Moist Yellow Cake Recipe (Old Fashioned)
Why does yellow cakes give folks such a hard time? It’s one of those cakes that if you find a great yellow cake recipe, you stick with it! I’ve been testing out yellow cake recipes off and on for awhile now.
The problem with homemade yellow cake is:
1.) It’s hard to find a from scratch yellow cake recipe that has the texture of a fluffy box yellow cake but that buttery, homemade taste of a scratch-made yellow cake. I can’t tell you how many dry, crumbly and/or eggy tasting yellow cakes I’ve had in the past.
2.) Um…I can’t think of anything else right now.
I’m here to tell you that YES YOU CAN have a scratch made fluffy, moist, yellow cake with a beautiful crumb texture. YES YOU CAN have that classic buttery-vanilla taste of a homemade yellow cake WITH simple ingredients. YES. YOU.CAN!!! YES. YOU. CAN!!! Sorry I’m literally sitting on the couch watching Nutty Professor while I write this blog post. Remember that part?
Anyways, I’ve been fortunate to come across some really good yellow cake recipes, but something in me just can’t seem to stop searching, kinda like with macaroni and cheese. Never satisfied even when you’re satisfied. Well today I want to share the homemade yellow cake recipe I’ve been making for years.
It’s that classic, old fashioned yellow cake recipe with simple pure ingredients. No butter flavored shortening (which I normally put in cakes) or sour cream or yogurt (which I also love to put in cakes). It’s the kind of yellow cake I grew up eating, with homemade chocolate butter cream frosting, sprinkles and candles (yes yellow cake taste best with candles. I don’t know why but it just does!)
This yellow cake recipe is the stuff old school birthdays were made of. You know, when most moms actually made every birthday cake from scratch. Wait, am I telling my age?? I digress…
This yellow cake recipe bakes up super moist, fluffy and velvety soft without the eggy taste that really irks me. My grandmother occasionally adds in butter flavoring to take the buttery taste over the edge, but I never seem to have that stuff on hand so I don’t add it in. I think it taste great without it. Although, if you really like the taste of boxed yellow cake, you may want to add that butter-flavored extract to replicate the taste.
Watch me make this moist, homemade yellow cake from start to finish!
Get the Recipe: Fluffy, Moist Homemade Yellow Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, room temperature (do not microwave)
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 eggs, separated, room temperature
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325. F.
- Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
- Add in egg yolks and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated. Set aside.
- In a seperate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk.
- Mix until batter is fluffy but be careful not to over mix.
- Beat egg whites until stiff and thick. (holds a nice peak)
- Very gently fold egg whites into batter and mix JUST until incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and spread into even layers.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cake cool in pans until pans are warm to the touch.
- Carefully remove cakes from pan and place on a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- When cakes are completely cooled frost with chocolate buttercream frosting.
Video
Did This Yellow Cake Sink In the Middle?
*NOTE** Hey guys!! I see ya down there in the comments section (waving) and I see this cake is giving a lot of you a hard time with sinking in the middle (so sorry). Yellow cakes are notorious for giving folks a hard time and I was so sure this one would be a breeze for everyone. Ok let’s look into this.
I’ve tried to troubleshoot this cake so many times to see what could be causing the sinking but it comes out great for me each time. Go figure! I thought about removing the recipe and adding another in it’s place but so many have equally told me that it’s the best yellow cake recipe they’ve ever had.
It really is a GREAT cake and I’d love for you to experience it so I’ve listed some tips below that may help. Meanwhile I’ll also post my grandmothers yellow cake recipe as well (although I prefer this one).
What causes a yellow cake to sink in the middle:
1.) BEAT EGG WHITES CORRECTLY AND GENTLY FOLD THEM IN THOROUGHLY. I’m not yelling at you, I just want you to understand the importance of beating those whites until they are thick AND gently folding them in completely. It’s crucial for any cake that requires this method. If not, it could cause the cake to sink in the middle.
2.) Fresh baking powder. Make sure your baking powder is not expired. No seriously go check right now, you might be surprised.
3.) Don’t open the oven while the cake it cooking. Use the oven light if you want to peek at the cake.
4.) Don’t overbeat. Once you add in the flour be very careful about mixing to long. You just want the flour incorporated. I think this is the main reason cakes tend to sink.
5.) Increase baking time. If your cake looks like it’s still uncooked in the center let it cook a bit longer until the top springs back when touched. Keep a close eye on it.
This is a great recipe! I wanted to test it before I made it for my daughter’s birthday, so I made 2 recipes to make 4 layers. The layers turned out on the thin side, so I made her cake a 3-layer one and we tested the extra layer. Moist and nice crumb. I did reduce the amount of sugar to 1-1/2 cups because 2 cups seemed like a lot to me. The sweetness was perfect to my family’s (and to our daughter’s 30-something-aged friends) taste. We all loved it. I made your Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe to top it and it was delicious too! Didn’t forget the sprinkles either!
I stored it in the refrigerator, which I know is not necessary, but it also tastes great cold. A slice you can eat right out of your hand. Sort of like Boston Cream pie without the custard. My husband likes it best that way. Me, I like it both ways!
This is definitely a keeper that I will make over and over again! Thanks for sharing it! Five stars!
The moist yellow cake recipe was a winner I finally tried it.
I am baking this cake right now… Its been in the oven for 40 mins (recipie says 30-35) and the batter is still wet (edges about done)… how long did you bake yours?
Hi Monique!
I used this recipe and it was so light, moist, and fluffy. I used it for my great grandmother’s birthday. Instead of chocolate frosting, I did a upside down pineapple cake and it was absolutely amazing! Thank you so much!
I am on my knees praising you! This cake is UNBELIEVABLE good! After trying several recipes and all coming out not moist enough or just have a horrible blan taste, I almost gave up and then God open up the gates to baking heaven and sent me to your web page! I did do like your grandmother and I added butter flavor maybe 1/2 tablespoon and let me just say, I’m not one who rave on about something nor am I a die hard cake fan but Damn this cake has me raving and I just cut a small piece to eat with my coffee! You go Girl. This recipe deserves an award!!! It won’t let me select the star rating from my phone but definitely giving it a 5 star rating!!!!!
Dear Monique, I absolutely love this recipe! When I made it the cake wouldn’t come out of the pan and it got all crumbled when I tried to get it out. Nevertheless it was absolutely DELICIOUS and MOIST. Do you know how I could get it out easier next time? I bake all the time and I have never had this problem.
Use parchment paper at the bottom of your pan
What A Mess!!!! I have been baking all my life and I have NEVER had layers tear up to the point that I could not make them present-able with some delicious frosting! I cut it in to pieces to save for punch bowl strawberry shortcake 🙁 I was making this for a very special young m,an’s graduation..