A moist yellow cake recipe. (Actually, I asked for it.) I have been on the hunt for a moist yellow scratch cake recipe since I started this site. I’ve tried several in the past, like the Butter Cake recipe from The Cake Bible
(a great baking resource, by the way). And, while the taste was really good, I’ve been having a time trying to get the recipe to come out as moist as I like. I finally came to the conclusion that it must be my gas oven that’s the problem. At least, that’s what I’ve been telling myself.
So, the hunt was on. It was a short search that began and ended with my friend’s mom. She used to own a bakery and made the yummiest cakes. So, I thought I would ask the pro for help. And, I’m so glad I did. It was yellow and moist, but mostly delicious. Thanks for the recipe, Shirley! I guess I’ll have to come up with another reason to trade my gas oven in for an electric one. Here’s the recipe:
Moist Yellow Layer Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter (room temperature)
- 2 cups of sugar
- 4 eggs (room temperature)
- 3 cups of sifted self-rising flour (White Lily)
- 1 cup of whole milk (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (McCormicks)
- 1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring
Easy Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1b. 10X powdered sugar
- 1-3 teaspoons milk, half and half or cream
Instructions
- Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease and flour (3) 8-inch cake pans.
- Using a mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream for about 7 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each egg is added.
- Add flour and milk (alternating to creamed mixture), beginning and ending with flour.
Add vanilla and butter flavoring to mix; until just mixed. - Divide batter equally into three cake pans.
- Hold each layer about 3 inches above your counter and carefully drop the pans flat onto counter several times to ensure release of any air bubbles. This will help you have a more level cake.
- Bake for 25 - 30 minutes (depending on your oven) until done.
- Cool in pans for 5 - 10 minutes.
- Remove and immediately wrap each layer in plastic wrap to seal in moisture. Cool completely on wire racks.
- Buttercream: Using a mixer, cream softened butter and vanilla until smooth.
- Add sugar gradually, allowing butter and sugar to cream together before adding more.
- If you want your frosting a little creamier, add a teaspoon of milk at a time and beat on high until you get the right consistency.
- Then, just use icing colors to tint the frosting the color of your choice.
- This is usually just enough for a 2-layer cake, so I would recommend doubling this for a three-layer. But, I like a lot of frosting.
- Cake assembly: Unwrap first layer and using a serrated knife, level off the top of your cake. Place layer onto your dish. Take a straw and poke holes into the layer.
- Using your spray bottle, spray top of layer several times with simple syrup**; enough to give it a little moisture. Be careful – don’t add too much.
- Add a layer of frosting to your bottom layer. Repeat on second and third layers.
Frost the sides.
Notes
**Simple Syrup: a little trick to add moisture to your layers:
Combine 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups of water.
Bring to boil and boil for approximately 3 minutes. Let cool.
Pour liquid into a spray bottle or pouring bottle.
P.S. I’ve been using aluminum cake pans instead of the dark coated kinds you find in the grocery store. They also come in many different sizes.
This looks so amazing! I haven’t found a scratch recipe that I have really like so I just make the box mix. (I always feel like I’m cheating.) I will defiantly try this!! :)
If u want moist cake that’s SUPER SIMPLE…just add about 1TBL of mayo to a box mix…WONDERFUL!! Guaranteed to stay moist at least a WEEK (if your cake lasts that long!!;)
I was going to try this out, but it is exactly like the yellow cake I am currently using minus the butter flavoring. A recipe I ran across by Bobby Flay!
Hello
I followed this recipe to a t and it was a complete fail! It tasted like pound cake instead of a light and fluffy cake. I am not sure what I did wrong. What a waste of ingredients! Is there any way I could replace the flour with cake flour? I think this may have been the culprit. Thank you.
Is the butter flavoring mandatory? Or is there any other substitute?
Thanks!!!!!!!!!! I can agree to this cake being very good and moist. My mother has been using this exact same recipe since I can remember, and I am 49 years old… Now I am following her footstep.
YUMMMMME!
Bonnie,
I did cupcakes with this recipe and they were a hit! They taste just as marvelous but only bake them for 17 minutes!
I tried this recipe and I have to say it is my new yellow cake recipe! I have tweaked it with the artificial flavorings by adding some almond flavoring as well and a little more butter flavoring but I am also using this recipe this weekend for a wedding cake and used this cake as a sample and it was to “DIE FOR” with my buttercream! SO GOOD! Thank you!
