward, at a low rate, slowly add the sugar and beat to medium-high speed for two minutes until fluffy. Then, add the vanilla extract, and use a rubber spatula to scrape the excess butter at the bowl’s corners and surface.

Step 4

At low speed, gradually add the egg whites, turn the mixer on high speed, and beat the cake batter for two minutes, or until it is well mixed. After that, beat in the vanilla extract and sour cream. Also, scrape down the sides and up the bowl as often as needed. 

Step 5

Then, in a sequence, alternately add the flour mixture and milk at medium speed. After that, ensure to scrape down the bowl’s sides properly and whisk until the cake batter is thoroughly mixed.

Step 6

Scrape the corners and fold the batter thoroughly before dividing the cake batter into the cake pans.

Step 7

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for twenty-five to thirty minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle has a few moist crumbs stuck to the toothpick. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pans and set it on a wire rack before cutting or frosting. 

Servings and Preparation Time

Tips and Tricks to Make Sour Cream White Cake Recipe

Essentially, make sure to use egg whites to achieve that perfect white cake; it also cuts down the fat you get from the yellow yolk. In addition to that, sour cream is the secret ingredient that gives the taste and texture. Likewise, it keeps the cake moist. If sour cream is unavailable, you can use buttermilk, although it will not be as light. 

Furthermore, you can store the unfrosted cake in the fridge for seven days, or you can frost your cake and leave it in the refrigerator for about three to four days. You can also save the leftover cake in a freezer for about two months and when needed, thaw it overnight in the fridge. 

Moreover, ensure to cream the sugar and butter together correctly. Likewise, make sure that all the ingredients are similar in temperature; especially the cake flour, egg whites, and sour cream. Doing this results in an exceedingly light cake, with delectable buttery and vanilla flavors. 

In addition to that, select the kind of sour cream based on your desired outcome, especially its texture. For example, if you search for lower calories and fat, use the non-fat type of sour cream. On the other hand, use a full-fat sour cream if you want a moister and creamier baked good. Moreover, keep in mind that two tablespoons of ordinary sour cream have approximately sixty calories. On the contrary, fat-free sour cream has twenty-five calories, and low-fat sour cream provides forty calories.

How Much Sour Cream to Make Cake Moist?

Typically, you can add around 1/2-1 cup of sour cream per cake to help make your cake moister. As sour cream has quite a unique flavor, you may not want to add too much as the flavor can be quite overwhelming. However, one cup of sour cream is perfect for making your cake moist and tender.

Can I Put Sour Cream in a Box of Cake Mix?

Absolutely! Sour cream is often seen as the secret ingredient to making your box cake mix taste as though you’ve made it from scratch. As well as making your cake taste more homemade, it ensures that your finished cake will be moist and creamy. Whenever I use a box cake mix, I always add a cup of sour cream to enhance my bakes to the next level.

What Does Adding Sour Cream To Cake Mix Do?

The best thing about adding sour cream to your cake mix is that it adds moisture without making your batter incredibly thin. You don’t want your cake batter to be too thin, so it can be tricky when adding any kind of liquid to the cake mix. This is why sour cream is the ideal choice. It doesn’t thin out your batter but keeps the final bake moist. As well as adding moisture, it also adds an extra level of flavor, as well as meaning your cake will be tender and light. When it comes to baking cakes, sour cream is a key secret ingredient.

Are There Any Substitutes for Sour Cream?

So now we know that sour cream helps to keep our cakes light and moist. However, you may not want to use sour cream in your baking. If this is the case, there are a few substitutes you can use instead, which will help to achieve the same result. Let’s take a closer look.

• Plain yogurt. Whether regular or Greek, this is the closest in texture and taste to sour cream. It gives the same result and you can simply swap out one cup of sour cream, for one cup of yogurt.
• Cream cheese. Add a small amount of milk to your cream cheese to thin it out, and add a splash of lemon juice. Again, you can substitute this 1:1 in any recipe, in place of sour cream. The taste of cream cheese is far milder, so it’s a great choice if you don’t like the taste of sour cream.
• Buttermilk. Buttermilk has a very similar taste to sour cream (if you’re looking for that tang!), but the consistency is very different. If your recipe calls for one cup of sour cream, try replacing it with 1/2 cup of buttermilk.

How Do I Make Cake Moister?

From start to finish, there are many ways besides sour cream to help make and keep your cakes moist. Here are some of my top suggestions.

1. Using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour.
2. Soaking the baked cake in simple syrup.
3. Frosting and layering the cake with fillings and toppings such as jam, jelly, frosting, and icing.
4. Try not to overmix your batter. Mix ingredients until just combined.
5. Keep a watchful eye on your cake when baking so that it doesn’t overbake and dry out.
6. Storing your cake correctly (in a cool, dry place or refrigerator in an airtight container) can mean it’ll stay moister, for longer.

Conclusion

I hope this post has helped you to become more familiar with a moist white cake recipe with sour cream. Do you have any tips and tricks when it comes to a moist white cake recipe with sour cream? If so, please feel free to let me know in the comments below. Sharing is caring!