This White Forest cake is a two-layer white sponge filled with homemade cherry compote and finished with a light whipped cream frosting. The semi-naked finish keeps the look simple and elegant, making it ideal for birthdays, holidays, or any special occasion.
Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I’ve been baking for decades and love a straightforward, classic cake. While I enjoy layered, intricate cakes, this White Forest is designed for busy bakers — it’s easy to make and comes together quickly.
This cake borrows the elements of a Black Forest cake — whipped cream and cherries — but uses white cake layers for a lighter look and flavor. Because the cake is finished with whipped cream rather than buttercream, it’s a great option for people who prefer a less sweet frosting.
The deep red cherry filling is eye-catching and seasonal, making this dessert a lovely choice for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any festive gathering.
💗 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Two-layer cake: only two moist, tender sponges to bake and decorate.
- Balanced flavors: lightly sweet whipped cream pairs beautifully with the cherry filling.
- Easy decoration: a semi-naked finish is simple to achieve and looks polished.
💭 What is White Forest cake made of?
This variation on the Black Forest cake features white cake layers, a homemade cherry filling, and whipped cream frosting. The cherry filling is flavored with amaretto (a delicious alternative to the traditional kirsch), which complements the cherries nicely.
🍰 Cake ingredients and substitutions
Scroll to the printable recipe card at the end for ingredient amounts and full directions.
- All-purpose flour — gives structure to the cake. Weighing flour is most accurate; if using cups, use the spoon-and-level method.
- Baking powder — for lift.
- Kosher salt — if using table salt, use half the amount.
- Unsalted butter — room temperature. If only salted butter is available, omit the added salt in the recipe.
- Granulated sugar — for sweetness.
- Vegetable or canola oil — adds extra moisture to the sponge.
- Egg whites — this recipe uses only egg whites to maintain a true white crumb.
- Vanilla extract — enhances flavor in both cake and frosting.
- Sour cream — tenderizes the crumb; full-fat and room temperature are best.
- Buttermilk — contributes tang and tenderness; if needed, make a quick substitute with lemon juice or vinegar and whole milk.
🥣 How to make the white cake
Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare two 8-inch cake pans: butter the pans, line with parchment rounds, butter the parchment, and optionally dust with a little flour. Whisk together the flour and baking powder and set aside.
Cream the butter, kosher salt, and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle until light and fluffy.
With the mixer on low, drizzle in the oil, then increase speed and beat until the mixture is airy and fluffy.
Mix in half of the egg whites, scrape the bowl, then add the remaining egg whites, sour cream, and vanilla. The batter may look slightly curdled — that’s normal.
Alternate additions of the dry flour mixture and buttermilk on low speed until just combined, finishing by folding gently with a spatula to avoid overmixing.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Tap the pans on the counter 2–3 times to release large air bubbles.
Bake 20–25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before assembling.
🍒 Cherry filling and whipped cream frosting
- Cherries — frozen cherries worked best in testing; canned will work, and fresh likely can be used as well.
- Cornstarch — dissolve in the liqueur first to avoid clumping, then use to thicken the filling.
- Amaretto — I use amaretto in place of kirsch; it pairs beautifully with cherries.
- Heavy cream, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar — use very cold heavy whipping cream (minimum 36% fat) for stable, fluffy frosting.
Combine cherries and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir cornstarch into the amaretto until dissolved, add to the cherries, and cook over medium, stirring until thickened (about 5 minutes). Cool completely before using.
To make the frosting, whip the cold heavy cream, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar on medium until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Stop before the cream becomes grainy — you want soft, stable peaks.
💬 Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between White Forest and a vanilla cake?
Although this cake contains vanilla extract, the emphasis is on the cherry filling and whipped cream rather than a pronounced vanilla flavor. The recipe uses only egg whites to keep the crumb very white, unlike many vanilla cakes that use whole eggs.
Can I bake the layers ahead of time?
Yes. Cool the layers completely, double-wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to a few weeks. Thaw before assembling.
Does this cake contain eggs?
Yes, but only egg whites are used in this recipe.
