Irresistible Heavenly White Snack Cake is a soft, buttery vanilla cake studded with white chocolate chips and baked in a 9×13-inch pan. It takes 10 minutes to mix, bakes in 25 to 30 minutes and cuts into 12 squares, so it is an easy everyday cake for lunchboxes, coffee breaks and bake sales.
How to make heavenly white snack cake: Beat softened butter and sugar until fluffy, beat in the eggs one at a time and add vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt, fold in white chocolate chips, spread the batter in a greased 9×13-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- Eight ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder, salt and white chocolate chips.
- Ten minutes of prep: one bowl for the batter, one for the dry ingredients.
- No frosting needed: the white chocolate chips make it sweet enough on its own.
- Easy to share: 12 neat squares straight from the pan.
Ingredient Notes
Butter: One cup of unsalted butter, softened but not melted. Creamed with the sugar, it traps air that makes the cake light. Melted butter makes a flat, greasy cake.
Eggs: Four large eggs give the cake its structure and rise, since there is no milk in the batter. Use them at room temperature so they blend into the butter smoothly.
Flour and baking powder: Two cups of all-purpose flour with half a teaspoon of baking powder. Spoon the flour into the cup and level it; packed flour makes the cake dry.
White chocolate chips: One cup. They stay in soft little pockets through the cake. I toss them with a spoonful of the flour mixture first, so they stay spread through the batter.
Vanilla and salt: A teaspoon of vanilla for flavor and a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness of the white chocolate.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
How to Make Heavenly White Snack Cake
1. Prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
2. Cream. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
4. Add the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add them to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
5. Add the chips. Gently fold in the white chocolate chips.
6. Bake. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving.
What Kind of Cake Is This?
There is no milk or buttermilk in this batter, so it is closer to a pound cake or a blondie than to a fluffy birthday cake. The butter, sugar and eggs do all the work: creaming gives it lift, the eggs set it, and the small amount of baking powder keeps it tender.
The result is a snack cake with a fine, buttery crumb and a slightly golden top and edges. It is sturdy enough to cut into clean squares and pack in a lunchbox, but still soft and rich, especially around the pockets of white chocolate.
Because the batter is thick, spread it evenly with an offset spatula, pushing it right into the corners of the pan so the squares bake at the same rate.
How to Keep It Soft and Moist
Cream the butter and sugar properly. Two to three minutes on medium speed turns the mixture pale and fluffy; that air is what keeps the cake light.
Mix only until the flour disappears. Overmixing after the flour goes in makes the cake tough and dense.
Do not overbake. Start checking at 25 minutes; the cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean and the edges are just golden. I pull it as soon as the center springs back, because the cake keeps cooking a little as it cools in the hot pan.
Tips for Success
Why did my chips sink?
They were heavier than the batter could hold. Toss them in a spoonful of the flour mixture before folding them in.
Why is my cake dry?
It baked too long or the flour was packed into the cup. Measure the flour loosely and check the cake early.
Why is it greasy?
The butter was melted or too warm. It should be soft enough to press with a finger but still hold its shape.
Variations
- White chocolate drizzle: drizzle melted white chocolate over the cooled cake.
- Almond: add a little almond extract with the vanilla.
- Berries: fold in fresh raspberries or blueberries with the chips.
- Frosted: spread vanilla buttercream over the cooled cake for a birthday version.
Storage
Keep the cake covered at room temperature. For longer storage, wrap squares tightly and freeze them, then thaw at room temperature.
What to Serve With It
Serve squares with coffee or tea, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh berries. For more white chocolate treats, try white chocolate lemon truffles, and for a special occasion, white almond wedding cake. For more easy pan cakes, there is Texas sheet cake, blueberry sheet cake, Kentucky butter cake and old-fashioned Southern tea cakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a heavenly white snack cake?
A simple buttery vanilla cake with white chocolate chips, baked in a 9×13-inch pan and cut into squares. It is served plain, without frosting.
Can I use a cake mix?
This recipe is made from scratch, but you can fold white chocolate chips into a white cake mix batter and bake it in a 9×13-inch pan as the box directs.
Can I bake it in a smaller pan?
Yes, but the cake will be thicker and need more time. Check it with a toothpick and bake until it comes out clean.
Final Notes
Cream the butter and sugar well and pull the cake as soon as the toothpick comes out clean. If you have a question or make it, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Irresistible Heavenly White Snack Cake
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Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Gently fold in the white chocolate chips.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
