This 9×13-inch yellow birthday cake with chocolate frosting is a perennial party favorite. Easy to make from basic ingredients, it’s soft, tender, and perfectly moist. This buttery yellow sheet cake doesn’t require any special assembly, piping tips, or decorating skills. Top it with rich and creamy chocolate fudge frosting, your favorite sprinkles, and don’t forget the birthday candles!
I originally published this recipe in 2019 and have since updated it with new photos and additional success tips.
There are plenty of reasons to bake a layer cake, but sometimes all you need is a simple cake that feeds a crowd, travels well, and is easy to decorate. This classic yellow birthday cake baked in a 9×13-inch pan is exactly that. It’s plush and buttery with a rich vanilla flavor, an incredibly tender crumb, and a thick layer of creamy chocolate fudge frosting on top.
This is the classic birthday cake everyone recognizes and loves. It’s easy enough for beginner bakers, sturdy enough to transport to parties and potlucks, and just as welcome at a weeknight family dinner as it is at a birthday celebration. Add a handful of colorful sprinkles, light the candles, and you’ve got a cake that’s always worthy of a celebration!
If you’re looking for a reliable homemade birthday cake that tastes just as delicious as this yellow layer cake but is easier to make, this recipe deserves a permanent spot in your recipe collection.
Why You’ll Love This Yellow Birthday Cake
Every baker needs a dependable 9×13-inch cake recipe, and this one checks all the boxes. This cake is:
- Soft, fluffy, and extra buttery
- Rich with real vanilla flavor
- Easy enough for beginner bakers
- Perfect for birthdays, parties, and celebrations
- Frosted with a thick layer of silky chocolate fudge frosting
- Simple to decorate with sprinkles, piped borders, or writing icing
It’s the kind of cake that’s nostalgic in the best way—a homemade version of the classic yellow birthday cake many of us grew up eating. You know the super moist cakes that stick to your fork? That’s what this is!
Key Ingredients You Need & Why
After plenty of recipe testing, I landed on a simple combination of basic ingredients that yield a tender and flavorful yellow cake.
- Cake Flour: Cake flour gives this cake its fluffy, delicate crumb. Its lower protein content creates a finer texture than all-purpose flour, making each slice exceptionally tender. If you don’t have cake flour, you can use this DIY cake flour substitute.
- Unsalted Butter: Like vanilla cake, creamed butter and sugar is the base of this yellow sheet cake. There’s simply no other way to achieve the same soft, buttery crumb. Make sure you are using proper room-temperature butter. And if you’re just starting out your baking journey, I have a video tutorial on how to cream butter and sugar.
- Eggs: My layered yellow cake uses whole eggs, plus additional egg yolks. In that recipe, I also whip egg whites into peaks before folding into the cake batter. Layer cakes require a little more finesse because you’re stacking the layers, filling them, and gently pressing them together. I don’t find either addition (extra egg yolks and whipped egg whites) necessary in the 1-layer 9×13-inch pan version.
- Sour Cream:Â Full-fat sour cream adds necessary moisture, which promises a tender cake crumb. Plain yogurt works as a substitute if needed.
- Whole Milk: Liquid is key in most cakes because it thins out the batter. You can use nondairy or lower-fat milks in a pinch, but the cake’s texture won’t be as rich or moist.
You also need sugar, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and salt.
I use the same ingredients in my yellow cupcakes, too.
The batter comes together quickly with an electric mixer and just a couple of bowls. If you need a recommendation for a 9×13-inch pan, I like this metal 9×13-inch pan or this metal 9×13-inch pan.
Because it’s baked in a 9×13-inch pan, decorating is quick and beginner-friendly—no stacking or crumb coating required.
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Check out this glossy chocolate fudge frosting! It’s the same frosting I use for my piñata cake. (Another cake that’s perfect for a birthday celebration.)
It’s silky, creamy, deeply chocolatey, and spreads beautifully across the cake. The frosting pipes well if you’d like to add a border or decorative swirls, but it’s just as pretty simply spread on with an offset spatula.
A little corn syrup gives this fudge frosting its glossy sheen, but you can leave it out if you’d like.
Finish with plenty of rainbow sprinkles for the ultimate classic birthday cake!
