Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
This yellow cake recipe is a classic favorite for special celebrations! It's fluffy, moist and tender then topped with a rich chocolate frosting.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups (350 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks , at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (260 grams) cake flour , or 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cups (215 grams) buttermilk , at room temperature
- 2 large egg whites , at room temperature
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
Chocolate Frosting
- 1 cup natural cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar , divided
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup hot water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter , softened
Instructions
Cake
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line bottom of 2 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray only the parchment with nonstick cooking spray. Do not spray the sides of the pans.
- Cream. In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup butter and 1 3/4 cups sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). Mix in 3 large egg yolks and 1 Tablespoon vanilla until combined.
- Dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups cake flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Combine. Gradually mix in 1/3 flour mixture into the butter mixture, alternating with 1 cup buttermilk until well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl between additions.
- Whip egg whites. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip 2 large egg whites and 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar on medium speed until can hold a stiff peak.
- Fold in egg whites. Gently fold egg whites into the batter until just incorporated. Pour batter into pans.
- Bake. Bake 32 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes in the pans before transferring the cakes to a rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting
- Combine frosting ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup cocoa powder, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Mix in 1/4 cup hot water and 2 teaspoon vanilla on medium speed, scraping the bowl if necessary.
- Add butter. Beat in 1 cup softened butter and remaining 2 cups powdered sugar on medium-high speed 1 to 2 minutes, or until pale and fluffy. If frosting is too stiff, beat in 1 teaspoon water until it's spreadable.
Assemble the Cake
- Assemble cake layers. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Spread about 1 cup frosting, enough to make a 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick layer. Place the second cake bottom-side up over the frosted layer. Chill 30 minutes.
- Spread frosting. Using an offset spatula or rubber spatula, spread enough frosting to create a crumb coat around the entire cake. Chill 30 minutes.
- Decorate and serve. Decorate the cake with the remaining frosting any way you like.
Notes
Vanilla: Use a really good vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, since this cake relies heavily on its flavor.
Variations: This batter is enough to make:
- 1 9x13-inch baking dish (bake 45 to 50 minutes)
- 24 cupcakes (bake 30 to 35 minutes)
- 3 8-inch round cake pans (25 to 30 minutes)
Nutrition
Serving: 1g, Calories: 1110kcal, Carbohydrates: 156g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 53g, Saturated Fat: 32g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 176mg, Sodium: 421mg, Potassium: 435mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 105g, Vitamin A: 1589IU, Calcium: 133mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