I tried this recipe out to a ‘T’ several times but each time it’s just so incredibly dry! I tried adding some oil to it which helped, but it still needed a tall glass of milk to get it down :(
Receta de cake amarillo con buttercream frosting.
Thanks for the awesome recipe! How long can you leave buttercream room temp?
Ca n you take this same batter and do cupcakes?….will it be to liquidy of a batter?
I made this for my daughter’s 3rd birthday, and it turned out amazing! Thank you so much for a recipe that I don’t have to fiddle with to make a delicious cake. I didn’t have time to use the sugar spray and the cake was still moist, flavorful and had a lovely texture. I’ll definitely be checking back for more in the future! Thanks again!
This is the Best Moist yellow cake recipe..It’s Awesome! This cake is highly recommended. I have tried so many recipes and have yet found the right one… until now. You will not be disappointed. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Can’t wait til you share a good moist chocolate and white wedding cake recipe. Still haven’t found a good one.
i’m sorry but i,m not sure if i understood the buttercream recipe.”1 1b. 10X powdered sugar” means 1 pound of sugar? Thanks…
I’m making a two tier birthday cake for my twins. I wanted to know how would I double this recipe. And also how to make this buttercream frosting in big batches.
Wow!!! This cake was fabulous!! Nice and moist and an easy to follow recipe. I made it for my friends b-day and frosted it with the buttercream. I didn’t use the self rising flour, just all purpose flour with some baking powder. There wasn’t a crumb left! Thank you so much!
Looks like an awsum recipe!! Is there any way you could give us the recipe converted to ounces or grams? I’m from the uk and we don’t really use cups here, would be much appreciated :)! X
Wow this is the best homemade cake i have ever made it was delish and moist thank you for sharing. I made this cake for my best friends cake reveal and turned it color pink and everybody loved it. Of course it was a girl!!!
I haven’t baked in 10years! I know! I have missed a lifetime! SO i decided to get right back into it and I found this recipe followed instructions to a tee but the cake was very dense and not crumbly at all….. Could anyone please help me with what you think I definitely did wrong? I really want to get back into baking again………………………..
I am usually horrible at baking but this looks too yummy and too beautiful that I really need to try it! Thanks for sharing!
xo,
Karla
making this for my little lady’s first birthday next week – copycatting the pink frosting and everything. ~happiness!~
It looks beautiful! I will be trying this. I absolutely love your blog.
I tried this recipe with cupcakes and it was just as dry as regular cake mix. Does cupcakes really make a difference? In my experience in the past, it doesn’t.
I just tried this, this wkend to make a birthday cake or my mother in law, it is very moist and tasty :) Everyone raived about it! Thankyou for sharing it!
I LOVE to add about a teaspoon of Vanilla to my water/ sugar mixture.
Great recipe by the way!
Thanks!
I made this cake today and it turned out really dry. The only thing i changed was that i made it into two 10″ pans and it took about 10-15 minutes longer to bake. Is that my problem? I’m so tired of using cake mixes that are too soft for multiple layers. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Wow! I made this cake for a friend’s retirement function. I made a lemon curd mixed with mascarpone for filling and everyone loved it. The cake is so moist… Thank you for the recipe and all the superb work you are doing. This is very inspiring!
i am trying the moist cake(cupcakes) right now but i did add some extra things… hopefully it will come outt tastyer than i imangined!
Sam… the self-rising flour has the baking powder. :)
I made the cake exactly using two layers. TASTY! but dense. Sweet cornbread texture. Moist. On to the three layers. I will update.
What are the conversions pounds and ounces please?
I live in UK and want to make this cake i am not sure about your cup sizes for measurements as we use pounds/ounces or grams/kilos, can you please help me with the conversion. I have been looking for this recipe for ages and want to make it for my sons wedding,
Many thanks
Janet
I live in UK and want to make your cake for my sons wedding, I am not sure about your cup sizes etc as we use pounds/ounces or grams/kilos what is your conversion?
The cake looks amazing and is just what I have been trolling through the internet for ages.
Many thanks
Janet
Wow! This recipe is divine! For my parents anniversary I omitted the butter flavoring and added lemon zest to the batter. The cake came out great! Moist, but not falling apart. Then I used lemon curd for the filling and frosted the cake with whipped cream icing. It was amazing!!! Definitely a keeper — this is the perfect basic MOIST yellow cake recipe! Thanks, Bakerella!
you never added the baking soda/powder measure. Otherwise beautiful cake. :)
used this recipe to make rainbow cupcakes. i cut the recipe in half 2x. just enough to make 9 mini cupcakes. super recipe. they were delish!