The Many Benefits of Sheet Cakes
I love sheet cakes because they feed a large crowd, bake up fast, and cool pretty quickly. There’s no assembly required or special decorating techniques needed. They’re also easy to transport, so you don’t have the same worries about a layer cake falling over while in transit!
If sheet cakes are your preference too, try this cookies and cream cake, apple cake, zucchini cake, or funfetti sheet cake next.
Yes. Bake the cake up to one day in advance or freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 3 months.
Cake flour produces a softer, finer crumb than all-purpose flour, giving this cake its classic bakery-style texture. If needed, you can use a homemade cake flour substitute, but the crumb won’t be quite as delicate.
Absolutely. Vanilla buttercream, classic chocolate buttercream, strawberry buttercream, or whipped chocolate ganache would all pair beautifully with this cake.
Insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, the cake is finished baking.
Yellow Birthday Cake Tools
9×13-inch Baking Pan with Lid
Measuring Cups & Spoons
9×13-Inch Yellow Birthday Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This 9×13-inch yellow birthday cake is soft, buttery, and topped with rich chocolate fudge frosting. Made from basic ingredients and easy to decorate, it’s the perfect homemade cake for birthdays, parties, and celebrations.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups (266g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (160g) sour cream, at room temperature*
- 1 cup (240g/ml) whole milk, at room temperature*
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 and 1/2 cups (540g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3/4 cup (62g) natural unsweetened or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (120g/ml) whole milk
- 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup*
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- optional: rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 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 for 3 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the sour cream.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and half of the milk and beat on low speed until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and milk and beat on low speed until combined. Do not over-mix this batter. The batter will be smooth, velvety, and slightly thick. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake for 32–38 minutes or until the top is very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through baking and, if you notice the top and edges quickly browning, tent the cake with aluminum foil.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan placed on a wire rack. As the cake finishes cooling, make the frosting.
- Make the frosting: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until pale, smooth, and creamy, about 3 minutes. Using a fine mesh strainer, sift the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa together. Add the sugar/cocoa mixture to the butter, then beat on low speed until the sugar is mostly incorporated, about 20 seconds. Stop the mixer, then add the milk, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. If the frosting is too thick, beat in an extra splash of milk.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and top with sprinkles, if desired. Slice and serve.
- Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Cake can be made 1 day in advance, covered tightly at room temperature, and then frosted right before serving. 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 milk will help thin the frosting out, if needed. Frosted or unfrosted cake can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Metal Baking Pan or this 9×13-inch Metal Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack | Fine Mesh Strainer | Icing Spatula
- Cake Flour: Cake flour produces an extra light cake, and I strongly recommend it here. In a pinch, you can try this cake flour substitute.
- Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream lends the best flavor. You can substitute plain yogurt in a pinch. I suggest a full-fat variety.
- Milk: For a rich and moist cake, I highly recommend whole milk. You can use lower-fat or nondairy milk in a pinch, but the cake won’t taste as rich or moist. You can use buttermilk instead, too. I recommend whole milk or even half-and-half in the frosting, but lower-fat or nondairy milk works in a pinch.
- Corn Syrup: A little corn syrup makes the frosting uniquely glossy and shiny. You can leave it out if you’d like.
- Yellow Cupcakes: You can use this cake batter to make about 20 cupcakes. I also have a yellow cupcakes recipe that produces the same buttery, moist texture and flavor. If using this cake batter, follow the same baking instructions as the yellow cupcakes.
- Yellow Layer Cake: Here is my yellow layer cake recipe.
- Update in 2026: We updated this recipe with 2 small changes for more effective leavening and to produce a moister crumb. To make it as written originally, increase baking powder to 2 and 1/2 teaspoons and decrease sour cream to 1/2 cup (120g).
Reader Comments and Reviews
This recipe used to be for a cake baked in a half sheet pan. Is there a reason it was changed? Could you please let me know the baking instructions for the half sheet? I was going to bake it this weekend. Thank you!
Hi Rosie, After continued testing we found that the cake was very thin in the 12×17 inch pan. You can still use that size if you prefer, but keep in mind the cake will be thinner.
