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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.
Do you have to use buttermilk can you substitute just regular milk?
Yes you can. You can also use a really simple buttermilk substitute.
Just baking powder No baking soda
Pretty flavoring delicious cake!!
Best yellow cake taste in my life thanks for the sharing
If I’m going to frost my cake a day in advance, do I need to store cake and frosting in the fridge?
You don’t have to, but I do (covered really well).
I would, just so that it will last longer, as cake has dairy and whatnot, it will spoil. Also keeping the cake in the fridge before frosting will ensure that you will be able to frost it better without it crumbling. But do cover it tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Dry cake is awful, and the fridge will take moisture out of your cake quickly. Refridgerate wrapped, after cooling down to room temperature first.
This is one of best yellow cakes I have ever made. It’s straight forward and turns out light and so flavorful. I use less sugar in my recipes, so made this with 1.5 C versus the 2 C. I will use even less sugar next time as it was still overly sweet. I also made my own buttermilk mixture with 1/2 plain yogurt and filled the rest of the C with whole milk. Since the flavor and texture is so good, I’ll do this combo again. I had homemade ganache in the frig so pulled that out to add a spoonful when we sliced it.
I made this for my dad’s birthday and it was was a big hit! The frosting was so good too! I was literally licking the bowl clean. Great job!
WIll be making this for my dads birthday next week as well. Glad to see many confirming comments, know itll turn out well.
Made this recipe last night for my husband’s birthday & it came out great!! The recipe & instructions are very easy to follow. The cake is perfect – so moist & melts in your mouth. It’s definitely now on my favorites list. Love the make-your-own buttermilk tip…I may never buy it again lol. The parchment paper trick is a game changer! Thank you!!!
I used the frosting portion of the recipe to put on top of my yellow cake that I had made using a different recipe. The frosting was to DIE FOR! It was so creamy and spreadable. I added about a 1/4 cup of extra confectioner’s sugar because the frosting was a bit too dark and bitter.
Cake was amazing. I used homemade buttercream icing, but the base was amazing. I’ve been searching for a yellow cake recipe and this one thus far is the best! Definitely making again.
What an easy recipe ! I am so happy I took the time to read through and make my first cake and icing from scratch. No more boxed cake for my family ! Absolutely DELICIOUS !
Just made this recipe and it yielded 7 mini loaves. I added 1/4 cup more milk to the icing and EVERYTHING is perfect!