Yellow Cake

This Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting is soft, buttery, and incredibly moist with a fine, bakery-style crumb.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword layered cake recipes

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 35

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Calories 1051kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

Yellow Cake

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup neutral-flavored vegetable oil
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
2 tablespoons vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature

Chocolate Frosting

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 cups unsalted butter, slightly softened
4 3/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make The Cake

Prep the pans. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by buttering or spraying the bottoms and sides. Add a circle of parchment to the bottom of each pan, then butter again.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until combined, then increase to high speed and beat until fluffy and lighter in color, about 3–7 minutes depending on your mixer.
Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in the oil, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then increase to high speed and beat until smooth, about 2–3 minutes. If the mixture looks slightly curdled, that’s fine.
Mix the buttermilk and sour cream. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and sour cream until smooth.
Alternate the wet and dry ingredients. With the mixer on low speed, add one-third of the dry ingredients, then half of the sour cream mixture, then another third of the dry ingredients, then the remaining sour cream mixture, and finally the last third of the dry ingredients. Mix after each addition just until nearly combined. Scrape the bowl, then mix for 10–20 seconds more until fully combined. Do not overmix.
Fill the pans. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops.
Bake the cakes. Bake for 35–42 minutes, or until the centers spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Cool the cakes. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool completely in the pans.

Make The Frosting

Melt the chocolate. Add the chocolate and heavy cream to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20–30 seconds, then stir until smooth. If needed, microwave for another 10–15 seconds and stir again. Set aside to cool.
Beat the butter. In a medium-large bowl, beat the butter until creamy and lighter in color.
Add the sugar. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed for about 1 minute, until a crumbly mixture forms.
Finish the frosting. Add the cooled chocolate, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase to high speed and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Assemble the Cake

Layer the cake. Place one cake layer, bottom side down, on a cake plate or stand. Spread about 1/2 cup of frosting over the top.
Add the second layer. Place the second cake layer, top side down, over the frosting.
Frost the cake. Spread frosting over the top, then along the sides, filling the gap between the layers and covering the cake completely.
Finish and decorate. Smooth the frosting, then add a little more to the top and sides to create soft rustic swirls. Sprinkle the top with rainbow jimmies.

Notes

Butter + oil is intentional. Butter brings flavor; oil keeps the cake moist longer.
Extra yolks matter. They give a richer color and softer crumb.
325°F makes a difference. You get even layers and no dry edges.
Stop mixing early. Overmixing = dense cake.
Cool fully before frosting. Warm cake will melt your frosting.

Nutrition