Can I halve this recipe?
Yes. For a single-layer cake, bake the batter in one 8-inch pan and add the whipped cream and cherries on top.
How to assemble and decorate
Ensure the cakes and filling are completely cool before assembling.
Place one cake layer on a stand or board, topside up. Spread about 1 cup of whipped cream over the layer and smooth with an offset spatula. Spoon the cherry filling in, leaving a ½–1 inch border so it won’t spill over.
Place the second layer on top, topside down, then frost the cake thinly with the remaining whipped cream to achieve a semi-naked finish.
If desired, pipe rosettes with the remaining frosting and top with reserved whole cherries and white chocolate curls for a finished look.
👩🏻🍳 Tips for decorating
- Always cool the layers completely before assembling.
- If tops are domed, trim them with a serrated knife for flat layers; save the trimmings for tasting.
- Leave a small border when adding the cherry filling so it stays contained.
- Use a Wilton 1M or similar piping tip for rosettes if you plan to pipe decorations.
- Garnish with white chocolate curls or extra cherries for a pretty finish.
🫙 How to store
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one day. For longer storage, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to five days. You may assemble the cake up to one day before serving.
If you make this White Forest Cake, consider sharing a photo — it’s always a joy to see your creations. Thank you and happy baking!
🍓 More recipes using fruit
- Homemade Raspberry Cake
- Fresh Strawberry Snack Cake
- Berry Crumble Bars
- Cherry Crumble Muffins
If you try this recipe (or any from Two Sugar Bugs), please come back and leave a review and rating. I read every comment and love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Soft and Tender White Forest Cake
This White Forest cake features moist white layers, a homemade cherry filling, and a fluffy whipped cream frosting. The semi-naked finish keeps it light and elegant.
For best results, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
30 minutes
25 minutes
3 hours 30 minutes
4 hours 25 minutes
Ingredients
White cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (250g)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil (30mL)
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream, room temperature (120g)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup buttermilk, room temperature (160mL)
Cherry filling
- 1 ¼ cups frozen cherries* (6 oz/170g)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons amaretto or kirsch liqueur (30mL)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Whipped cream frosting
- 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream (480mL)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar (30g)
Instructions
- White cake: Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare two 8-inch pans with butter and parchment. Whisk flour and baking powder and set aside.
- Cream butter, salt, and sugar until light. With mixer on low, drizzle in oil, then increase speed and beat until fluffy.
- Mix in half the egg whites, then add the remaining whites, sour cream, and vanilla, mixing until combined. Batter may appear slightly curdled.
- On low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk until just combined. Finish folding gently to avoid overmixing.
- Divide batter between pans, tap to release bubbles, and bake 20–25 minutes until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs. Cool in pans 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Cherry filling: Combine cherries and sugar in a small saucepan. Dissolve cornstarch in amaretto, add to cherries, and cook over medium until thickened (about 5 minutes). Cool completely.
- Whipped cream: Whip cold heavy cream with vanilla and confectioners’ sugar until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
- Assemble: Place one cake layer on a board, spread about 1 cup whipped cream, smooth, then add cherry filling leaving a ½–1 inch border. Top with second layer, frost thinly for a semi-naked look, and pipe rosettes or garnish with cherries and white chocolate curls if desired. Chill at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
*I used frozen cherries that were pitted and frozen whole; halved cherries work best for the filling. Fresh cherries should be fine if available. Reserve 6–8 whole cherries for garnish.
If you don’t have buttermilk, mix 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice with milk to measure ⅔ cup and let it come to room temperature.
Layers can be baked and frozen for up to two weeks; wrap each layer twice in plastic and thaw before assembling.
If using salted butter, omit added salt. If using table salt, halve the amount called for.
Serve at room temperature for best flavor. Store at room temperature up to 1 day, or wrapped in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
14
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 418Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 167mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 1gSugar: 25gProtein: 5g
The nutrition information is an estimate and may vary based on brands and portion sizes.
Did you make this recipe?
Please PIN and share a photo on Instagram — it’s always a treat to see your bakes.