Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Name: Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups (168g) cake flour, (scoop and level to measure); 1 cup (141g) all-purpose flour, (scoop and level to measure); 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar; 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, (brought to room temperature); 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil; 3 large eggs, (brought to room temperature); 2 large egg yolks, (brought to room temperature); 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 cup (235ml) buttermilk, (brought to room temperature); 1 batch chocolate buttercream frosting,

Published June 24, 2023

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The best homemade Yellow Cake recipe with chocolate frosting – Tender, moist, and satisfyingly sweet, it’s the perfect dessert for birthday parties, holiday gatherings, and every occasion in between!

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

I’m a big fan of making cake recipes from scratch. While box mixes are convenient, you just can’t beat the taste of a dessert that is truly homemade. They’re just so much better!

Soft and amazingly tender, perfectly sweet, deliciously indulgent, this cake is everything you could want in a yellow cake and more. Plus it’s easy to prepare!

Its tantalizing flavor will leave you convinced this homemade cake is the only way to go. No matter the occasion, this moist yellow cake recipe is always a crowd pleaser.

With its homestyle sweet vanilla flavor, paired with that sophisticated rich chocolate flavor atop, it is destined to impress. This cake proves that sometimes it’s the simplest things that are the best!

What is yellow cake flavor?

Despite its golden, yellow appearance, the cake itself has a simple vanilla flavor. It’s yellow color simply comes from the egg yolks in the cake.

You’ll find that yellow cake is most commonly paired with chocolate frosting, creating a marbled flavor effect which balances out the deep chocolate taste with sweet notes of vanilla.

Homemade Yellow Cake Recipe Ingredients

Flour: I use a combination of cake flour and all-purpose flour to create a light, airy texture and a tender crumb. I haven’t tested any gluten-free flour options with this recipe, but please let us know how it goes if you do.
Baking powder and baking soda: When combined, these ingredients allow the batter to rise and become fluffy as it bakes. For the best results, make sure they’re fresh.
Salt
Granulated sugar
Unsalted butter: Allow it to come to room temperature before baking. I don’t recommend microwave softening.
Vegetable oil: Used in combination with the butter, vegetable oil helps enhance the buttery flavor while keeping the cake extra moist.
Eggs and egg yolks: The use of both eggs and egg yolks is crucial to creating the custardy flavor that sets yellow cake apart from other cake recipes.
Buttermilk: Buttermilk: A natural tenderizer, this contributes to the soft, moist texture of the cake while adding a hint of tangy flavor that balances out the sugar and fat. You could sub the buttermilk subsistute here (1 cup minus 1 Tbsp milk mixed with 1 Tbsp lemon juice).
Vanilla extract
Chocolate Buttercream frosting ingredients

Alternative Frosting Options

I’m partial to the melt-in-your-mouth quality of chocolate buttercream frosting, but any frosting you like best can be used! For example, classic buttercream, strawberry buttercream frosting, cream cheese frosting, or salted caramel are all great options.

How to Make the Best Yellow Cake Recipe with Chocolate Frosting:

Heat oven, prepare pans: Preheat the oven, and butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the pans with parchment paper, and butter the parchment as well. Then, lightly dust the pans with flour, and shake out any excess before setting them aside.
Mix the dry ingredients: Sift both flours together in a large mixing bowl. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and whisk to combine.
Blend fats, sugar and eggs: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter and sugar until the mixture is very pale and fluffy. Blend in the vegetable oil. Next, add the eggs one at a time followed by the egg yolks and vanilla.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Add in ⅓ of the flour mixture, mixing just until smooth. Add ½ of the buttermilk, and repeat the process until all of the ingredients have been combined.
Bake: Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans, and place them in the oven until a toothpick can be inserted into the center and comes out clean.
Cool: Set the pans aside on a wire rack to cool slightly. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the cakes, and invert them onto the wire rack to cool completely.
Frost: To make a layer cake, arrange one of the cakes on a cake stand or plate. Spread the frosting on top. Then, carefully place the second cake on top of the icing, and frost the top and down the sides. You can also simply ice the tops of both cakes and enjoy them separately.

Helpful Tips

Measure carefully: The key to success when it comes to baking is measuring the ingredients properly. For the best results, I highly recommend using a food scale. Or, if that is not an option, implement the spoon and level method to prevent errors.
Scrape the edges frequently: As you work, make sure to scrape the edges of the bowls down with a rubber spatula frequently to ensure all of the ingredients are well combined in the batter.
Salted butter: If you only have salted butter on hand you can use that but omit the salt from the recipe.
Use the blend of flours: It can seem odd to use two types of flours but it works well for this cake. If you must you can try the cake flour substitute (of all-purpose flour and cornstarch).
Use an electric hand mixer: If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can still make this yellow cake recipe using a hand mixer instead (it just takes longer to whip butter and sugar). Just be sure to stop even more frequently to scrape down the sides of the bowls.
Use cake strips: For the most level cakes, wrap damp cake strips around the edges of the pans.
Wrap the cakes: I recommend wrapping your cakes with plastic wraps once they have cooled about halfway to room temperature. This helps prevent them from drying out.

How to Store

Transfer leftover yellow cake to an airtight container to prevent it from becoming try.
Store the fridge for up to 4 days.
Let it sit out and come to room temperature to serve.

Can I freeze yellow cake?

Yes, you can freeze yellow cake.
It will keep frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight before serving.

Can I make this in a 13 by 9-inch pan?

This can also be baked in a greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes.

Can I make yellow cake cupcakes?

Yes this batter will work for cupcakes as well.
Place cupcakes liners in a muffin pan and fill 2/3 full.
Bake for about 20 minutes.

What’s the difference between yellow cake and vanilla cake?

Yellow cake is a type of vanilla cake that has a yellow hue because it contains eggs, egg yolks, and butter.
The confusion often stems from white cakes, which are another form of vanilla cake that use only egg whites along with a combination of butter and sometimes shortening to achieve a pure color.
Both have a similar vanilla flavor, with yellow cakes being slightly more buttery.

Can I make this yellow cake recipe without buttermilk?

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can easily create homemade buttermilk in a matter of minutes.
Combine 1 cup minus 1 Tbsp of regular cow’s milk (anything but skim), with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice.
Gently stir the ingredients together, and set them aside to curdle.
Proceed with the yellow cake recipe as normal.

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