Classic Yellow Butter Cake Recipes

YELLOW BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined after each addition.
• Divide batter between the prepared pans, and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until cakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto the rack; peel off the parchment. Reinvert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.

YELLOW CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds (see #6 in Cake Baking Tips), then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. I recommend using nonstick spray for greasing.
• Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed for 3 full minutes. The creamed butter and sugar will be extra creamy. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Turn the mixer down to medium-high speed and beat in the 4 egg yolks one at a time, letting each egg yolk fully mix into the batter before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla extract until combined.
• 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 is very thick. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the 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 peaks form, about 3 minutes. See photo and video above for a visual. Slowly and gently fold the egg whites into the thick cake batter. Avoid over-mixing as you don't want to deflate the egg whites.
• Pour/spoon batter evenly into cake pans.
• Bake for around 27-31 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. After about 18 minutes, tent the cakes with aluminum foil to prevent the tops and sides from over-browning. To test the cakes for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. The cakes may look a little spongey on top as a result of the whipped egg whites. (That's normal!)
• Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
• 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, 3 Tablespoons 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 more confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or 1-2 more Tablespoons of cream if frosting is too thick. (I usually add 1 more.) Taste. Add another pinch of salt if desired.
• If cooled cakes are domed on top, use a large serrated knife to slice a thin layer off the tops to create a flat surface. This is called "leveling" the cakes. Discard or crumble over finished cake (or on ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer. (If desired, if the edges seem extra crumbly, apply a crumb coat which is a thin layer of frosting all over the cake. You can see I did this in the video tutorial above. Refrigerate the crumb coated cake for 15 minutes before adding the rest of the frosting.) Spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I always use an icing spatula and/or a bench scraper for the frosting. Garnish with sprinkles, if desired.
• For extra neat slices, refrigerate 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.

CLASSIC YELLOW CAKE BATTER

Steps:

• Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. Butter should be soft enough to hold a thumbprint but still keep its shape. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes.
• Beat in 4 eggs plus 2 yolks, one at a time, until combined. Beat in vanilla extract.
• In another large bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low, add 1/3 the flour mixture to butter mixture, beating to combine.
• Beat in 3/4 cup buttermilk, another 1/3 the flour mixture, another 3/4 cup buttermilk, and remaining flour mixture until just combined. Scrape down bowl as needed.

CLASSIC YELLOW BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round baking pans. Set aside.
• Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in bowl. Set aside.
• Beat sugar and butter in bowl at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until creamy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beating at low speed after each addition just until mixed.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake 30-34 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on cooling racks.
• Loosen edge of cake by running knife around inside edge. Carefully remove cake from pan; cool completely.

CLASSIC YELLOW CUP CAKES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• 2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
• 3. For cupcakes: Beat eggs and sugar in a medium bowl using a mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in butter and vanilla. Gradually pour in butter and then vanilla. Reduce speed to and mix in half of dry ingredients. Beat in milk. Add remaining dry ingredients and beat to combine. Do not over mix.
• 4. Pour about 1/3 cup batter into each cup in muffin tin. Bake until a tester, inserted in center of cakes, comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a rack. in tin, for 10 minutes, Release cupcake and cool completely.
• 5. For icing: Place chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so water to a very slow simmer; set bowl over, but not touching, water. Stir chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth.
• 6. Add confectioners' sugar, milk, butter, vanilla extract, and salt and beat with a mixer until smooth and creamy. Pipe icing onto cupcakes using a large star tip. Top with sprinkles. Serve.

YELLOW CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place parchment paper in the bottom of two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans. Cut the paper so it fits well in the bottom circle of the pan. Spray the pan and parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter until smooth. Add oil and mix
• Add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and mix.
• Stir together baking powder, salt, and flour in a medium bowl.
• Alternate adding in some of the flour mixture, stirring to combine and then some of the buttermilk, ending with the flour mixture until just combined. Divide the batter evenly in the pans.
• Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with few moist crumbs, but not wet batter. Don't over-bake or the cake will be dry.
• Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes before inverting onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• Stir together the butter and cocoa powder.
• Use electric mixers or a stand mixer to beat in the powdered sugar, milk ,and vanilla until light and fluffy. I beat the frosting for several minutes.
• Once the cake has cooled completely, frost with chocolate frosting.
• Tips for making ahead and freezing the cake are above in the post.