Moist Yellow Cake Recipe

This moist yellow cake recipe is tender, rich, and flavorful. Layered with my luscious chocolate buttercream frosting recipe, this recipe creates a magnificent cake perfect for any occasion!

I have tried the classic yellow cake recipes in over a dozen cookbooks and tested and retested adaptations to try to recreate the perfect yellow cake. I was disappointed every single time. While perfecting this Bacardi rum cake, I had a stroke of genius. I should have been focusing on the ratio of sugar and the dry ingredient mixture!

I had finally created the perfect yellow cake from scratch that is better than box mix! It has that almost chewy, yet light texture and is perfectly moist. This yellow cupcake recipe is lighter, while this cake has a dense, yet tender crumb. For all those chocoholics out there looking for a nostalgic chocolate cake, I’ve got you! Make this easy moist chocolate cake, or you can make this chocolate raspberry cake.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Cake Flour: Cake flour has a lower gluten content and a finer texture that creates a light, airy crumb! You can use all-purpose flour, just be careful not to overmix your batter!
• Cornstarch: The secret ingredient for a tender, delicate crumb! It is a pure starch with no protein, meaning it won’t produce extra gluten.
• Baking Powder
• Kosher Salt
• Unsalted Butter
• Granulated Sugar
• Eggs and Egg Yolks: Using both whole eggs and egg yolks adds extra fat and gives the cake that classic yellow color! Be sure to save those egg whites so you can make this angel food cake.
• Almond Extract
• Vanilla Extract
• Sour Cream: Sour cream adds fat and moisture to the cake. You can substitute full-fat Greek yogurt if that is what you have on hand.
• Whole Milk: Whole milk is for liquid and fat; you can substitute lower-fat or your favorite milk alternative, just know the cake won’t be as tender. Since we don’t use baking soda we don’t need buttermilk for this cake recipe. You can use buttermilk if you want extra tang or save it for this Devil’s food cake.
• Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: I use a 1x recipe of chocolate frosting.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations for Moist Yellow Cake

• Change the buttercream. This cake would be great with the strawberry buttercream from these strawberry cupcakes or with this American buttercream recipe. Ermine frosting or cream cheese buttercream frosting can also add fun, unexpected flavor to this classic yellow cake recipe.
• Add a filling. Fill this cake with salted caramel sauce, this easy strawberry jam recipe, or this professional chocolate ganache recipe. It would also be divine with this homemade vanilla pudding recipe.
• Mix in some flavor. You can add some mini chocolate chips, crushed Oreo cookies, or sprinkles to the cake batter before baking.

Professional Tips

• Room temperature ingredients are essential. Using room temperature butter, eggs, sour cream, and milk ensures proper emulsification and a smooth, even batter.
• Do not overmix. Once the flour is added, mix just until combined. Overmixing will develop gluten and result in a tough cake.
• Use a scale if possible. Weighing ingredients, especially flour and sugar, ensures consistent results and proper ratios.
• Bake until just done. Overbaking will dry out the cake. The cake is ready when a tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

How to Make Moist Yellow Cake

Use these instructions to make this classic moist yellow cake recipe. Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (conventional, no fan) or 325°F (with the fan). Spray and line two 9-inch cake pans and set aside (photo 1).

Step 2:  Prepare the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and kosher salt and set aside (photo 2).

Sifting the dry ingredients is important when using cake flour and cornstarch. The flour is finer and clumps more easily, which can lead to unmixed pockets.

Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk together milk and sour cream. Set aside (photo 3).

Step 4: Cream for structure. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Step 5: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by egg yolks, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl after every two eggs or so. Add the extracts with the last bit of eggs.

Step 6: Alternate wet & dry without overmixing. Switch the mixer to low, then add the flour mixture and sour cream alternately. I like to finish folding in the dry ingredients with a large rubber spatula (photo 4).

I don’t wait until all the flour has been incorporated before adding the next batch. I just keep adding with two hands. Pro-style. I stop the mixer to add the last of the sour cream, then scrape it all out with a rubber spatula.

Step 7: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top using an offset spatula or spoon (photo 5).

Step 8: Bake in the preheated oven until a cake tester comes out with a few clinging crumbs. This will take about 20-30 minutes, depending on your oven.

Step 9:  Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the cake pans, then loosen the edges with a paring knife and turn them out onto a rack. Allow to cool completely (photo 6).

Step 10: Layer and frost with your favorite buttercream (photo 7 & 8)!

Recipe FAQs

Before You Go

If you loved this classic cake recipe, be sure to explore more of my cake recipes, including simple layer cakes, cupcakes, and bakery-style desserts perfect for any celebration.