Homemade Yellow Cake
This homemade yellow cake is the perfect cake for a birthday! It has three layers of soft yellow cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting. It is topped with sprinkles.
When I was a kid, yellow cake was the perfect birthday cake! Usually it was box cake mix with canned chocolate frosting, and I would eat it up! So, I made my own cake, that is much better. It is a very soft and fluffy yellow cake. The trick is more fat in the cake! Which is extra egg yolks, sour cream, and buttermilk.
I have tips and tricks and process photos to easily help you make this recipe! If you love vanilla cake, you have to try my mini vanilla cake.
Tips for making the cake
Here are my tips, so yours turns out like this recipe! I also have this post on chocolate cream cheese frosting for more tips.
- Tip 1: Make sure the flour is spooned and leveled. If you stick your measuring cup into the flour, it will compact it. Resulting in a more dry cake. Also, make sure to use cake flour for a more softer cake. You can use all purpose, but it won’t be as soft.
- Tip 2: The butter, oil, and sugar need to beaten on high speed for 2 minutes to get pale and fluffy. Aerating the butter will also help with the texture.
- Tip 3: Make the chocolate cream cheese frosting right before you need it.
Assembling and decorating
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For more cake recipes, try my mini vanilla cake and mini carrot cake.
Make sure to leave a star review if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
Recipe Video
Homemade Yellow Cake
Ingredients
Yellow Cake
- 3 1/2 cups Cake flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup Oil, canola or vegetable
- 1 3/4 cups White granulated sugar
- 3 Large eggs, room temperature
- 2 Egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup Sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup Buttermilk, room temperature
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 cups Powdered sugar, sifted
- 3/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder, dutch process sifted
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- Sprinkles, for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line three 8-inch cake pan with baking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper circles and spray again. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.3 1/2 cups Cake flour, 1 tsp Baking powder, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, 1 tsp Salt
- Using a mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. It will become white in color and fluffy.3/4 cup Unsalted butter, 1/4 cup Oil, 1 3/4 cups White granulated sugar
- Add in the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and sour cream. Mix on medium until combined.3 Large eggs, 2 Egg yolks, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, 1/4 cup Sour cream
- Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk and mix on low speed until just combined. Split the batter evenly between the cake pans.1 cup Buttermilk
- Bake for 26-29 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the cakes sit in the hot pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely before decorating.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together. Set aside.3 cups Powdered sugar, 3/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Using a mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and add the cream cheese. Beat on high for 1 minute.1 1/2 cups Unsalted butter, 8 oz Cream cheese
- Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on low speed. Add in the rest of the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Add in the vanilla and mix on high speed until creamy.1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
Assembly
- Use a serrated knife to cut the domes off the top of the cakes. Place the first cake layer down.
- Spread 1 cup of frosting over the cake. Repeat with the second cake layer. Place the third cake layer with the bottom of the cake facing up.
- Frost the cake in a light layer of frosting and freeze for 15 minutes. Then, frost the rest of the cake. Optional: I used Wilton 6B to pipe decoration on the top. Then top with sprinkles.Sprinkles
Best cake thank you 😊
Hi!
Does the replacement of buttermilk with just regular milk affect this recipe a lot? There is a trouble to find this ingredient. Thanks!
I gave my husband my phone while on Stephanie’s blog and told him to pick anything and I’ll make it; he picked these. I made them into cupcake and halved the frosting recipe and it worked out perfectly. He loved them so much me did a little dance. Now typically I’m not a funfetti cake person but even I really enjoyed them. Will definitely be making the mini cake version for my husbands birthday. Thanks for the recipe
This is the NICEST comment ever. Thank you so much. I am so glad you loved the cake recipe! You should try my cookie dough cupcakes because they are also a funfetti recipe.
This cake was delicious! It was a great size, though I’ll double for an upcoming party. The icing was amazing, and exactly the chocolate frosting I was looking for. My daughter loved it so I’ll be making it for her birthday.