I used this recipe for 30th Birthday cake party last night. It was amazing, most moist and delicious cake I have ever tasted, and made. I used the base cake (minus the butter flavoring thats is impossible to find in Sweden) and filled it with a traditional filling we use in Sweden, home made vanilla cream and wild raspberry jam, covered with whipped cream and a pear flavored marzipan lid. Turned into a truly amazing cake. Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe and for all the inspiration you share through your blog.
Hi,
I’m doing a cake for my aunt for her 60th birthday.. And she loves lychee flavour.. I was wondering if I can substitute the butter flavouring with other flavouring? thanks.
LOOOOOKS SOOO GOOOOOD YUMMMMMU
Can this recipe be easily converted into a recipe for 9 or even 10 inch cakes?
HI there! I was wondering Can I use food coloring for the frosting instead of the icing colors?
I hope you are having a great BLESSED DAY!
i was so excited to try this recipe out, specially because it was from you! so i did. i followed every step to a “t” and i was kind of dissapointed. the flavor was great! delicious but my cake only stayed moist for the first couple of hours. i did keep it in my cake carrier so it would dry out and it completely went stale-like crumb. idk what happened! i followed your every single instruction. and to be honest ive actually tried other recipes that are alot more moist. idk if would try it again..i was sad! ):
but of course people still ate it. i woulder if they liked it, i got no compliments on it lol.
im still trying to figure out what the heck went wrong when i followed your every word. love youu by the way
Has anyone used this recipe for cupcakes? If I do, do I need to change anything? So excited to try this!
Hi Bakerella, love love love your stuff – I am a novice at this wonderful world of sugar, and find myself doing a lot of googling for the simple pleasure of looking at perfection in the cakes and bakes on line – sheer inspiration! On your front page you show pictures of the Dutch book with your cake pops and although I am not dutch, I do speak Afrikaans which is a derivative of dutch (I am from South Africa) and you might want to know the direct translation for the lady bug cake pops:
lieweheerbesies = liewe is dear; heer is Lord; besies is bugs ……. so they are dear Lord bugs :-)
Please keep up your good work – you bring so much joy to so many bakers :-)
I really like the recipe. Think the oven cooks unevenly, so I’ll have to remember to turn the cakes next time. I substituted almond for the vanilla and it turned out fabulously.
Hello. I have fallen in love with your blog!!!!! I am just starting out with baking cakes, i love baking cakes…i made my first cake yesterday and the buttercream frosting was so soft that it slid right off my cake :(!
If I wanted to make a small batch of cupcakes just to try this recipe, maybe like 12 or less cupcakes, could you tell me how much of each ingredient to use? Thank in advance!
I add some vanilla to my simple syrup, too–it amps up the scent and flavor beautifully. Genius with the spray bottle!
I love this! i don’t do the sugar thing though, i just use milk after i level them.
This is the second time i have made this recipe the first time I made a 2 layer cake with pink butter cream frosting, this time I made mini cakes with my awesome pan <3
Thank you for the recipe! I’m just wondering… can I fill this with a strawberry filling and will it still hold up?
I found this searching for a pink frosted yellow cake recipe or my daughter’s birthday. She wants chocolate cupcakes, so I was hoping for something different for the top layer of the tower.
I’m picky about cake, especially yellow cake and this one looks like it would fit the bill.
This looks and sounds delicious! If I’m making a flat cake (9×13) would this be too much batter to put in one pan? Would this recipe make a 9×13 and some cupcakes?
i tried this recipe yesterday. The only part i didn’t like, was the recipe for the icing. Other than that, super easy! :)
…two-three years. And the gas oven smells really bad…
[I accidently pressed the ‘enter’ button)
I have a gas oven, and it really do not admire it! It makes the tops of my cupcakes and muffins hard and dry, and once it cools, it becomes really dry. Do you have an idea on what I should do? I was thinking about using one of those tiny convection ovens that I got for $15 and have been using it for
Why do you prefer to use Aluminum Cake pans instead of the darker treated ones for your cakes? I kinda searched your response to see if you’d already answered this but I couldn’t find anything.
How do you ice a cake with buttercream icing and the cake not start to just spread cake crumbs. How do you get it to look that way so pretty. I don’t like decorating with fondent over the buttercream so I’m curious how you make the buttercream work and it be so smooth looking????
If using this for cupcakes would you do anything different?
what do you do if you aren’t able to buy self-rising flour?
