The Best Yellow Cake Recipe, Homemade from Scratch. A moist, delicious, beautifully textured cake, paired in a classic combination with chocolate frosting.

The Best Yellow Cake Recipe.
A great yellow cake recipe is one of the most searched for among dedicated baking enthusiasts. I’m no different and have been experimenting with different recipes that I’ve found online for years.
For some reason that’s probably stuck in my psyche since childhood, I always envision yellow cake as in an impressive three layers that just looks like one of the simplest but most inviting cakes ever.
It’s part of the reason that I was never quite satisfied with a lot of recipes I’d tried. Many of the firmer textured cakes that were suitable for stacking were too dry.
A couple of the moister recipes were too soft and became too compressed under the weight. In developing this recipe I believe that I have finally struck the proper balance.

The Best Yellow Cake Recipe.
What makes a great yellow cake?
Butter and egg yolks are what gives a good yellow cake it’s colour. The fresher your eggs the better the colour.
If you can buy free range organic eggs, you will see that the colour of the yolks is quite different. They are much more intense than commercially produced eggs from chickens that are raised indoors.
Finally, you should note that although it is shown in 3 layers in the photo, this recipe is written for a two layer cake, baked in 8 inch round pans.
If you want a 3 layer 8 inch cake, multiply the ingredients by 1 1/2. If you want a 3 layer nine inch cake, which is a perfect birthday cake for large parties, double the recipe.

I like to use 50% cocoa dark chocolate chips in my frosting but you can use semi-sweet if you prefer.
Use your favourite fudge frosting on the cake or you can use the silky smooth chocolate buttercream frosting from this recipe or a simpler icing sugar based chocolate frosting found here. Larger cakes will need about 1 1/2 to 2 times times the frosting.
If you love homemade cakes from scratch we have a great selection of soft textured, moist cakes ion our Velvet Cake Collection.
Originally published April 2015
Note:
My son Noah, makes this cake all the time but his favourite is to make these as cupcakes with chocolate frosting. That’s a great idea for parties and get togethers. Everyone loves homemade cupcakes!
In paper lined cupcake pans, thes should take 13-15 minutes to bake at 325 degrees F. Again, always let the toothpick test be your guide.
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The Best Yellow Cake Recipe, Homemade from Scratch
The Best Yellow Cake Recipe, Homemade from Scratch - a moist, delicious, beautifully textured cake, paired in a classic combination with chocolate frosting.
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour, sifted
- 1½ cups cake flour, sifted
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup butter
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract, good quality
- 2 extra large eggs
- 2 extra large egg yolks
- 1½ cups buttermilk, or soured milk
Instructions
- Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Grease and flour 2 eight inch round cake pans and line the bottom with 2 circles of parchment paper.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the sugar, vegetable oil, butter and vanilla. Beat well at high speed with whisk attachment until light and fluffy
- Beat the eggs in one at a time, then beat in the 2 egg yolks.
- Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk.
- I always add dry ingredients in three divisions and liquid ingredients in 2 divisions. It is very important to begin and end the additions with the dry ingredients. Do not over mix the batter. As soon as it has no lumps in the batter, pour into the two prepared 8 inch cake pans.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
NOTE that although it is shown in 3 layers in the photo, this recipe is written for a two layer cake, baked in 8 inch round pans. If you want a 3 layer 8 inch cake, multiply the ingredients by 1 1/2 and if you want a 3 layer nine inch cake (which is a perfect birthday cake for large parties) double the recipe.
NOTE: If you don't have buttermilk and want to use soured milk instead, just add a tablespoon or two of lemon juice or white vinegar to the measuring cup and top up to the 1 1/2 cups mark with regular milk.
Recommended Products
Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.
Nutrition Information
Yield
16Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 303Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 81mgSodium 349mgCarbohydrates 38gFiber 0gSugar 20gProtein 5g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
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Dawn
Monday 2nd of November 2020
I want to make ‘this recipe for a tiered cake, will it hold up under fondant ?
Mary Myers
Monday 14th of September 2020
I made your recipe for best yellow cake and followed the directions but had the cake overflowed in the oven and made a mess. I used 8" pans too. What do you think was the problem? I really think it would have been better to divide the mixture and put into 3 8" pans. Thank you for your response.
Penny Rago
Wednesday 12th of August 2020
I made this yellow cake today and followed the instructions exactly except for 2 things that were important as it turned out. I did not sift either flour and I neglected to notice the instruction in number 6, "Do not over mix the batter."
I mixed the heck out of the batter to make sure all ingredients were well blended, and it was beautiful - just didn't look like cake batter. I baked it in 2 nine inch cake pans, and if I had used 8 inch pans, it would have overflowed. It probably gained volume from my whipping air into it. I baked it at 325 for 45 minutes and took it out when my toothpick came out clean. Anyone who makes my mistake by over-whipping it probably would get a moister cake after 40 minutes. A nine inch layer should cook faster than an eight inch layer which called for 30-35 minutes, but my fluffier batter consistency probably added the time.
It was very good anyway - light, airy, and a little bit dry and not as yellow as I would have liked. My husband and I both loved it - his Birthday Cake. I iced it with the recipe off of the Hershey's 100 % cocoa can. It made plenty of icing and some to spare.
Thanks for the recipe. I will try to do better next time. This is my first scratch yellow cake. Submitted 8-12-2020.
Claire
Thursday 28th of May 2020
I am a pretty good baker but have never sifted my flour. Don't eve own a sifter. Is this necessary?