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Slice of yellow cake on a plate with a bite taken out with a fork

Best Yellow Cake Recipe

Best Yellow Cake Recipe is ultra rich, moist, tender, and fluffy! Super easy, homemade, and so much better than box mix, this will become your go-to cake recipe for every celebration!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword birthday, yellow cake recipe
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yields: 8 servings
Recipe by Tessa Arias

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups (254 grams) bleached cake flour, measured correctly
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups (350 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup (57 grams) sour cream or plain full fat yogurt, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature
  • 1 Batch Best Chocolate American Buttercream

Directions

Make the cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter, flour, and line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment circles.

  2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

  3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, egg yolks, and the vanilla one at a time, beating well between additions until combined. If the mixture looks separated, just keeping beating until emulsified. Beat in the sour cream until combined.

  4. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the whole milk, beginning and ending with the flour, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.

  5. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes in pans before turning out onto a cooling rack.

Assemble the cake:

  1. Place one cake layer on a cake turntable or cake stand. Spread about a third of the frosting in an even layer all over, pushing it out over the edge just slightly. Place the other cake layer upside-down onto the frosting so that the top of the cake is nice and flat. With an offset spatula, spread the remaining frosting evenly all over the cake, smoothing the edges. Serve or cover and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Let come to room temperature for an hour before serving.

Recipe Notes

This recipe makes 24 cupcakes. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown at the edges and a toothpick comes out clean.