What's The Difference Between Vanilla, White, and Yellow Cake?

 Have you ever reached the cake mix section of the baking aisle and found you had no idea what kind of cake you really wanted?

If you're looking for a classic vanilla cake, you'll likely find classic white, golden butter, French vanilla, and everything in between. So what's the difference and which of these will you be dying to have as your birthday cake this year? We are here to help.

First, keep in mind that both white and yellow cakes are vanilla cakes. Subtle differences in flour and fat determine which cake works best for specific frostings (or even specific occasions).

French vanilla cake is also a vanilla cake, but with a more distinct flavor. The "French" part of the name does not indicate where the vanilla comes from, as it does with Tahitian vanilla. In fact, it only refers to the taste of a crème anglaise (i.e. the classic French way of making ice cream with whipped cream and egg yolk). French vanilla cake mimics the flavor of custard by adding egg yolks to the batter, making it a yellow cake.

How about a plain vanilla cake?

If the cake doesn't specify whether it's white or yellow, check the ingredient list to see if whole eggs or just egg whites are needed. This will give you a better idea of the texture and flavor you can expect from the finished cake.

What is white cake?

Pure white cloud-like cake can make an intricate layered wedding cake or the perfect blank canvas for a funfetti cake.
Unlike yellow cake, white cake typically uses only egg white and no yolk. This means less fat and more chewiness. White cake recipes may also call for a combination of butter and shortening to tone down the yellow tint of a full butter cake.
Traditionally, white cake uses cake flour instead of all-purpose flour, resulting in a thinner crust and lighter cake. Cake flour is bleached to an all-white color and has a lower protein content, which reduces the amount of gluten that forms inside. With cake flour, you get good dough rise and a very light and fine crumb structure.

what is the yellow cake

Yellow cake doesn't get its golden hue from food coloring, but from the bright color of yolk. This cake uses whole eggs instead of separated egg whites, which makes the cake rich and tender. The fat in the yellow cake is usually solid butter and not a combination of butter and shortening, which also adds to the sunny hue.

Yellow cakes generally require all-purpose flour, which gives the batter a thicker, denser texture. The extra fat added from the yolks also adds to the texture of the cake, making it moister and slightly denser than a white cake. The egg yolk gives the cake a mild custard flavor that goes especially well with chocolate or cream cheese frosting.