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The Best Yellow Cake, square cropped featured image

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.
Course Dessert
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Author Barry C. Parsons

Ingredients

  • cups sifted all purpose flour
  • cups sifted cake flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • tsp baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • cups sugar
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2/3 cup butter
  • 1 tbsp good quality vanilla extract
  • 2 extra large eggs
  • 2 extra large egg yolks
  • cups buttermilk or soured milk

Instructions

  1. Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  2. Grease and flour 2 eight inch round cake pans and line the bottom with 2 circles of parchment paper.
  3. 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
  4. Beat the eggs in one at a time, then beat in the 2 egg yolks.
  5. Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.

Recipe 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.