Soft and buttery with an extra moist crumb, this is the best yellow cake I’ve ever had. After several rounds of recipe testing, I found the secret to the most delicious yellow birthday cake is a combination of cake flour, extra egg yolks, whipped egg whites, and buttermilk. Cover this cake with my rich and creamy chocolate buttercream for the ultimate celebratory birthday cake!
I originally published this recipe in 2020 and have since made a few small changes to the recipe, including a little extra cake flour and baking soda to help prevent the cake from sinking and tasting gummy; and replaced some of the butter with oil, for an extra moist crumb.
This Is the Best Yellow Cake I’ve Ever Had
After zebra cake, 9×13-inch yellow cake, white cake, vanilla cake, and all of the other recipes in between, I’ve been trying to perfect this quintessential layer cake for years on end. I’ve tasted cakes from a box mix and restaurant-quality yellow cakes, bakery cakes and professionals’ homemade variations, and I can honestly say that this is the best yellow cake I’ve ever had.
Using a careful mix of cake flour, fluffy egg whites, extra egg yolks, and buttermilk, as well as starting with a base of creamed butter and sugar plus a touch of oil, this yellow cake is soft and buttery with an extra moist crumb. If cakes could talk, this one would brag.
Why This Recipe Works
This yellow layer cake has undergone many, many rounds of testing, so you can be sure that there are reasons for each and every step and ingredient.
I don’t recommend making any substitutions for this recipe.
If baking could withstand shortcuts, I’d take them, but we don’t want to mess around here. Remember, baking is a science!
Key Ingredients You Need & Why
- Cake Flour: Cake flour is almost 30x finer than all-purpose flour. Using it is a surefire way to achieve a delicate, soft-as-a-pillow texture. All-purpose flour, even when combined with cornstarch to make a cake flour substitute, is simply too heavy for this recipe. You need real cake flour for this yellow cake.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: This balanced combination provides the right amount of lift. It even inspired me to change/improve the leaveners in the 9×13-inch yellow cake, too.
- Butter: You can’t have a buttery yellow cake without real butter! The base of this batter starts with creamed room-temperature butter and sugar.
- Oil: This is a more recent addition to this recipe, and it’s in direct response to some reader reviews. (We appreciate your feedback, always!) To prevent this butter and egg–heavy cake from being overly dense or dry, vegetable oil now takes the place of *some* of the butter. The butter is essential for flavor in a yellow cake, but oil adds moisture and keeps the crumb a bit lighter.
- Extra Egg Yolks: Eggs play a big role in today’s recipe. You need 4 eggs total—2 whole eggs plus an additional 2 egg yolks. This equals 4 egg yolks and 2 egg whites. Additional egg yolks add richness, tenderness, and flavor… plus natural yellow color for this yellow cake! You’ll need to separate 4 eggs, and you’ll have 2 egg whites left over (make an egg white omelette, or here are some recipes using only egg whites).
- Whipped Egg Whites: For the 2 egg whites going into the cake, we need to take them a step further to help fluff up the cake’s structure. After all, this is a butter and egg yolk–heavy cake. Whip the egg whites separately, then fold them in.
- Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar, a dry acid, is whipped egg whites’ best friend. It helps with stability, volume, and keeps the air in the egg whites suspended so they hold shape when mixed into the heavy cake batter.
- Buttermilk: I tried a mix of sour cream and whole milk, but taste testers enjoyed the buttermilk version much, much better. Adding flavor and moisture, buttermilk is used in many baking recipes including this confetti cake. See recipe Note about a DIY buttermilk substitute.
Granulated sugar, salt, and pure vanilla extract round out the ingredient list. Feel free to use vanilla bean paste if you have it.
Let’s Make a Perfect Yellow Cake
Whisk together your dry ingredients, as instructed below. Then, make sure the butter and sugar are properly creamed. If you need a refresher, here is my tutorial on how to cream butter and sugar.
Then add in the remaining wet ingredients (except for the egg whites).
Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar together, then fold them into the cake batter. The cake batter will be thick, but the fluffy egg whites lighten it up.
