Few desserts capture the essence of elegance and nostalgia like the White Mountain Layer Cake. This recipe is a stunning marriage of light, fluffy layers and a silky marshmallow buttercream that makes it a showstopper for any occasion.
Whether you’re creating this dessert as a wedding centerpiece, a dinner party finale, or a celebratory treat, this cake delivers a combination of sophistication and simplicity that’s hard to resist.
A Brief History of White Cakes
White cakes have a rich culinary history, dating back to their prominence in the 19th century. With their pristine color and airy texture, these cakes symbolized refinement and were often associated with special celebrations,
The introduction of bleached cake flour, such as Swans Down, made these cakes softer and lighter, while hydrogenated shortening added to their smooth texture. These innovations paved the way for modern white cake recipes to evolve into the dessert masterpieces we enjoy today.
STOP BUYING GREENS: This Machine Grows $1000s Worth Automatically
✓ Set It & Forget It: Fully Automated Growing
✓ From Seed to Harvest in Days - No Experience Needed
✓ Grow Premium Microgreens Worth $50/lb Year-Round
Note: This is an affiliate link and we may earn a small commission if you purchase at no additional cost. This helps keep our website free to use.
The White Mountain Layer Cake takes this tradition a step further. Inspired by historical techniques and modern innovations, it combines the classic lightness of white cake with a unique twist: a hint of coconut oil to elevate its flavor and texture.
Topped with marshmallow buttercream, this dessert strikes the perfect balance between indulgence and nostalgia.
The Secret to a Perfect White Cake
Achieving the perfect texture in this recipe requires a few important considerations:
- Use the Right Flour: Bleached cake flour ensures a soft, fine crumb. Its lower protein content compared to all-purpose flour makes it ideal for delicate desserts like this.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ingredients such as butter, eggs, and buttermilk should be brought to room temperature to ensure a smooth batter and even baking.
- Gentle Mixing: Overmixing the batter can lead to a dense cake. Mix until the ingredients are just combined to maintain the light, airy texture.
The addition of virgin coconut oil in this recipe enhances the richness of the cake while keeping it light. It also subtly amplifies the vanilla and almond extracts, creating a depth of flavor that elevates the entire dessert.
Marshmallow Buttercream: The Star of the Show
No white cake is complete without a luscious frosting, and this marshmallow buttercream is truly something special.
Unlike traditional buttercream,, this recipe combines the richness of butter with the fluffiness of marshmallow creme, resulting in a frosting that’s as light as a cloud.
The marshmallow buttercream pairs perfectly with the cake’s delicate crumb, adding just the right amount of sweetness without overpowering the subtle vanilla and almond notes. For an extra twist, try incorporating a splash of lemon juice or zest to brighten the frosting’s flavor.
Variations & Substitutions
This versatile dessert can be adapted to suit a variety of tastes and dietary needs:
- Apple Cider Spice Cake: Replace the buttermilk with apple cider and add warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to the batter for a cozy, autumn-inspired dessert.
- Gluten-Free Option: Substitute the cake flour with a gluten-free blend of cornstarch, rice flour, tapioca flour, and potato flour. This ensures the cake remains tender and moist.
- Lemon Sunshine Cake: Add a tablespoon of lemon juice and zest to the batter and frosting for a refreshing citrus twist.
These variations allow you to transform the White Mountain Layer Cake into a recipe that’s uniquely your own, making it a versatile centerpiece for countless occasions.
Tips for Success
To ensure your White Mountain Layer Cake turns out beautifully every time, keep these tips in mind:
- Bake Even Layers: Divide the batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops before baking. This helps the layers bake uniformly, reducing the need for trimming later.
- Check for Doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center of the cakes. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the cakes are ready to come out of the oven.
- Cool Completely: Allow the cakes to cool fully before frosting to prevent the buttercream from melting or sliding off.
The Perfect Occasion for This Dessert
This cake is a crowd-pleaser with its classic flavor profile that appeals to a wide range of palates, and its elegant appearance that adds a touch of sophistication to any table.
Pair it with a cup of tea or a glass of champagne for the ultimate indulgence.
The White Mountain Layer Cake isn’t just a recipe—it’s a celebration of timeless baking traditions and modern creativity.With its light, airy layers and rich marshmallow buttercream, this dessert is sure to become a favorite in your repertoire.
White Mountain Layer Cake with Marshmallow Buttercream Recipe
Equipment
- 3 8-by-3-inch anodized aluminum cake pans
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
Ingredients
- Marshmallow Buttercream
- 4 cups bleached cake flour
- 2 sticks unsalted butter pliable but cool (~65°F)
- ⅔ cup virgin coconut oil solid but creamy (~70°F)
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup egg whites from 8 large eggs, (~70°F)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups low-fat cultured buttermilk ~70°F
Instructions
- Preparation: Begin by preparing the Marshmallow Buttercream. While the buttercream cools, adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease three 8-by-3-inch cake pans and line them with parchment paper. If using fewer pans, the remaining batter can rest at room temperature for up to 3 hours.
- Dry Ingredients: Sift the cake flour into a large bowl. If using cup measures, spoon the flour into the measuring cups and level it off before sifting. Set aside.
- Creaming Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, coconut oil, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until moistened. Increase to medium speed and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl halfway through for even mixing.
- Add Egg Whites and Extracts: With the mixer running on medium, add the egg whites one at a time. Then, mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- Incorporating Flour and Buttermilk: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk in three parts, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined after each addition.
- Dividing Batter: Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared pans, about 22 ounces per pan. Smooth the tops with a spatula.
- Baking: Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until the edges are pale golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs. The tops should spring back slightly when touched.
- Cooling: Cool the cakes in their pans for 90 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife and invert onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment paper and let cool completely.
- Assembly: Once cooled, crumb-coat the cakes and frost with Marshmallow Buttercream. Under a cake dome, the frosted cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.