I just spent my snowday making this recipe for my husband’s birthday and oh MY GOSH, he is going to love this!!!!
This recipe looks absolutely stunning,
but one of the recipe measurements confuses me;
1 1b. 10X powdered sugar
Does this mean, one pound of sugar?
And what does the 10X stand for?
Thanks.
Also, your blog is very interesting to read through 8)
Is this the buttercream recipe that you use for your cakes?
What am I doing wrong! I have tried this recipe 3 times following it to a tee. And it comes out flat and dense like pound cake every time!
I finally tried this…I’ve been (quietly) following your blog for quite some time now and finally mustered up the courage to try it. Mine came out a little dry which I bummed about. I think next time I’ll cook it for 2 minutes less and try the spray bottle trick (I wanted to experiment without the 1st time…my first mistake probably). Love your blog. Just finished my beginner’s course in cake decorating, and I’m officially hooked on baking/decorating!
would the time and temp be the same for cupcakes??
love this.
question though – how long can you keep the sugar water spray?
The best!
Worst cake recipe ever.
so good and yummy (:
I’ve made this recipe twice, once as cupcakes with a single layer cake and once as a 3 layer cake. I did everything excatly how the recipe called except for the sugar water and they came out soooo dry. Does all the moisture come from the sugar water? Help this looks delicious and I really want it to come out moist.
Your blog and creations are amazing! Your cakes and cupcakes are my inspiration for my homebaked business.
I started a home baking business back in April 2010 and this is my go to vanilla cake recipe. Thanks for sharing!
looks delicious can’t wait to try it !!!!! can i substitute self rising flour (white lily) for any self rising flour??
I’ve been substituting buttermilk for milk in cake recipes with much success. It really does help the moisture (that with the magnolia cupcake recipe was really good). I tend to use regular flour (White Lily rocks) instead of self-rising, and add the leavening separate, mostly because you want more baking soda and less baking powder if you’re using buttermilk.
I’m a little disappointed in my recent discovery that buttermilk has lots of additives to make it thick. I’m still trying to decide if I want to try to find another miracle ingredient.
This looks wonderful.Can’t wait to try it…
Can i ask the conversion to gms if you have it? Thanks so much..
Looks delicious! Just a quick question: did you use Salted or unsalted butter for the cake?
I am also on the hunt for a moist yellow cake and when I saw this I thought that my hunt would be OVER too, but I can’t say that yet. I made this into a three layer cake for a little girl’s birthday and it taste great, but a little dry and crumbly. Not sure what I can do to make it moist and stay together better. I also used the sugar water spray, but it did not help that much. Thanks for the recipe though, I will keep searching.
I’m somewhat confused about buttercreams. Do the finished products go into the fridge for a firmer feel/taste, or do they stay in room temperature to be soft? I’m going to make your recipe tonight :) I tried an orange buttercream, it was amazing.
Bakerella I made this today and my cake was so moist it was falling apart. Did I use too much sugar water?
It was still delicious even in pieces lol.
Can this cake recipe be made into a chocolate cake? For example if you use cocoa powder …just wondering?
THANKS.
Gorgeous looking cake. yummmm.
Does this buttercream crust, so that we can work on it to get a smooth finish
It’s me again. I found it. LOL! Have a great DAY!
:)
I love your website. Great stuff. How do I print the recipes? Thanks. :)
I just made this cake and buttercream recipie for my daughtes 1st birthday! THANK YOU!!!! cake was super moist and the buttercream was the best we’ve had
CHOCOLATE DECADANCE IS TH ONE THAT i WANT. PLEASE PICK ME.
where do I enter to win the cake purse?
O.K. the coffee is on and I want a piece of that cake. I have looked everywhere for a butter cream frosting..thank you.
seeing this for the 1st time makes me wonder why I didn’t find you back then! anyway, THANK YOU for everything! LOL!
LOVE everything you do! Hugs, Momma Dee
oh Bakerella…Bakerella….your rock my world….one day when I grow up I want to be as good as you…hehehe…ok…so I am 38 already…but there is still hope ! Thank YOU…You are a CAKESTAR ! <3
oops, I posted on the wrong thing, the comment was supposed to go on the diaper bag reply!
I think they need a pretty pink one & they could call it sugar roses!
Can’t wait to try this cake, finally an ending to the to the dry yellow cake!
yummy! i just used this recipe to bake mini cakes! not cupcakes. but somewhere in between. it’s a really spongey & moist cake! i like it :D
i also put chocolate chips in it for something extra, but unfortunately they all sank to the bottom :(
but yeah, good recipe! thanks!
oops flour*
Just found your website today for the first time! i’m so excited to try your recipes out. Today i will be trying out this one. Just one question, can i substitute the self rising flour to cake flower?
