This post contains affiliate links.
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.
Text me new recipe ideas!
Simple, tasty ideas sent once a week. No spam.
Follow Me
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.
This recipe has potential… my cake did not come out as yellow, and I’m uncertain as to why? I would love any tips. Absolutely delicious frosting!
Can I turn these into cupcakes?
Yes, check them around 22 minutes.
Easy to make. I made cupcakes. The frosting was enough for all 22 cupcakes. I had paper liners and used 1/4 cup batter for each. Considering we’re in the middle of shelter in place I was only a little short on the confectioners sugar. The cake part is fluffy and tasty. I used coconut oil and butter. Also used yogurt not buttermilk. I substituted 1/4 the sugar with Swerve. I mixed the batter by hand, frosting with a hand held. I was a little short on the unsweetened cocoa powder and added a little dark chocolate for hot cocoa that I had. Stay safe!
How long did you cook your cupcakes for?
I would say about 12-15 minutes is probably sufficient. So around half of the cooking time for 9in rounds. I made cupcakes as well. Turned out really well. But every oven is different. Just keep an eye on them and test after 12 minutes, baking for a couple minutes longer at a time until done.
I frequently make homemade cakes and this recipe is truly my favorite! My kids loved it more than I expected and I now have to make another one because it disappeared so quickly. Glad I found it. Thanks.
It took much longer than 25 mins to cook, (my oven temp is accurate) I like the old Tried & True method of greasing the pan. I thought the batter could use a little less sugar. Just my opinion.
My first Cake Ever and it was great. Home semi pro bread maker but never made a cake in my life.
It was good but not any better than a store bought box of yellow cake mix. Disappointing for a made from scratch cake but still good. I wouldn’t use this recipe again personally.
The cake and icing were good not great. I followed the recipe carefully and am an experienced baker, my cake did not turn out as yellow in color and flavor as the one pictured here and the icing was good tasting but was hard to make it stick to the cake.
Experieced baker, but your cake didnt turn out right? Makes sense.
“Your neighborhood friend” yet you see the need to make immature, mean and inaccurate comments? Makes sense.
Unfortunately you can’t control the colour…only the farmer can do that 🙂 it comes from egg yolks and butter and that comes down to what the chickens and cows eat.
Crumb coat your thoroughly cooled cake, let “dry” or cool in fridge, then proceed with icing and your frosting will stick.
Just made this cake for my husbands 50th birthday yesterday (since we are isolating due to Covid-19) and didn’t want to order one. It was just okay. Not bad. But not great either. I’m am an experienced baker and have won contests for pies and cakes. This cake was not particularly flavorful, and was very dry and crumbly. Not melt-in-your-mouth moist. Maybe it needs more butter or egg? Nothing to rave about. The chocolate frosting was also just okay. I had to add more vanilla and a couple more tablespoons of cocoa powder (to taste) to make it really rich and delicious, and thank goodness I did bc the frosting overcompensated for the bland cake.
The frosting did have a good consistency and adhered nicely to the cake, spread evenly, and also piped well. Held shape and didn’t melt. There was not enough frosting in the recipe for the cake we made, so I would recommend doing 1.5 times the amount or even doubling the recipe if you like a nice 1/4-1/2 inch layer of frosting on/in your cake. And this dry cake really needed more.
Will prob not make again, or would try to add more egg or butter to make this moist.
The Cake was very good! I followed the frosting recipe and it turned out lumpy. But overall it was okay.
I made this cake following each step and cautions for my husband birthday, it was the best cake I’ve ever made! It is so spongy, moist, when we cut the cake you can the cake bounce back, yeah it was that fluffy! And taste delicious!