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4.63 from 8 votes
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Yellow Cake

Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Yield: 12 servings
This yellow cake recipe is my take on the classic birthday cake flavor combination. The yellow cake layers have a moist and fluffy texture, and the yellow color comes from adding an additional egg yolk to the batter. The cake is frosted in creamy chocolate buttercream frosting for the perfect touch.

Equipment

Ingredients 

Yellow Cake

  • 2 ½ cup (313 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ tsp (2 tsp) baking powder
  • 1 tsp (1 tsp) salt
  • 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (114 g) unsalted butter room temperature
  • ½ cup (109 g) vegetable oil
  • 3 (3) large eggs room temperature
  • 2 (2) egg yolks room temperature
  • 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk room temperature

Creamy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • ½ cup (90 g) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter room temperature
  • 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar
  • ½ cup (43 g) dark cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
  • ¼ cup (59 ml) heavy cream

Additional Ingredients

  • ½ cup (80 g) colorful sprinkles

Instructions

Yellow Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare three 7-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper circles. 
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the granulated sugar, unsalted butter, and vegetable oil until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
  • Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing in between each addition. (Add ⅓ flour mixture, ½ buttermilk, ⅓ flour mixture, ½ buttermilk, ⅓ flour mixture). Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix the batter until it is smooth.
  • Divide the cake batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake the cake layers for approximately 28 to 30 minutes, until the tops of the cakes bounce back when gently touched. Remove the cake pans from the oven and cool the cake layers for 15 minutes. Remove the cake layers from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Creamy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the semisweet chocolate chips in 15 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the room temperature butter for 5 minutes until it is pale and creamy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Add the remaining half of the powdered sugar and mix well. Add the cooled melted chocolate, dark cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt and continue to mix on low until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl periodically.
  • Drizzle in the heavy cream. Turn the mixer to medium speed and whip the chocolate buttercream frosting for 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy.

Assembling the Yellow Cake

  • Use a serrated knife to level the cake layers. Place one cake layer on a round cake board. Add desired amount of chocolate buttercream frosting to the top of the layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Add the second cake layer, more frosting, and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Add the final cake layer to the top of the cake. Be sure the bottom of the cake layer is facing up.
  • With an offset spatula, add a crumb coat, a thin layer of frosting, to the top and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper to remove excess frosting to smooth the sides. Chill the cake for 20 minutes to firm the frosting.
  • Add a generous layer of the chocolate buttercream to the chilled cake with an offset spatula and use a cake scraper to smooth out the frosting along the sides and top of the cake.
  • Gently press colorful sprinkles along the bottom of the cake. Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip with the remaining chocolate buttercream frosting. Pipe swirls of buttercream around the top edge of the cake to create a border and decorate with additional colorful sprinkles.

Notes

Yellow cake can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Cover any exposed cake with plastic wrap to prevent the cake from drying out. Serve at room temperature.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

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