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Our soft and moist Yellow Cake recipe is topped with a simple homemade chocolate frosting. There is a reason why this is a classic, and I promise it tastes better than anything you can get from a box!
Yellow Cake That'll Make You Ditch the Box Forever
Yellow Cake That'll Make You Ditch the Box ForeverEveryone loves a classic yellow cake and it's just too easy and delicious to not make from scratch (especially paired with a homemade chocolate frosting)! This cake is soft, and moist, and uses basic ingredients, plus you know the ingredients are high quality, rather than all the processed junk put into cake mixes. Once you try it, you will never use a box mix again!
I have so many delicious cake recipes for you to try, like Chocolate Cake, Biscoff Cake, Cannoli Cake, Lemon Cake, Chocolate Mousse Cake, or Berry Cake!
Yellow Cake vs White Cake vs Vanilla Cake:
Yellow Cake can often get confused for white cake or vanilla cake. White cake is different because it's made with egg whites only, and sometimes even shortening to keep that white color. Yellow cake gets their name from the pale yellow color from whole eggs and real butter. When someone refers to vanilla cake, it can either be yellow cake or white cake.
How to make a Yellow Cake:
Make Cake Batter: With a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream sugar and butter then mix in oil. Add eggs and yolks one at a time, mixing after each one. Stir in vanilla. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl then alternate adding some flour mixture, then some buttermilk, back and forth until both are added, ending with the flour mixture. Only mix until just combined.
Bake: Separate the batter into two cake pans and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 25-35 minutes. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs when inserted into the center of the cake. Don't over-bake it or it will be dry. Let it cool for a few minutes then flip onto a wire cooling rack.
Chocolate Frosting: Combine melted butter and cocoa powder. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, mix in the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until light and fluffy. It usually takes several minutes of beating the frosting.
Frost and Assemble Cake: Once the cake has cooled completely, place one of the cake rounds on your serving tray then spread a layer of chocolate frosting on top. Place the second cake round on top then frost this easy yellow cake recipe with chocolate frosting on the top and sides. Enjoy!
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The chocolate frosting can me made in advance. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Let it come to room temperature before frosting the cake.
To Freeze: Let the cakes cool completely then wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag for up to one month. Unwrap cakes and frost when frozen then bring to room temperature to serve. The frosting can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
More Cake Recipes:
- German Chocolate Cake
- Peanut Butter Mug Cake
- Tres Leches Cake
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
- Dark Chocolate Cake
- Berry Cake
- Nothing Bundt Cake
- Coconut Cake
- Carrot Cake
- Cinnamon Roll Cake
- Orange Olive Oil Cake
Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Equipment
- Stand Mixer , optional
Ingredients
Yellow Cake:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, (170g), at room temperature
- ¼ cup oil, (50g)
- 2 cups granulated sugar, (400g)
- 3 large eggs, , at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, , at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, (333g)
- 1 cup buttermilk, (227g), at room temperature
Chocolate Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter, (113g), melted
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, (57g)
- 3 cups powdered sugar, (360g)
- 1/3 cup milk, (83g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Yellow Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line two 8 inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl mix sugar and butter for 3 minutes. Add oil and mix again. Add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and mix.
- Stir together baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour in a medium bowl. Alternate adding in some of the flour mixture, stirring to combine and then some of the buttermilk, ending with the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Divide the batter evenly in the pans.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with few moist crumbs. Don't over-bake or the cake will be dry.
- Invert cakes onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting:
- Melt butter, then stir in cocoa powder. Mix in the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla then mix for a few minutes, until frosting is light and fluffy. Once the cake has cooled completely, frost with chocolate frosting.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe May 2019. Updated August 2023 and March 2025.
The cake is delicious, light and moist! I used three 8” cake pans and they all rose to the top of the pan. I made one and a half recipes for the icing so that I would have enough icing for the extra layer (and I like a lot of icing!). This is a great recipe! Thank you!!
Wow and wow!!!! I baked this cake but I added 1 can of cherry pie filling and it turned out amazing. My husband compared it to a cake his mother use to bake for his birthday when he was a boy. He actually shedded a tear while he was eating it. Thank you for sharing this recipe and helping me to give my husband the best birthday present ever…. childhood memories.
Cake was moist, frosting a nice less sweet compliment to the sweet vanilla cake. It did fall, but I also live in high altitude, so I’m chalking it up to that – experienced baker here. Family rated it decently, but asked that I don’t make it again. They prefer the yellow boxes cake mix to this. For our fam, this time it didn’t taste better from scratch.
Cake and frosting turned out great! I make lots of cakes from scratch and never use box mixes because my mother would come back to haunt me. I found this recipe easier than most scratch recipes and I liked that I didn’t have to sift the ingredients. Did the cake and the cupcakes for my grandson’s school birthday celebration, but next time I will Macon is an 8 inch layers because the frost SO good.
What did I do wrong? The cakes stayed raw and soft in the middle but cooked all around the edges. I tried to keep it in longer by increments of 2 mins at a time but it was starting to get brown in the edges. I followed the recipe to a t. I don’t get it, so many people seem to love this recipe but it just didn’t work for me and had to throw out a lot of money’s worth of ingredients.
Ugh, I suffered the same consequences. Husbands birthday cake and it’s a disaster. So disappointing!
I’ve been looking for the “right” yellow cake recipe and I think I just found it. I did make one change with cake flour (3 cups and 4 tablespoons) but it was very moist. Thank you!
I made this for my husbands birthday on Monday and received many compliments especially on the icing. I believe I over cooked the cake possibly because it was very crumbly when you poked your fork for a piece, it wasn’t moist. Not sure what I would need to fix for this to not happen next time, any suggestions?
Can I use a cup of oil instead of the butter?
Yes, it will just slightly alter the flavor and texture.
I made your German Chocolate cake for my son for his birthday. I got so many compliments. Even from no cake lovers. My granddaughter has requested a white cake and she loves my (your recipes) cakes. If I use your yellow cake recipe and use egg whites and clear vanilla will that be the thing to do? She also wants a banana cream filling between the layers. Do you have any recommendations for this. Much appreciated and thank you for your website.
Hello Lauren,
I made this cake for my boss and she loved it!
I already saved the recipe.
Thank you!
Taste is decent, but cake fell within 30 seconds of removing from oven. Not a normal occurrence for me with scratch recipes.
That is just you. Your just bad at it if it fell apart. Jeez. Unlike you, mine turned out perfect. This is great. Totally disagree with Mr Bad Bake and Takes it Out on Everyone.
I’ve had that happen with scratch recipes. If you got a recipe formulated for a different altitude, you’ll need to play with the leavening ingredient (in this case baking powder) until you find what works for your area.
Cause you pulled it too soon.. if you touch the top of a cake and it leaves and impression it’s not done. If it springs back it’s ready to pull..
You should really change your review… There’s nothing wrong with this recipe. And certainly doesn’t deserve a 2 star review because you messed up
OMG!! BEST HOMEMADE YELLOW CAKE RECIPE EVER!! You will not be disappointed.
Yellow Chocolate Cake is Definitely Wonderful