Ive been wanting to try this recipe for the longest!! every time i see this blog, my mouth waters!! I’m a culinary student and i even dared to take this recipe and bake this at school. only they didn’t have self rising flour :/ one of my chef instructors recommended; for every pound of flour, to mix in 1 Tblsp. baking powder & baking soda, if i remember correctly. Just wanted to ask you as well, what do you recommend on how we can substitute SR flour with AP flour?
Baking with Love- Vanessa:)
I just pulled these out of my oven and they really didn’t rise too well. I have to do another cake recipe to get the height I want on my birthday cake now. :( I just hope that the three vanilla layers taste good AND moist. So far, I’m not too impressed. I’ll alternate the other layers with my chocolate cake recipe (my go-to, never fail choco-cake).
Hiya Bakerella!!!! I am Sarah…im from the Caribbean and let me tell you I have been making ur yellow cake for the last couple months and people have been going crazy over them. I have even gotten orders from people to do birthday cakes and different kinds of cupcakes because of you!!! Thank you sooooo much!!! You are the best!!!!!
I made cupcakes using this recipe. I have to say that it did not turn out well. It tasted dry to me. Likely will keep searching for another recipe but thank you for sharing!
this cake tastes really good. however, i’ve made it three times and it just falls apart on me. the first time, i made mini cupcakes that overflowed all inside the oven. the second time, i made it in an 11×15 pan and it wouldn’t come out. it eventually came out in giant globs. the third time–now–it’s in the oven in a 9×13 glass pan and i’m hoping it will come out! i’m making it for my grandmother’s 61st high school reunion that is tonight! i don’t want to have to call kroger. :(
what am i doing wrong?
I’ve made this cake a few times now for wedding cakes and it’s received so many rave reviews! THANK YOU for posting this recipe up. It’s a fabulous cake!!!
I just made this for my son’s birthday today and we can’t wait to try it tonight!! The frosting is YUM and the cake looks moist and yummy! Thanks so much!
I just tried the recipe and I’m sorry to say I’m going to have to keep looking. I think it turned out so light and fluffy but not quite the right flavor. It reminded me of cornbread, as another comment said. It wasn’t at all crumbly like some people said – I’m thinking maybe they didn’t sift correctly? Sift the flour into your measuring cup to make up 3 cups. Don’t measure out 3 cups and then sift. You’ll end up with too much flour that way and that’s probably why it crumbled. It is a good recipe though! Maybe it would make a good base for jello poke cake! Just not quite right for me.
I didn’t pay attention to the “self rising” description of the flour. Since the recipe doesn’t call for baking soda or powder, it’s important to use the right kind of flour.
My cupcakes came out dense and sort of scone-like. Not bad tasting, but definitely not the taste and texture of cupcakes.
According to my mom, the Nutella buttercream saved the cupcakes.
Hi,
I’ve made this cake twice. Once for cake pops and they turned out great. Th cake sunk a bit and the ends were a little “cookie-like”. Luckily that didn’t matter because I crumbled them up with icing anyway : )
The second time I was making cupcakes and the batter did he same thing. So I scoped them out of their baking cups and am making cake pops again. No point i wasting good tasting cake!
I was wondering what I could be doing wrong. Is it the altitude? I live in El Paso TX and it’s about 4,000 feet here. I’m also making my own self-rising lour by putting baking powder in normal flour. Could that be it? I do that all the tie and have never had a problem though.
Just curious.
Hello,
i was sent a link for your site from a friend in Canada ( I live in Ireland!) and i fell into cake heaven! I have made the red velvet cake, though i did have a few problems with the whole cup measure in relation to irish measures, we have grams and oz, though it split in the middle it was beautiful to eat so thank you.
I have also just watched the video on how to make your cake pops!!!! so now i have to choose between making the cake pops or this beautiful cake first,
Thank you for all the tips and information and i will be keeping an eye out for your book,.
Yours in baking heaven, Orla.
Hi Bakerella, your website is really amazing!!! so many recipes and tips!!! I am a very beginner in cake decoration and in the use of fondant. I am going to a BBQ next saturday I would like to do a BBQ shaped cake. I wonder if I can use this cake? I want to cover my cake with fondant, will that cake be strong enough? I’d like to make a chocolate version but I wonder if I should use cocoa or melted dark chocolate? thanks!!