Divide the batter between two round cake pans. For this recipe, you need 2 9-inch cake pans. Grease them, line with a parchment round, then grease the parchment round. Bake the cakes, and then cool for 1 hour in the pans set on a cooling rack.
Chocolate Frosting for Yellow Birthday Cake
I use my favorite chocolate buttercream but slightly scaled up. Because there is no leavening occurring, you can use either Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder in the buttercream. Heavy cream provides an extra creamy frosting, but milk can be substituted if needed.
This frosting is a little fluffier than the chocolate fudge frosting on the yellow sheet cake. Feel free to swap frostings, or use the the vanilla buttercream from this white cake recipe!
How to Assemble & Frost a Layer Cake
After your cakes are cool, run a knife around the edges of the cake to help release them from the pans.
If your cakes are domed on top, level them after they cool. I use a serrated knife.
To ensure the layer cake is stable, it’s important to apply a crumb coat. A crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting on the exterior of the cake that locks in any loose crumbs and helps stabilize the layers. The edges of today’s cake layers are crumbly, so a crumb cake is especially useful.
If you need more guidance and some handy visuals, here’s my how to assemble a layer cake video.
After you stack the 2 layers with frosting in between, cover the top and sides of the 2-layer cake with a very thin layer of frosting (about 1 cup). If desired, run a bench scraper around the cake to help smooth out the frosting.
Refrigerate the uncovered cake for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour to “set” the crumb coat. Then cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
Yellow Cake Success Tips
- Use Room-Temperature Ingredients: Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. When ingredients are the same temperature, they bind together more readily than if you had some cold and some warmer ingredients. Separating eggs is easier when the eggs are cold, so separate them first, then let them come to room temperature before you begin.
- Prep Your Pans: Grease and line your cake pans with parchment paper rounds, to help the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. If you need recommendations for round cake pans, I really like Fat Daddio’s pans and these Wilton cake pans.
- Apply a Crumb Coat: The edges of this cake can be a bit crumbly, so taking the time to do a crumb coat is extra important!
Other Size Yellow Cakes
This cake batter is best for a 2-layer 9-inch cake (I use and love these 9-inch round cake pans). This recipe yields about 5–6 cups of batter, which is helpful if you need it for different Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions.
Other Sizes:
- 9×13-Inch Cake: You can bake this yellow cake in a 9×13-inch baking pan (bake time will be a bit longer), but I found it tasted on the heavier side. Instead, I recommend my recipe for yellow sheet cake.
- Cupcakes: Here is my favorite yellow cupcakes recipe, which includes directions for mini cupcakes too. Same unbelievable texture as this cake!
- 6-Inch Layer Cake: The yellow cupcakes recipe also makes the right amount of batter for a 3-layer 6-inch cake.
Yellow Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
After years of recipe testing, this is the best yellow cake I’ve ever had. Soft, buttery, and incredibly moist, it’s made with cake flour, whipped egg whites, extra egg yolks, and buttermilk for the ultimate homemade birthday cake. See above for different pan options. For best success, follow this recipe closely and don’t make any ingredient substitutions.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups (285g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)*
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature*
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (75g/80ml) vegetable oil
- 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240g/ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
- 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar*
Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 and 1/2 cups (339g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons (76g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
- 4–6 Tablespoons (60–90g/ml) heavy cream (or half-and-half or milk), at room temperature
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- optional for decoration: sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.) I recommend using nonstick spray for greasing.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the oil and beat for 1 minute until combined. Beat in the egg yolks until incorporated, then beat in the vanilla extract.
- Add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients and 1/2 of the buttermilk and beat on low speed until combined. Add 1/3 more of the dry ingredients and the rest of the buttermilk and beat on low speed until combined. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. The batter will be very thick. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. Set aside.
- In another large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on high speed until fluffy, medium-stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
- Fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter. Work slowly and gently, as you don’t want to deflate the egg whites. Pour/spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake for 27–31 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans set on a cooling rack for 1 hour. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the sides, remove the cakes from the pans, peel off the parchment, and place on the rack to finish cooling. The edges of the cakes can be crumbly; this is normal. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, 4 Tablespoons of heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Do not over-whip. Add 1/4 cup (30g) more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or 1–2 more Tablespoons of cream if frosting is too thick. Taste. Add another pinch of salt if desired.
