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a slice of white wine cake on a plate, with the rest of the cake on a stand in the background
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4.64 from 19 votes

White Wine Cake from The Silver Palate

This cake is so unfussy that you won't believe how well it turns out. The wine gives it both a beautiful, tender crumb and a gently elevated flavor. I've included two frosting options, both of which complement this adaptable cake perfectly.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Additional Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours
Course: Cakes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: white wine cake
Calories: 547kcal
Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups (400 grams) sugar
  • 1 cup (237 ml) safflower oil
  • 1 cup (237 ml) dry white wine
  • 2 ½ cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For chocolate frosting

  • 4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter
  • 4 ounces (114 grams) semisweet chocolate
  • ½ cup (120 grams) sour cream
  • 1 cup (114 grams) confectioners sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For coconut frosting

  • 2 cups (480 grams) sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 cups (600 grams) sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 cup (114 grams) confectioners sugar, sifted

Instructions

For the cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
  • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the eggs and sugar for 30 seconds.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and beat for one minute more.
  • Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
  • Bake for about 30 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and the cake has slightly pulled away from the sides of the pan.
  • Cool in pans for five minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.

For the chocolate frosting

  • Chop butter and chocolate into small pieces and place into a large, heatproof mixing bowl. You can set this bowl over a pot with an inch of simmering water to form a double boiler, or place it in the microwave.
  • Heat, stirring frequently, until just melted.
  • Add sour cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
  • Beat with an electric mixer, starting on low and increasing to high once powdered sugar is incorporated, until perfectly smooth and fluffy.
  • Let cool completely before using. Frosting will stiffen up a bit as it sits.

For the coconut frosting

  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sour cream, vanilla, and coconut.
  • Sift in the powdered sugar and stir until well-mixed.

  • Spread half the frosting evenly over the top of each cake layer and stack. Leave sides unfrosted.

Notes

  1. You can make and frost white wine cake in advance. It keeps very well for two to three days in an airtight container at room temperature.
  2. If you prefer, you can bake this recipe in a 10-inch bundt pan. You can keep the oven temperature the same. It will need to bake for longer — start checking at 45 minutes. Cake is done when it is starting to pull away from the edges of the pan and a tester comes out clean.

Nutrition

Calories: 547kcal | Carbohydrates: 66.5g | Protein: 6.2g | Fat: 27.9g | Fiber: 1.4g