I instered in finding out if the i finally made it can be made in a 1/2 sheet cake?
Hi Bakerella, the recipe looks yummy! I was looking for a cake just like this!!! the last cake I made was really disappointing, too dry… I will definitely try your spray technique and I’ll wrap my cake in a plastic film, thank you for sharing your tips!
Hi Bakerella!! Can’t wait to try this recipe….
But…..can u turn this into cupcakes instead of baking large cakes. Or would i have to adjust the recipe?
Thank u!!!!
I so enjoy your blogs/web page. I descent, from scratch, yellow cake is as illusive as cool weather in August in Iowa! I’m saving this one for the next yellow cake event. The sugar water spray bottle is a great idea. Think I knew this from when I was a teenager and worked part time in a bakery, just didn’t impress me then! Keep this jewels coming and Thanks.
I just saw your BEAUTIFUL tiered fondant covered, heart decorated cake on the blue cake stand.
What makes me really happy is knowing there are others out there who also love to make beautiful cakes and sometimes have trouble but they’re just so darn persistent and stubborn that any possible lack of skill or talent is made up for by said persistence and the happy sacrifice of a day’s time to make a perfect looking and delicious masterpiece.
Bravo to Bakerella!
I have been searching for the perfect scratch cake for many years. All of the ones that are touted to be the perfect moist cake fail miserably. I don’t know what I do wrong—so I go back to my old standby–cake mix. I was in the business for years and people loved my cakes and icing.
I have a piece of cardboard that fits the inside of each pan that I use and when I take them out of the oven I place a paper towel on top and press down for about 20 seconds.
This results in an even topped cake and also forces moisture down into the layer. I let them cool in the pan. In order to do this you must use a baking spray to coat pans instead of shortening and flour. Sometime I place them in the freezer overnite in the pans. this also makes them moist.
Can you tell what flavour, taste, texture the “butter flavouring” does. Do I need it?
Thanks
WOW! thats funny, thats almost the exact same yellow cake recipe that i have been using. and i searched for a different recipe to see what was out there and your choice was this one. i guess that means that i should keep doing what i am doing. i am definitely going to try wrapping with plastic wrap while hot, that sounds interesting.
Hello! First of all, let me say I LOVE your site!! :)
I tried this cake recipe last week, and it turned out pretty well. I posted about my experience on my blog, and listed you as the source of the recipe, so I’d love you to check out my blog and give me any feedback you’ve got. I’m a new blogger and novice baker, so I need all the help I can get.
And let me just say, I used the sugar water idea for the last two cakes I made, and there was a definite difference. Thanks for being such a great inspiration and resource!
I’m making it right now…^___^
but I don’t have any spray, so I hope it will be moist enough just by wrapping it..
Thanks for the recipe though XD
I just tried this recipe and it didnt come out :( I think I overmixed somewhere. Either while whipping sugar and butter or towards the end. I’m going to try to make it again.
I just have to tell you, this has become my go-to recipe! It gets rave reviews every single time I make it!
I make cakes of every shape and form and am always looking for new cake recipes that cut well and taste great. This is definitely one!
Thanks for sharing it!
I just made this for my son’s 1st birthday party tomorrow. It’s 11:28 pm & I just noticed that it says “self rising flour” Oh NO!! Am I going to have to throw them out?? I can’t redo them tonight.. I don’t have any more eggs or self rising flour. Grrr. I hate it when I don’t pay attention to details.
I tried the recipe and I thing the butter flavoring over powers the vanilla. Next time I will omit the Butter. Overall the cake was moist.
I know this recipe is old but i want to make the buttercream for a cake for my friends birthday.
I get my powdered sugar in a 2lb bag. in a previous comment you said it would be 3.5 cups. is that correct? please help me out here! thanks.
i just made this cake,,,and really liked the taste, however, it came out very compacted. I was wondering if you had any suggestions.
I don’t know if this helps, but I used all purpose flour instead of self-rising. Do you think this could be the reason????
OMG this looks soo delicious! I’m soo going to make this for my daughters birthday! =D
This is so great! :) Would you recommend this cake mix for cupcakes? I’m looking for a great cupcake recipe that won’t fall apart but is still moist and delicious, so of course this was the first place I stopped! :)
Thank you!
Well, I see that a few had asked whether the cake would hold the weight of sugarpaste or the question I had myself was whether it would support being part of a tiered structure.
