You'll love this soft, buttery White Wine Cake. It’s lightly sweet, with a tender crumb, a hint of fruitiness, and a glossy white wine glaze. Ready in under an hour and a great way to use up leftover wine!
White Wine Cake is a soft, buttery loaf cake, or sweet bread, made with leftover white wine. It’s lightly sweet, with a tender crumb, a hint of fruitiness, and a thin, glossy white wine glaze.
Think pound cake meets a glass of Chardonnay. Simple to make. Even easier to eat.
White wine in a cake might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of dessert, but let me tell you — this loaf delivers.
The wine gives the cake a tender, moist texture and a subtle depth of flavor that’s hard to pin down but easy to love. It’s not boozy. And it’s not sharp. It’s just... right.
This white wine cake recipe is straightforward, with just a handful of basic ingredients. Butter, sugar, flour, eggs, a splash of vanilla, and white wine. Nothing fancy.
But when it all comes together, the result is a golden, soft-crumbed loaf that holds its shape, slices cleanly, and keeps beautifully for days.
You can serve it as is, dusted with powdered sugar, or drizzle on a simple glaze made from more wine and icing sugar.
It works as a snack, dessert, or even a decadent breakfast treat.
If you’ve got a bottle of white wine open and you’re wondering what to do with that last cup, this is the answer.
If you love unusual cake recipes, then you've got to try Kiwi Cake, Cappuccino Cake, Kale Cake, and Cucumber Cake!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Uses pantry staples plus a bit of wine.
- Ready in under an hour.
- Only needs one bowl and a hand mixer.
- Keeps well for several days.
- Can be frozen.
- A great way to use up leftover white wine.
- Crowd-pleaser without being too sweet.
- Feels a little fancy without being difficult.
- Light glaze adds a bit of shine and sweetness.
- Works for brunch, dessert, or afternoon tea.
What Is White Wine Cake?
White wine cake is a soft, lightly sweetened loaf cake that uses white wine as part of the liquid.
The wine adds moisture, tenderness, and a subtle fruity undertone. You won’t taste alcohol. What you will notice is a bit of complexity that sets it apart from a standard pound cake or vanilla loaf.
Baking with white wine adds acidity and flavor without overwhelming the other ingredients.
Think of it like using buttermilk or sour cream, but with a drier, more floral profile. It’s best to use a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay - though any really will work. A sweet wine will make a sweeter cake so reduce the sugar a little.
Ingredients
- White wine. Use a dry wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Avoid sweet wines or reduce the sugar a little.
- Sugar - just regular granulated for this cake.
- Butter. Softened to room temperature. You can use salted butter but omit the added salt.
- Eggs. Large, at room temp.
- Flour. Standard plain flour works.
- Baking powder - to get a nice rise to your white wine cake.
- Vanilla. For richness.
- Icing sugar. Sift it to avoid lumps in the glaze.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C, and grease an 8-inch loaf pan and line it with baking parchment paper.
Add the softened butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy (approx 4 minutes).
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the wine and vanilla (it may ‘split’ a little, but will come together with the flour).
Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix on low or by hand, until just combined (don’t overbeat it).
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly to the edges.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the white wine cake comes out clean.
Cool in its pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
For the glaze, mix the wine and sugar together to get a thick but runny paste (add a little more wine or sugar if necessary to get the right consistency).
Drizzle over the completely cooled cake. Slice and serve!
Variations
- Swap white wine for rosé.
- Add lemon zest to the batter.
- Add ½ teaspoon almond extract.
- Use sparkling wine for a twist.
- Use orange juice instead of wine (for alcohol-free version).
- Bake in a bundt pan for a different shape.
- Top with candied grapes, or grape compote.
Storage
Room temp: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Wrap tightly in cling film and freeze for up to 2 months.
Glaze after thawing. If freezing, don’t add the glaze until after it’s thawed.
Make ahead: Bake the day before, glaze the day of serving for best texture.
Top tip
- Don’t overmix once the flour is in.
- Room temperature ingredients make a smoother batter.
- If your batter splits after adding wine, don’t panic. It comes back together when you add the flour.
- Check for doneness with a skewer — it should come out clean.
- Let it cool completely before glazing to avoid melting the icing.
Wine Recipes
FAQs
Yes. The alcohol bakes off in the oven. What’s left is flavor, not booze. Don't use the white wine glaze for kids and instead use grape juice or just water.
Dry wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio work best.
Not exactly. It has a fruity, slightly floral note, but it’s not sharp or boozy.
Yes. You can bake it in two loaf pans or one large bundt pan. Adjust baking time.
It's easy! Just double the recipe and bake in 2 x greased 8-inch round cake tins for approx 30 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Can kids eat white wine cake?
Yes, they can. The alcohol in the wine bakes off in the oven, especially at a temperature of 350°F (175°C) over 45 to 55 minutes. What’s left behind is flavor, not alcohol content.
The only trace of wine that remains is in the glaze, but even that is minimal — about a tablespoon for the whole cake. If you're concerned, you can replace the wine in the glaze with lemon juice, milk, or even water to keep it completely alcohol-free.
Does alcohol bake off in wine cake?
Yes, most of the alcohol bakes off during cooking. In this recipe, the cake bakes for 45 to 55 minutes at 350°F (175°C), which is long enough for the majority of alcohol to evaporate.
Studies show that the longer and hotter you cook a dish, the less alcohol remains. For a cake like this, the remaining alcohol is negligible — often less than 5% of the original amount used, spread across the whole cake.
If you're still concerned or want a completely alcohol-free option, you can replace the wine with white grape juice, apple juice, or even buttermilk. The texture will be slightly different, but still very good.
What does white wine do in baking?
White wine in baking adds acidity, moisture, and subtle flavor. The acidity helps tenderize the crumb, giving you a softer, more delicate cake texture. It also balances the sweetness, especially in recipes with glaze or sugar-forward batters.
In this white wine cake, the wine plays a quiet supporting role. You won't get a bold wine taste, but you'll notice a slightly floral, fruity depth that makes the cake feel more complex. It’s similar to how buttermilk or yogurt work in cakes — adding moisture and balance without taking over.
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📖 Recipe
White Wine Cake
Equipment
- 8-inch loaf pan
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature 225g
- 1 cup sugar 200g
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup white wine 180ml
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plain flour 250g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the glaze:
- 1 tablespoon white wine
- ½ cup powdered icing sugar 60g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C, and grease an 8-inch loaf pan and line it with baking parchment paper.
- Add the softened butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy (approx 4 minutes).
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the wine and vanilla (it may ‘split’ a little, but will come together with the flour).
- Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix on low or by hand, until just combined (don’t overbeat it).
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly to the edges.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the white wine cake comes out clean.
- Cool in its pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
- For the glaze, mix the wine and sugar together to get a thick but runny paste (add a little more wine or sugar if necessary to get the right consistency). Drizzle over the completely cooled cake. Slice and serve!
Notes
- Don’t overmix once the flour is in.
- Room temperature ingredients make a smoother batter.
- If your batter splits after adding wine, don’t panic. It comes back together when you add the flour.
- Check for doneness with a skewer — it should come out clean.
- Let it cool completely before glazing to avoid melting the icing.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
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