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.
Lauren, this tastes exactly like the yellow cake with chocolate frosting that I’ve fondly remembered my mother making when I was a child (and I’m 62 years old). I’ve looked all over and tried many recipes, and this is the ultimate yellow cake. It was easy, delicious, and almost idiot-proof. Please disregard the few negative comments; the directions could not have been followed.
It’s great with a glass of cold milk!
FYI, this isn’t a “this is a great recipe, but I did the following things to make it completely different” type comment. This recipe is perfect.
FYI #2; I live alone, so what I do is: I make the cake and have one slice, put it in a cake safe, put THAT in the refrigerator, then take it out the next day and slice it. Then I put each of those slices in a quart-size freezer bag and put all those freezer bags in the freezer (placed so they don’t get crushed). When I want a slice, I take it out, remove it from the bag, put it on a small plate, and microwave. I’ve forgotten how long it takes to microwave, but not long, 20-40 seconds? (Depends on the microwave as well.) It tastes like it’s fresh out of the oven.
I love all of your recipes. I’m making your slow cooker pot roast while my son is home for Christmas.
THANK YOU!
This cake tastes like eating a sugar cookie, while good in theory it can be a little too much with the frosting. I would reduce the sugar to 1 cup or maybe 1 and a half if I was use a whipped cream frosting and fruit if I made it again.
Good consistency, took about 40 min to cook.
Very delicious! I didn’t follow the frosting recipe but the cake was great! Thank you!
This cake was horrible. I followed exact instructions and the cake did not cook in the middle and as a result it was over cooked on the sides.
Followed the recipe to a T. Not impressed. I will not be making this again. Has a strong flour taste to it. The icing is gritty.
Is there any reason this recipe can’t be doubled?
Do you sift the flour
Most flour from the store is pre-sifted so you don’t need to!
How would I adjust cooking time for 8” pans?
Cooking time will be about the same.
Can you bake this in a rectangular sheet pan? If so, what size?
You could bake it in a 9×13 pan at 350 and check it around 22 minutes.
I live in the Denver CO metro area and it took 28 minutes to bake in a 9×13 buttered/floured pan
I forgot to include this in my prior comment….
I followed your instructions other than cutting the sugar down to 1 1/4 cup (as many comments recommended & my family preference) plus used salted butter instead of unsalted (eliminated the salt to compensate as per your recommendation) and it turned out perfect. I should probably also mention that I dropped the pan onto the counter a few times to eliminate air bubbles and even the batter.
Because of my altitude it took 28 minutes versus 22 in a 9×13 butter/floured pan.
My family was impressed with your cake recipe! (I did use an old family cream cheese buttercream frosting recipe instead tho)
Hi Lauren,
I was just wondering, is that really 2/3rds a cup of cocoa powder? It looks to be much more than that. Did you use dry measuring cup or that for liquids.because it really seems alot
Yes, I use 2/3 cocoa powder for the frosting; measured in a dry measuring cup.
Thanks, appreciate the really quick reply – will be making it for my dads birthday, hope it turns out well