Here are my results: (side note: I made the cake with cake flour, since I can never tell how long self-rising flour has been sitting on the shelf at my grocery store. The substitution is 1Cup of flour – my choice was cake flour + 7.5g of baking powder and 3.5g of salt for every cup of self-rising flour). The cake was incredibly moist (and I have made it twice, so far both times with consistent results). It held up very nicely to a good 1/4″ layer of fondant and it stood tall as a three-tier cake. This cake’s taste and texture can be compared to a yellow box mix cake less the fake aftertaste.
HI! I LOVE THIS WEBSITE!!
I see that you have a lot of comments and I don’t know if you have the time to read everyone’s, but I just wanted to thank you for posting all these wonderful recipes up. And they seem easy to make too!
I’m 16 and I loooove to bake. But I stick to what seems easy and accessible, things with ingredients that aren’t too hard to find and recipes that seem easy. But also, baking is so expensive and I feel bad for making my parents buy all these ingredients. And I love to bake to give to people.
Do you know where to buy ingredients in bulk and that doesn’t cost too much? please and thank you :)
-Crystal
Hi Bakerella,
Do you think I can use this very fluffy cake to make a three-tier cake? In your opinion, do you think it would hold up to fondant and two layers stacked on it? I love the taste, texture, moisture and fluffiness. It is almost like a boxed cake in characteristics (but not flavor). It is exactly what I was looking for in a cake. I would really appreciate your opinion on this as I am going to be making this for a baby shower next weekend! Thanks for sharing.
I tried the recipe for my daughter’s b’day. Love it a lot!!i didn’t spray the sugar syrup, but still very moist. My hubby likes it too.thx for this!!
Hi, would this cake recipe support the weight of sugarpaste, as i find the one i use is not moist enough. Thank you.
Hi,
I saw that some people had been asking about making this recipe as cupcakes. Was there an answer about the change in baking time? And does this cakes hold up as a cupcake? Any other considerations?
Thank you for your beautiful site!
Hi Bakerella,
As promised, I tried this cake and thought it was perfect. My cake testers thought it was crumbly but still very good :( but I did use dark pans so maybe I’ll change that for next time. Also, it is egg-y like what some commenters have said. Nevertheless, it is delish! Going to try your sprite cake next :)
WOW. And now my search has come to an end as well! I will NEVER use a box cake for cupcakes and this will be my ocasion cake recipe also. I would not change one thing about this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it!
@Michelle: well sorry to hear you had trouble with the cake, I made it the other day and worked just fine for me..it’s very moist and oh so delicious…!:)
just tried this cake recipe for my husband’s birthday..he doesnt like chocolate so much(how could he!!!) so it’s always a struggle for me to find a recipe that doesnt have chocolate, and still moist and delicious..well this recipe rocked it!!! I love the top, it’s almost like a caramelized sugar..it’s definitely a keeper…Thank You!!
is that recipe for frosting good for piping on cupcakes/cakeS?
Hi! This cake looks great! I made yesterday but didnt have whole milk so I added buttermilk instead… The cake was a little way too soft and when baking the middle was not cooking right. Could it have been the buttermilk? It was also a 8inch by 3 inch deep pan, but I used bake even strips by Wilton…. Well, the cake did taste yummy afterall, but I wasn’t able to level it because it would break easily;
Ugh, this recipe needs a LOT of work. I just finished baking this cake, following the recipe to a T and it is just terrible. The cake is entirely too spongy and dense, the edges are crispy (before you say it, no, the cake is not overbaked) and the cake fell to pieces coming out of the pan. (Again, before you say it, the professional grade pans were coated properly.) I will definitely NOT make this one again.
I certainly hope that this comment makes it onto the page and isn’t “filtered” out. People need to know the truth before wasting this many ingredients.
This recipe is absolutely PERFECT! They came out so moist and fluffy; it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for! :D I’m so glad I stumbled on it. Thank you so much!
hello angie
i tried this cake for this easter..and wow it was so nice…so moist and everyone liked a lot..thanks for the recipe…
Such a clever trick!
I made this, and my husband said it tasted like corn bread.
Whomp whomp…
I love this cake. It’s gorgeous! I even gave it a go, take a look http://bakingmakesthingsbetter.blogspot.com/2010/03/moist-yellow-cake.html
I have to say yer photos made this look very tasty, and so I tried it. I did things different though. I substituted self-rising flour with the All purpose, 1 and 1/2 tea. baking soda, 1/4 tea salt. Didn’t have whole milk, so 1% (Although I was scared the whole milk would of been a thicker consistency, and maybe next time I’ll buy some) and I didn’t have butter flavoring & I was originally on the hunt for a Cherry cake recipe, so I mixed about half a can of Lite Cherry pie filling at the end instead of the butter flavoring.
