White Almond Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 1, 15.25 ounce (432 grams) package white cake mix
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1⅓ cups water, room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1½ teaspoons pure almond extract
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 egg whites, room temperature

Frosting

• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 5 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• pinch of salt

Instructions

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 3 round cake pans.
2. Stir together the white cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until well mixed. Pour in the water, sour cream, vegetable oil, almond and vanilla extracts, and egg whites, and beat with an electric mix on low until all the ingredients are mixed and moistened but some lumps still remain.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans, and bake in the preheated oven until the top is a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes-30 minutes. Allow to cool before frosting.

Frosting

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk one cup of milk with 5 tablespoons of flour. Heat over medium until the mixture begins to sputter, whisking constantly. Continue to stir as the mixture thickens. You will know it’s done when it reaches the consistency of thick cake batter (This took only a couple of minutes for me, but it can take longer). Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract, and a pinch of salt, and set aside to cool completely.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or using a hand-held mixer, beat 2 sticks of softened butter (1 cup) with 1¼ cups of granulated sugar until light, fluffy, and white in color, about 3 solid minutes of beating on medium-high speed. You want the sugar to be totally incorporated and dissolved into the butter. If it's a little gritty, don't worry. The sugar will dissolve at the frosting sets.
3. Be sure that the milk/flour mixture has completely cooled, and add it to the butter/sugar mixture. Beat all ingredients for about 1 minute on high-speed, scraping down the bowl halfway, until they are smooth and well blended. The frosting should be as light and fluffy as whipped cream.

Notes

This recipe can be made into cupcakes. Bake for 15 minutes then check for doneness by inserting a a toothpick into the center. It it comes out clean, they're done. If not, add a few additional minutes and try again. Frosting makes just enough for the cake. If you want a lot of frosting, I suggest doubling the recipe. Refrigerate cake if not eating right away then bring to room temperature before eating. It's delicious cold, but room temperature is ideal.

This Recipe adapted from this -->> SITE