- Assemble and frost: (For additional help with this step, see this how to assemble a layer cake video & post.) First, using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place one cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Spread about 3/4–1 cup (180–240g) of frosting in an even layer on top. Top with the second cake layer and spread about 1 cup (240g) of buttercream in a very thin layer over the top and sides to make the crumb coat. If desired, run a bench scraper around the cake to help smooth out the frosting on the sides. Refrigerate the cake until the crumb coat has set, about 20 minutes. Finish by spreading the top and sides with the remaining buttercream. Decorate the cake with sprinkles, if desired. For extra neat slices, refrigerate the cake for 30–60 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If the cake has been stored in the refrigerator, let the cake sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to soften up again before serving.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare cake through step 8. Wrap the individual baked and cooled cake layers tightly and keep at room temperature for 1 day or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature (if frozen), then continue with step 9. Frosting can also be made 1 day ahead of time. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Bring frosting to room temperature, then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. Adding a splash of cream or milk will help thin the frosting out, if needed. Frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before serving. See How to Freeze Cakes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack | Cake Turntable | Icing Spatula | Bench Scraper | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Update in 2026: The original recipe called for 1 cup (226g) of butter and no oil. We reduced the butter and added a little oil to lighten the crumb and help prevent the cake from becoming overly dense.
- Cake Flour: Cake flour is key in this recipe. Do not use any cake flour substitutes.
- Eggs: You need 4 egg yolks and 2 egg whites in this cake batter, which means you’ll start with 4 whole eggs and have 2 egg whites leftover for another use. It’s easiest to separate eggs when they’re cold. The eggs must be at room temperature to whip properly, so after you separate the eggs, cover the yolks and egg whites separately and let them sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before beginning the recipe.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY buttermilk substitute by measuring 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring glass. Add enough milk (whole milk is best—lower-fat or nondairy milks work in a pinch, but the cake won’t taste as moist or rich) in the same measuring glass to reach 1 cup. Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The soured milk will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in your recipe.
- Cream of Tartar: This is an important ingredient that helps the egg whites whip into lofty, fluffy peaks and hold their shape when folded into the heavy cake batter. You can skip it if needed and whip the egg whites by themselves, but the cake will be a little denser.
- Amount of Cake Batter: This recipe yields about 5–6 cups of batter, which is helpful if you need it for different Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions. This recipe is too large for two 8-inch round cake pans.
- 9×13-Inch Pan: You can bake this batter in a 9×13-inch baking pan (bake time will be longer, around 30–35 minutes), but we recommend this similar recipe for yellow sheet cake, which uses mostly the same ingredients.
- 3-Layer Cake: You can also prepare this cake as a 3-layer cake. Divide the batter between three 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans and bake for 22–25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The frosting recipe written will be enough for thin layers of frosting; you can double my chocolate buttercream recipe (simply double each ingredient) if you want a lot of frosting.
- Yellow Cupcakes: Here is my favorite yellow cupcakes recipe, which includes directions for mini cupcakes too. Same unbelievable texture as this cake! If you need more than 1 dozen yellow cupcakes, use this yellow cake recipe for between 2–3 dozen and follow the same baking instructions as my yellow cupcakes.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I often make this yellow cake and every time the results are too good. Your recipes are simple, very well explained and at the same time results are always too good.
I’ve just discovered this recipe and I can’t wait to try it today! I’ve never made a cake that I found to be as moist and light as cake mix. The only problem is that in Canada I can’t get the brands of cake flour you reference (6-8% protein). The only option is Robin Hood cake flour, which has a protein content of 10% (like King Arthur cake flour). Has anyone made this successfully with King Arthur or Robin Hood cake flour? Thanks!
Hi Nicole, Either of those brands should be just fine for this cake. Happy baking!
Thank you for the quick reply! I made the cake today and I can confirm that it is also the Best Yellow Cake *I’ve* Ever Had! YUM! I followed the directions to the letter, and it was so light and moist. THANK YOU for the amazing recipe — it will be my go-to for all future birthdays!
