Yellow Cake Recipe with deep vanilla flavor and a tender, buttery crumb that everyone fights over. It fits birthdays, potlucks, and casual dessert cravings, and it takes about 1 hour 15 minutes start to finish. I grew up licking the beaters, and I still do, because baker's perks never expire.
Why You Should Try This Yellow Cake Recipe
This Yellow Cake Recipe delivers bakery-level flavor with simple pantry moves. Butter and oil team up for moisture, while extra yolks give that sunny color and rich taste. You whisk it up without fuss, and the layers bake tall and even.
Tastes like a classic bakery birthday cake, stays moist for days, and slices clean every time ★★★★★
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cake flour 2 1/2 cups or 300 g
- Pantry swap: use all-purpose flour 2 1/2 cups, remove 5 tablespoons, add 5 tablespoons cornstarch, then sift well.
- Baking powder 2 1/2 teaspoons
- Baking soda 1/2 teaspoon
- Fine sea salt 3/4 teaspoon
- Unsalted butter 3/4 cup or 170 g, very soft
- Go with a quality butter for best flavor.
- Neutral oil 1/4 cup
- Canola or grapeseed keep the crumb tender.
- Granulated sugar 1 3/4 cups or 350 g
- Large eggs 4, at room temp
- Large egg yolks 2, at room temp
- Yolks boost color and richness.
- Pure vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
- Vanilla bean paste works great too; I like Nielsen-Massey.
- Buttermilk 1 cup, at room temp
- No buttermilk? Mix 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon white vinegar, rest 5 minutes.
Equipment
- Two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans, at least 2 inches tall
- Parchment rounds
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Large bowls, whisk, rubber spatula
- Kitchen scale and measuring cups
- Cooling racks
- Offset spatula
How to Make Yellow Cake Recipe
Step 1: Prep the pans and oven
Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease the pans, line bottoms with parchment, then grease and flour the parchment and sides. This quick step prevents sticking and keeps edges neat.
Step 2: Mix dry ingredients
Whisk cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Break up any lumps so the batter stays smooth.
Step 3: Cream butter, oil, and sugar
Beat the butter, oil, and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl so everything mixes evenly.
Step 4: Add eggs and yolks
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the yolks. Mix in the vanilla. The batter should look thick and satin-smooth.
Step 5: Alternate dry mix and buttermilk
On low speed, add one third of the dry mix, then half the buttermilk. Repeat, then finish with the last third of dry mix. Mix just until the flour vanishes, then fold by hand to catch any streaks.
Step 6: Pan the batter
Divide the batter evenly between pans. Weigh the pans if you want layers that match. Smooth the tops with an offset spatula.
Step 7: Bake
Bake 25 to 28 minutes for 9-inch pans or 30 to 33 minutes for 8-inch pans. The cakes spring back in the center and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pans once if your oven heats unevenly.
Step 8: Cool and frost
Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes. Turn out onto racks, peel parchment, and cool completely. Frost with chocolate buttercream, vanilla frosting, or dust with powdered sugar if you like low-key charm.
Tips & Tricks
- Bring eggs, buttermilk, and butter to room temp so the batter emulsifies and bakes fluffy.
- Use a scale for flour and sugar to avoid dense cake from extra flour.
- If you see curdling after adding eggs, add a spoonful of dry mix to bring it back together.
- Line pans with parchment to prevent sticking and to keep layers level.
- Avoid overmixing once flour goes in to keep a tender crumb.
- Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil to frosting for an easy-to-spread finish.
- Brush layers with simple syrup if you store them overnight to lock in moisture.
- Bake cupcakes with the same batter at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes.
What to Serve with Yellow Cake Recipe
Pair this homemade yellow cake with classic chocolate frosting for a crowd-pleasing birthday vibe. Fresh berries, whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream add a bright, creamy contrast. I love a slice with coffee in the afternoon and a cold glass of milk after dinner. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on chocolate frosting if you crave a sweet-salty finish.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Wrap unfrosted layers in plastic once cool and keep at room temp up to 24 hours. Refrigerate frosted cake up to 5 days, covered, and let slices sit at room temp 20 minutes before serving. Freeze unfrosted layers up to 3 months or frosted slices up to 2 months, double wrapped, then thaw in the fridge. Warm a chilled slice in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to bring back that fresh-baked softness.
Yellow Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, then grease and flour the parchment and sides.
- In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt until well combined and free of lumps.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the very soft unsalted butter, neutral oil, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then add the egg yolks. Mix in the vanilla extract until the batter looks thick and smooth.
- On low speed, add one third of the dry ingredients, then half of the buttermilk. Repeat with another third of the dry ingredients and the remaining buttermilk, then finish with the last third of the dry ingredients. Mix just until the flour is incorporated, then fold gently by hand to eliminate any streaks.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula.
- Bake for 25 to 28 minutes for 9-inch pans or 30 to 33 minutes for 8-inch pans, until the centers spring back lightly to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto cooling racks, peel off the parchment, and let cool completely before frosting or serving.
Notes
Approximate per serving (1/12 of cake, unfrosted): 340 calories; fat 17 g; saturated fat 8 g; carbohydrates 42 g; fiber 0 g; sugars 27 g; protein 6 g; sodium 260 mg. Values will vary based on exact ingredients, brands, and portion size.