Soft, buttery, and incredibly moist, this is the ultimate classic yellow cake recipe with a tender, bakery-style crumb. After extensive recipe testing, I discovered the perfect balance comes from cake flour, extra egg yolks, and a blend of sour cream, whole milk, and just a touch of oil for lasting moisture and rich flavor. Finish it with my ultra-fluffy chocolate buttercream for a celebratory birthday cake that disappears fast and has everyone going back for seconds!
Follow along for step-by-step photos, expert tips, and variations.
Why this Yellow Cake Recipe Works
After testing multiple variations—including cake flour vs. all-purpose flour and adjusting butter, oil, etc.—I refined every detail to land on what I truly consider the perfect, ultra-moist, classic yellow cake. Here’s why it’s the best:
Yellow Cake Ingredients
Let’s take a closer look at some key ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
How to MAke Yellow Cake From Scratch
Let’s take a closer look at how to make this recipe with step-by-step photos (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Homemade Yellow Cake Tips
•Measure flour correctly: It’s best to weigh it on a kitchen scale to avoid dense, dry cupcakes. If you don’t have one, then fluff the flour in the container with a spoon to loosen it, then gently spoon it into the measuring cup without packing it down, then level it.
•Use room-temperature ingredients: Eggs, butter, sour cream, and milk must be at room temperature so everything blends smoothly and easily, resulting in a uniform, tender crumb.
•Don’t overmix the batter: Once you add the flour, stop as soon as it’s combined to avoid a dense or tough texture, and give the batter a final few stirs by hand.
•Don’t overbake: Check for doneness at the early end of the cooking window and pull the cake out when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Best Yellow Cake variations
•Sheet Cake: Pour the batter into a greased 9×13-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 30–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
•Cupcakes: Bake in lined muffin tins for 18–22 minutes.
•Finishing: Skip the frosting and dust with powdered sugar, or dress it up with fresh berries, strawberry sauce, caramel, or chocolate ganache.
•Yellow cake with Vanilla Frosting: Use a double batch of my vanilla cream cheese frosting recipe.
•Almond twist: Add ½–1 teaspoon almond extract alongside vanilla.
•Lemon yellow cake: Add 1–2 tablespoons lemon zest for a bright citrus flavor.
•Raspberry or Raspberry Jam: Layer the cakes with fresh raspberries or raspberry jam for a fruity burst.
HOW TO STORE
•Frosted cake: Store covered at room temperature; best enjoyed within 2 days for peak freshness. I love my cake container!
UNFROSTED CAKE LAYERS
•Room temperature: Store tightly wrapped or in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
•Refrigerator: Keeps up to 5 days (bring to room temp before serving for best texture).
•Freezer: Wrap layers tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
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Homemade Yellow Cake
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Ingredients
- 2½ cups/280g cake flour (measured correctly! See Notes)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup full fat sour cream, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 cup 2% or whole milk, room temperature
FROSTING
- 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 24 oz./6 cups / 680g powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup/64g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus a pinch
- 7-8 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
CAKE
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper, or I love these round silicone nonstick baking mats. Lightly grease the pans with nonstick cooking spray. (You may also use two 9-inch cake pans.)
- Dry Ingredients: Whisk the cake flour (measure correctly! See Notes), baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer), beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes (no less!), until very creamy and fluffy, occasionally scraping down the bowl.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Scrape down the bowl. Add the sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract, and beat on medium-high until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in the eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time, blending each fully into the batter before adding the next to prevent an “eggy” taste.
- Alternate Ingredients: With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk (begin and end with dry ingredients). Stop mixing when a few steaks of flour remain, then stir the rest by hand. There should be some small lumps—do not overmix.
- Bake: Divide batter among the prepared cake pans (I use a kitchen scale). Bake at 350°F for 18-24 minutes for 8-inch pans and 25-31 minutes for 9-inch pans, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool: Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate Frosting
- Sift: Sift the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt into a very large mixing bowl, then whisk to combine.
- Cream Butter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until smooth and fluffy, about 60 seconds.
- Combine: With the mixer on low, gradually add the sugar/cocoa mixture to the butter until mostly incorporated, then slowly add the cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Make it Fluffy: Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for a full 2 minutes-no less! If the frosting is too thin, add 1-2 more Tablespoons of powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add 1- 2 more Tablespoons of cream. Taste the frosting and add a pinch more salt if it’s too sweet.
ASSEMBLE AND FROST
- Level Cakes: The cakes must be completely cool before continuing. Using a serrated knife, level the top of each cake.
- Frost: Spread the frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake, and decorate/pipe the top as desired.
- Serve: Time permitting, refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing for prettier, cleaner slices, then let it come to room temperature for serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Measure flour correctly: It’s best to weigh it on a kitchen scale to avoid dense, dry cupcakes. If you don’t have one, then fluff the flour in the container with a spoon to loosen it, then gently spoon it into the measuring cup without packing it down, then level it.
- Use room-temperature ingredients: Eggs, butter, sour cream, and milk must be at room temperature so everything blends smoothly and easily, resulting in a uniform, tender crumb.
- The butter should not be greasy or melty. It should only give slightly when pressed with your finger, AKA 67°F. (Never microwave!)
- The milk and sour cream can be microwaved for 20ish seconds to bring them to room temperature.
- Place eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 10 minutes to quickly bring them to room temperature.
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