Name a more classic dessert than yellow cake with chocolate frosting? I’ll wait. This yellow cake recipe is light, fluffy and perfectly moist and the chocolate butter cream is decadent, rich and fudgy!
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Name a more classic dessert than yellow cake with chocolate frosting? I’ll wait. This yellow cake recipe is light, fluffy and perfectly moist and the chocolate butter cream is decadent, rich and fudgy!
Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
For me, there is no combination more nostalgic than classic yellow cake. Light, fluffy yellow cake and a rich, fudgy, decadent chocolate buttercream…the combination is simply perfection. Whip this tasty cake up as a classic birthday cake, centerpiece for a holiday, or just because you want cake.
What is the difference between vanilla cake and yellow cake?
Vanilla cake and yellow cake are very similar, but they vary slightly to warrant two different recipes! The main difference between the two is that yellow cake uses extra egg yolks! Both vanilla cake and yellow cake are made with sugar, butter, flour, baking powder, milk, vanilla extract, and eggs, but yellow cake adds in a few extra egg yolks to give the cake its yellow (duh) color! The egg yolks also make the cake a little richer and denser, while vanilla cake is lighter and fluffier!
Both cakes are often paired with similar frosting flavors, such as chocolate or buttercream. Ultimately, the choice between vanilla cake and yellow cake comes down to personal preference and the occasion for which the cake is being made!
This yellow cake recipe calls for all the usual cake suspects: butter, sugar, flour, milk…you know–pantry staples! Luckily you probably have most of these on hand, but it you need to take a trip to the store here’s your list!
Butter
Vegetable Oil
Granulated Sugar
Eggs
Vanilla Extract
Flour
Baking Powder
Salt
Buttermilk
Ingredients for classic chocolate buttercream
You can frost this cake with any frosting your heart desires, but I highly recommend trying it out with this decadent chocolate buttercream. It’s fudgy, decadent, chocolatey and complements the yellow cake beautifully! Here’s what you’ll need to whip it up!
Butter
Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
Corn Syrup
Milk
Powdered Sugar
Salt
Vanilla Extract
Tips for frosting a perfect layer cake every time
Remember that all cake (no matter what it looks like) is perfect because it is delicious, so try not to get too hung up on the presentation. We have decorated our fair share of cakes around here though, so we have some tricks up our sleeves for you!
Freeze your cakes before frosting: Frosting cakes can be a little intimidating if you haven’t done it before, but if you freeze your cake layers beforehand they’ll be much more solid and easy to work with! Let the cakes cool completely and then wrap them in plastic wrap before freezing. You can freeze them for up to 3 months, or just until they’re firm enough to work with!
If you choose not to freeze, be sure that your cakes are COMPLETELY COOL: You certainly do not have to freeze your cakes before frosting them, but if you choose to just let the cakes cool, be sure they are completely cooled before you bring any frosting near them. If your cakes are even slightly warm, the buttercream will melt and you’ll be left with a messy, unstable cake!
Be sure your frosting is a spreadable consistency: Homemade frosting is easy to whip together, but the consistency of it is so crucial when it comes to frosting your cakes! If it’s too wet it doesn’t bind the cakes together enough and it it’s too dry it will be impossible to move around! Be sure to measure your ingredients precisely to make sure you get the right consistency!
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 4 reviews
Name a more classic dessert than yellow cake with chocolate frosting? I’ll wait. This yellow cake recipe is light, fluffy and perfectly moist and the chocolate butter cream is decadent, rich and fudgy!
Name a more classic dessert than yellow cake with chocolate frosting? I’ll wait. This yellow cake recipe is light, fluffy and perfectly moist and the chocolate butter cream is decadent, rich and fudgy!
Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the softened butter and oil together until they become homogenous, about 3 minutes. This will not work if your butter is not completely room temperature!
Slowly add the granulated sugar to the oil and butter, beating on high until the mixture is light and fluffy and turns a very pale yellow, about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs and egg yolks in one at time, scraping down the bowl in between each addition. Add the vanilla extract. Beat the mixture on high for 3 minutes more to incorporate as much air as possible.
In separate bowl sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Alternate mixing in the dry ingredients and the buttermilk in 4 batches, starting with the buttermilk and ending with the dry ingredients. It’s okay if the batter still has a few lumps in it–you don’t want to over mix it.
Split the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes or until the cake is a lightly golden brown and springs back when pressed. This will depend on your oven. Take out of the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.*
Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter for 30 seconds to soften it up. Add the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed gradually increasing to high until glossy and smooth, about 1 minute.
Place the first cake on a cake stand, then top with about a third of the frosting. Top with the second cake and top with another third of the frosting. Frost the edges of cake with remaining frosting. Top with flowers, sprinkles, or whatever your heart desires. Enjoy!
Notes
We like to refrigerate or freeze our cakes before frosting!
Hey Debra! So sorry to hear this didn’t bake up for you. Was your cake raw when you took it out of the oven? Ovens are notoriously inconsistent and if you used a different size or type of pan the bake time can vary. You should always test your cakes for doneness with a butter knife or a toothpick and if it comes out raw then bake it longer!
Hi! New follower here. I made this recipe just yesterday and everyone thought it was AMAZING! Of course, I’m a more cupcake gal so I made these into cupcakes. Still Amazing! The cake was so soft my Nephew even said it was “to moist” (It wasn’t!) Oh, And do NOT get me started on the buttercream. Normally when I have buttercream it is SO sweet and kinda grainy! But this, this one is PERFECT! Now I am so excited to try your other recipes.
Did the ingredients list change? I made this recipe a few weeks ago and absolutely loved it, but when I came back today to make it again, the ingredients list is different than the body of this post. I remember blending butter and oil, using eggs and egg yolks (from five eggs total), and buttermilk in the wet ingredients. Am I looking at the wrong recipe?
It did change! This is the best version, and only vanilla cake recipe I use! I also add 1 tsp almond extract!
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cups buttermilk
Leave a comment and rate this recipe!
Made this go a birthday dinner. Everyone thought it was delicious. I think it was a little dense, more like pound cake but very moist and all enjoyed.
Hi!! If the cake felt dense you might have overmeasured your dry ingredients or overmixed the batter!
i am extremely disappointed in this recipe my cake didn’t cook. my kid got sick from this recipe and threw up everywhere on my cake.
Hey Debra! So sorry to hear this didn’t bake up for you. Was your cake raw when you took it out of the oven? Ovens are notoriously inconsistent and if you used a different size or type of pan the bake time can vary. You should always test your cakes for doneness with a butter knife or a toothpick and if it comes out raw then bake it longer!
My husband loved the cake said the frosting was delicious ! Thank you !
Hi! New follower here. I made this recipe just yesterday and everyone thought it was AMAZING! Of course, I’m a more cupcake gal so I made these into cupcakes. Still Amazing! The cake was so soft my Nephew even said it was “to moist” (It wasn’t!) Oh, And do NOT get me started on the buttercream. Normally when I have buttercream it is SO sweet and kinda grainy! But this, this one is PERFECT! Now I am so excited to try your other recipes.
Did the ingredients list change? I made this recipe a few weeks ago and absolutely loved it, but when I came back today to make it again, the ingredients list is different than the body of this post. I remember blending butter and oil, using eggs and egg yolks (from five eggs total), and buttermilk in the wet ingredients. Am I looking at the wrong recipe?
It did change! This is the best version, and only vanilla cake recipe I use! I also add 1 tsp almond extract!
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cups buttermilk
Hi Meredith! So sorry for any confusion–it should be back to normal now 🙂