I can't make a good scratch white cake, I don't know what I am doing wrong. I tried making a sour cream pound cake today and it didn't turn out, I think it had such a flat flavor, it tastes floury to me, like a biscuit flavor, I have this trouble every time I try to make a white cake. I'm getting so frustrated, because some people are cake snobs and want a cake from scratch, but I personally don't like the taste of scratch cakes, or I should say only white scratch cakes. I make really good carrot cakes, chocolate cakes from scratch, but not white cakes. Does anyone know what I am doing wrong, or maybe I should just stick to doctored mixes, I like the flavor of those. I really like the texture and taste of pound cake mixes, just was hoping to find a scratch cake with the same texture and taste because those mixes are so expensive, like $3.00 a mix, so that would really add up on a wedding cake. If anyone has an idea of what I could be doing wrong, or have a great recipe could you please let me know, thanks so much

There is a recipe in Toba Garrett's book (The Well Decorated Cake) for Yellow cake, that is pretty much white (it does not look yellow). I use that one for white cake, and it it is delicious. It is a scratch cake, and I have used it several times, it always is delicious. I would recommend that one to try, it is easy to make, just follow the recipe. That is, if you're willing to try another.

Oh, and I notice you're in Oregon as well. I live in Salem.

Thanks Luckylurker I have that book, I'll have to give that one a try, getting kind of frustrated and fat trying all of these recipes, even if I don't like them that much, I still eat them, I have always prided myself on being a good baker, just can't find a white cake I like.
Ya I'm from Toledo, its on the coast by Newport, probably 60 miles from you. My sister lives in Salem so we visit quite often, also Salem is the closest place for me to get cake supplies, I like to go to Capt Albert Goodthings, do you ever go there? thanks again for the advice, i'll give it a try.

What other white recipes did you try? I know a major CC favorite is the WBH white cake but I can't get that one to work for me either and I finally gave up on it. However the Rebecca Rather white cake was recommended to me, and it was quite easy to make and was delicious. It will definitely be my "go to" white cake now.

I have never tried the Toba Garrett cake luckylurker mentioned but I have seen that one listed again and again as a great cake. Mmm...taste test?!

I have noticed that most "white" cakes from scratch are drier because they are genoise methods. Which is European style and they like their cakes drier than us in the US. Hope you find one you like.

I like the White Almond Sour Cream Cake (posted on the CC site). I have used it several times and it always comes out delicious.

I have tried the White Almond Sour Cream cake and the person I made it for complained that it was dry! I am not using that anymore. In fact, I am using boxed cakes again and doctoring them up. I have give up on scratch cakes too - except for an excellent carrot cake and Italian Cream cake recipe I got from Emeril.

I use the Whimsical Bakehouse white cake and it turned out great. Just made one last week. It doies have a bit of a smoother "floury" taste. Could it be from the cake flour?

What a pain in the you know what to make!

Don't give up! I understand your frustration because it took me forever to find a white scratch cake that I liked. I started with one recipe and changed the ingredients until it suited my taste. I started with the "a better white scratch cake". If you want a great tasting white scratch cake be sure not to use all purpose flour, only cake flour and use Wedding Bouquet Emulsion. IF you do a search in the forums you will find plenty of threads on this super tasting emulsion... I think it was sugarshack who originally let us in on this secret ingredient of hers...but don't quote me on that one, do not want to make anyone mad, just want you to know it is not my idea, just passing along!

This is a pound cake recipe that I've used in the past.

2 sticks butter
11/2 c. crisco
5 eggs
3 c. flour
3 c. sugar
1 c. milk
1 t. baking powder
1 t. vanilla
1-2 t. flavoring of choice (usually use almond for basic cake)

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour pan(s). Bake for 1 hour, 20 minutes or till it springs back when touched in center. Cool on rack for 10- 15 minutes then remove from pan.

I like this recipe for the versatility. One of my favorites is using cherry flavoring, red coloring, and then adding mini choc. chips to it.

Enjoy!

Oh yeah, I feed a portion of my failed cakes to my dogs!! And I also throw them away since my family started gaining weight with all the cakes....

At least try this one before you give up! I found this on the internet a few years ago and have been using it ever since! I've recently read where people replaced the shortening with butter, either done half and half or replaced completely and had great results. I personally have only ever used the shortening because we like it that way and it tastes great-but I will be trying it with butter one of these days
I've used whole milk, skim milk, skim milk with half and half added, all different kinds of flavorings in place of the vanilla, all-purpose flour, never sifted, etc. and this recipe is ALWAYS good. I've halved the recipe, doubled it, made cupcakes with it, it's my standard yellow, the only one I use besides the Hershey cocoa cake recipe.
I usually bake this in springform pans with the bottom wrapped in tin foil but I've also made it in a 9x13 and 8x11 with a flower nail and still get the same results.

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-5173-4-Simple-Yellow-Cake.html

Thanks everyone, you have given me hope with your ideas, I'll give them a try, I'll start giving these cakes away that I try, instead of eating them, my waistline is expanding, and I need to watch it, but i'm on a quest for a great tasting white cake, at least now I'm figuring out what I am doing wrong. The cakes I tried are usually ones I have found online, allrecipes, paula deans pound cake recipe, they all had great reviews, but they didn't turn out to my tastes, so I will give all your ideas a try, thanks so much

martha stewarts recipe in her new hand book is really good. its not dry at all...very nive recipe.

Here are the prize-winning white scratch cakes from this year's Austin Cake Show.

http://www.allinonebakeshop.com/documents/capconfawardwinningrecipes2007.pdf

Although you did not complain about dryness, I'd like to add that when making white scratch cakes do not expect it to look like a box cake when it is ready. It may not puff up and turn golden. I find that many tend to look "under-cooked."

Here is a chocolate cake recipe that uses oil...it is sooooo good and moist, it is head and shoulders over any cake mix.

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2182-Killer-Chocolate-Cake.html

You could always try making that Italian Cream Cake recipe that you love and just omitting all the things that make it that (coconut and pecans)... I'd think you'd end up with a white you didn't know you already loved