I made this recipe the other day, making it into a 4-layer cake filled with dark chocolate ganache and frosted with a vanilla whipped cream. This cake was amazing!! Super moist and not too dense, but not too airy either. Going to be using this recipe for many more cakes to come! Thanks Sally!
You said it – BEST YELLOW CAKE PERIOD!!! The recipe, like all of Sally’s recipes, was very easy to follow but the taste was just outstanding. The moisture of the cake was fantastic – it stuck to the fork perfectly and while was sweet, wasn’t overly so. I was worried that the cakes would be thin because the batter didn’t even half way fill the pans but the cakes rose considerably during baking. Everyone raved about this cake and I can’t wait to make it again!
This cake is amazing!!! I was a bit worried when it came out of the oven because it seemed underdone and dry at the same time, but it ended up being moist with a perfect texture and taste!! I used your vanilla buttercream, which yielded just the right amount plus a little more for decoration for this cake 🙂
This is a fabulous and very versatile recipe. Use cake flour — it really makes a big difference in the lovely texture that results. A great yellow cake by following these directions step by step, and a wonderful recipe to add different flavors instead of vanilla. For our crowd, I only used 1 c sugar in the cake batter since I used a fresh raspberry buttercream frosting (with chocolate ganache) for a special occasion. Thanks for a new addition to the “regular rotation” of fancy cake recipes!
I love everything I bake from your site! So much in fact, I refuse to use any other site. Here’s the problem I experienced with this recipe – the center fell. I followed every step, I’m wondering if because I’m in Denver, CO – I need to start making adjustments for high altitude?
Hi Kat! Thank you so much for making and trusting our recipes. Did you use a toothpick to test for doneness? It’s possible the cake needed just a minute or two longer in the oven. Or, as you mention, altitude could be playing a part. We wish we could help, but we have no experience baking at high altitude. We know some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html Thanks again, Kat!
Good morning Sally!
As I was reading the ingredients for your chocolate icing recipe for this cake, I noticed that you called for using between 3-4 cups confectioners sugar and 3-5 tablespoons heavy cream.
I wanted to know the exact amount of measurements you end up using for both of these ingredients so that I can have the exact accuracy, taste and consistency that you do when you make your chocolate icing.
Hi Jessica! I’m glad to help. Use 3 and 1/2 cups of confectioners’ sugar. Start with 3 Tablespoons of heavy cream, then add more to thin out. I usually add 1 more.
Just finished this recipe with a coconut buttercream frosting I’ve tried many of your recipes I just did the best chocolate chip cookies recipe and they definitely live up to their name!thank you so much for sharing them they’re a hit in my house. – Jamie
I just measured my cake pans and they’re 8.5 inches in diameter. Does the .5 inch make a difference? (Please say no, these are my only cake pans.)
Hi Jess, Your pans will be just fine! Your layers will be very slightly thicker so just use a toothpick to check for doneness as they make take an extra minute in the oven. Happy baking!
This cake turned out terrible I’m sad to say. I followed the recipe exactly but when it baked, it went all over the oven and snake in the middle. It was a disaster. Could it be the elevation? I’m in Denver, Colorado which is above 6000 ft.
Hi Jenny, so sorry you had trouble with this cake! Yes, elevation can change the results of recipes drastically. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
I made this cake yesterday for my son’s birthday and I give it 5 stars. The cake was moist and the flavor was scrumptious. The chocolate buttercream frosting compliments the cake and my son and husband loved it. It’s a definite keeper and I look forward to making it again.
Made this a few times now. Excellent recipe. Recent attempt was gone in 2 days (sadly). The pinch of salt to the chocolate buttercream really elevates the flavor. Thanks!
Is the buttercream supposed to be room temperature as well? Thank you!
I’ve done this as written and it is a marvelous recipe. But, I much prefer a 6” cake so I gave it a shot. This recipe yields the perfect amount of batter to bake in two 6” pans that are 3” tall. Unfortunately, that approach leads to a drier, denser result. I’m gonna try this in four 6” pans one day because I really love how fluffy this batter is and what results in the 9” pan.
Is the structure of this cake strong enough for fondant? He wants yellow cake with chocolate buttercream but wants fondant covering the outside to fit a theme.