Hi when I made this the cake shrank from the sides almost like it deflated. It was still fine but wondering why this might happen? And if I can prevent in future
Hi Leah, was the cake overbaked by chance? That can often be the culprit when the cakes pull away too far from the sides of the pan (a little pulling away is normal). Be careful not to overmix the batter, too, which can cause to be dense/deflated. We hope this helps for next time!
Can I half this recipe and bake it in a 9×9 or 8×8 pan? Would you recommend baking in glass pan or metal pan?
Hi Cindy, You can halve this recipe, though it may be slightly thinner. We’d recommend using a metal baking pan for it. Hope it turns out great!
Can I double this recipe and bake it in a deeper half sheet tray? Hosting a birthday party with about 30 guests and hoping I can do one cake with thicker slices. Advice welcome!
Hi Jessie! We would not recommend doubling the recipe for a very thick cake. Instead, we would make the batter twice and bake two cakes, then stack them on top of each other with frosting in the middle for a two layer sheet cake.
When I say I want a yellow cake with chocolate fudge frosting, this is what I mean!!! It is classic and amazing! Thank you!
I’m sure this won’t get answered as quickly as I need to know, but just in case! I want to use this recipe to make a 2 layer yellow round cake for my daughter’s bday (I need to bake tonight). I looked at the layer cake recipe, but it looks a little more fussy than what I have time and ingredients for this time. How bad would it be to use this recipe with 2 9-inch round pans? I just don’t have a rectangular cake carrier!
Hi V G, that should work fine! You will need the larger quantity of frosting from the layer cake to cover the cake. Let us know how it goes!
This recipe is a miss! I am so sorry to say it, as Sally’s other cakes that I’ve made have been delicious! I am an experienced baker, so I don’t think the blandness and so-so texture were baker’s errors. If I need a yellow sheet cake in future, I will adapt a different recipe!
Can I freeze this cake like I do the chocolate one??
Hi Linda, yes, absolutely. Here’s everything you need to know about freezing cakes.
Thanks, I also curious as to why you don’t recommend using parchment paper in the bottom .
Hi Linda, we don’t typically line sheet cakes with parchment since we usually serve them right from the pan. However, if you wanted to remove the whole cake from the pan before serving, you absolutely can line it with parchment and then spray the parchment-lined pan. Hope this helps!
I made this cake for a birthday yesterday. It was perfect! It’s the second time I made it. Multiple people said it was the best they’ve had! This time, I topped it with Sally’s Whipped Vanilla Buttercream instead of the chocolate frosting.
This is now my go-to birthday cake.
5 stars, just like all of your recipes!
I wanted to make sure you know that all of us really love you over on the baking subreddit (r/baking) and everyone always speaks very highly of you and your recipes.
Thank you so much for putting so much hard work into your recipes, I’ve learned so much from you and I’ve become a great baker for the first time in my 40 years thanks to your website.
Hi Jennifer, thank you so much for leaving this sweet note! Thanks for trusting our recipes.
Hands down the best yellow cake I’ve ever had. My daughter said it’s like eating clouds. Seriously, the cake is so light and fluffy. Will be using this recipe as the base for many more creations. Thank you, Sally!
Icing is the absolute best. Quantity perfect, better then smaller volume on back of Hershey’s 100% cocoa special dark, added a teaspoon of Delallo instant espresso powder.
The cake was very good to excellent but not yellow and didn’t rise. Baking powder and soda are fresh. Not sure how to fix. Maybe add an egg yolk in addition to the two large eggs. I made a layer cake. Both rose nicely in the round pans but fell on cooling.
I have not bakes a cake in ages! But this recipe makes a delicious party cake. I used two quarter-sheet pans and made 1 1/2 of the recipe-a lot of batter-but it worked. Two things stressed me- first, in step 4, there is no mention of the butter/sugar/ vanilla mix. So, I mixed 1/2 of the dry ingredients, 1/2 the milk and 1/2 of the butter mix, then repeated that. The second thing that really threw me was how heavy the cakes/pans were after baking!! But in the end everybody enjoyed it. Whew! I did use a different frosting recipe.
cake is very good Frosting is great except I used less confectionary sugar and a bit more cocoa and half and half? We don’t use milk anymore because kids are grown and gone. In any case, the recipe is very nice.