Hi Brit, yes, this cake should hold up well under fondant. Enjoy!
I made this cake recipe the other day. The outside of the cake cooked too fast (not burnt) and the inside was super dense. What did I do wrong?
Hi Wells! Thank you so much for giving this cake recipe try! It could be a few things. First, make sure your baking powder and soda are fresh. We find they lose strength after just 3-4 months. Use proper room temperature butter and other room temperature ingredients and be careful not to over-mix your cake batter (a common source of dense cakes). Here’s a helpful article about preventing dense cake that may help as well.
I love this recipe I added an extra egg yolk and made sure the egg whites and tartar were whipped up…but I used 3 6″ pans
This looks delicious! One question: I’m planning to make a two-layer animal cake and would like to use a grass tip to pipe frosting on the outside. Do you think this frosting is right for that purpose? If so, would you recommend I double the amount of frosting to do that type of decoration?
Hi Robbin, We used the grass tip with red tinted frosting for this Elmo cake! You can follow the frosting amounts for that recipe as it does make a bit more. Happy baking!
This was a total fail for me, not sure what I did wrong. The cake was very dry. I made the cake yesterday, wrapped it well and put it in the fridge until today. I frosted it once it was back to room temperature. Could putting it in the fridge overnight completely dry it out?
Hi Kimberley! For best taste and texture, we recommend wrapping the cooled layers up tightly and individually and keeping at room temperature then assembling with frosting the next day. Storing in the fridge can dry the cakes out. Here’s a helpful post on preventing dry cakes as well!
OMG!! This cake was amazing!!! I have never made a cake so light and moist, and the frosting went well with it!! I did have a little issue with the foil tent sticking..and I used nonstick foil too! I won’t tent next time. Otherwise..everything was perfect and detailed instructions were so appreciated!!
Thank you so much! That is the red box that says enriched cake flour bleached? Correct?
Correct!
Thank you so much for this recipe! My cake turned out delicious. I made a pecan praline frosting for it and it was a hit. Question since I’m still new to baking, is it necessary to sift the cake flour for this recipe?
Hi Ashley, we’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Sifting the cake flour is not necessary in this recipe — only when stated. You can read more about this in our How to Properly Measure Baking Ingredients blog post. Hope you find it helpful!
I’m learning, and very impressed with this recipe! My cake came out well, but was still a bit on the heavy side. I was looking for lighter and more moist. What adjustments can I make?
Delicious but mine fell in Indianapolis, IN. There is something wrong since I am not high altitude
The cake could have been delicious, but I used natural unsweetened cocoa powder. The frosting was bitter with use of the natural cocoa powder, and the bitterness overwhelmed the flavor of the cake. I read that the dutch process results in a less bitter result.
Mine looked right when I took it out of the oven, but both layers fell as they cooled. What causes that? I love the taste and should like to know how to correct my mistake.
I tried this twice today, and each time it was collapsed. Could it be altitude? I’m at 5000ft
This is an amazing recipe. I have been baking cakes for family birthdays for 35 years, and today I made the BEST one ever, following your recipe. Wow – what a keeper! Thank you!!
Hello! I am a pretty new baker but have followed your recipes to the T in the past and everything has come out amazingly. This week I need to bake a golden cake for my mother’s 91st birthday. This is only the second birthday cake anyone has made for her from scratch since the days when her mother made her cakes–I finally realized this last year and made her FIRST home-baked cake for the 90th. I’m intrigued by your recipe–but I am hoping to “torte” the 2 layers I bake in order to have 4 layers of cake so I can add 3 different fillings.
The photos of your cake are lovely and appetizing, but looks like maybe the layers are rather thin–is that so? Since I am a newbie, I think I need a wider rather than thinner cake. What do you think? Would it be easy–with your recipe–to torte the layers? I do have one of those cake slicers, so that should help. Thanks in advance for your input!
Hi Susan, You can try using two 8 inch round pans for slightly taller cake layers, and then slice each in half. The bake time will be about the same. Or make the recipe twice (we don’t recommend doubling cake recipes) for four full size layers. We hope your mother enjoys it!