End Result, very moist cake, but also mine was very crumbly. So tasted good, but looked like a wreck. I also ended up cooking it almost 40 minutes, 37 minutes to be exact. So I don’t know if I didn’t let it cool long enough, not enough pam on my pans, or what my problem was. But hey tasted great, especially with more of the cherry filling slapped in the middle of the layers with icing :3
I’m just not sure about putting that many eggs in, does it come out tasting quite eggy?
I am pregnant and CRAVING this cake. I don’t have the energy to make it so I am just drooling over the pictures. I really shouldn’t visit this site. It’s just torture. I can’t wait until I have the energy to bake again!!! This will be the 1st thing I makes
This recipe is a VERY good recipe! Tried it and It came out so moist and tender…definitely a keeper!
I really want to try this cake but I can´t get Butter Flavoring in my country.
Any substitute I could use or is it maybe ok to skip it?
omg i made this one – and it’s adorable!!! i gave some to my friends and they adored it!!!
but one hint – at first bite you think “oh my, i could eat thousands of pieces!!!” but when you’re almost done, you kinda think “oh my, if i just eat one more piece i’ll burst!!”
but it’s amazing!!! i’ll try another recipe from you, bakerella! LOVE LOVE LOVE your site!!
xxx greencupcake
Do you have any recipes for a moist chocolate cake?
I just literally finished baking this cake and it is soooo good and moist! I did half portion and it turned out well. I used a 6 x 3 round pan for half the recipe – perfect size!
Thanks for the recipe Bakeralla!
what can you use instead of butter flavoring?
why do you need it?
I adore you and your blog!
Moist indeed! Everyone loved it!!!!!!
However, when I make it again I may put less sugar … with the frosting it was a lil too sweet.
Thanks Bakerella!!!!!!!
Forgive me if there was an earlier post to this, but I’m wondering if the room temperature trait of the eggs and milk have anything to do with moisture. I haven’t found that answer yet, but have made tons of recipes, some had room temp eggs/milk, others did not. Wishing I had noted differences.
I love your photos! Gotta couple of Qs and a tip or two:
Have you tried Mermaid Bakery’s Yellow Butter Cake recipe (substituting cake flour)? Its on CC. I’ve tried it with a good vanilla and with the creme bouquet. I think the Vanilla ext is best. This cake has a tighter cell structure and cuts like a dream. Great for carving.
Have you tried bake even strips and/or the baking release stuff (eliminates the butter flour stage and the extra browning around the edges) (both found at almost all craft stores)?
If you do make the above mentioned recipe make sure to put parchment paper at the bottom of the pan and use an upside down flower nail in pans larger that 8 inches. Also you dont have to “sour your own milk” you could just sub out buttermilk – there is no taste difference. Also when subbing out AP flour for cake flour remember to adjust the flour: For each cup of AP flour substitute 1 cup plus 2 TBS of cake flour. I use Swans Down brand. Remember to follow the creaming method…read and press the listen button on this site to hear Alton talking about cakes:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4229760
Also for your above simple syrup spray (which imho the Mermaid bakery recipe needs)…right after you take the syrup off the heat you can stir in one of the following ideas:
2 TBS of dark rum and 1 TBS of instant coffee powder, or 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract.
Becky – I guess… if it gets hot enough
Chincheta – almost four cups confectioners sugar
Just seen you’ve already answered to this question..
Thank you anyways !
I am looking forward from seeing your next post ^_^
Hi!
I would like to try this recipe, but I can’t understand, when you are talking about the buttercream frosting’s ingredients, what means “1 1b. 10X powdered sugar”.. I don’t actually catch the quantity I am supposed to use :S
Sorry, English is not my mother tongue.. and I don’t recognize those abreviations.. Could you help me please?
Thank you..
Best regards from Switzerland <3
I found it too…but you did all the research!!
I have been looking for a cake of this texture, fluffiness and levelness for quite some time and thanks to you Bakerella, I found it! I even messed it up and added cold milk (it was 1:00am and I was half asleep) but it still worked. I made it in a 10″ cake pan (rather than the recommended 3 pans of 8″ each) and reduced the cooking temperature. The whole 10″ cake was devoured in less than 18 hours! Some of my observations: The batter is rather thick but it was still super moist at the end. It was so moist, I would not even do a simple syrup spritz. The cake did not dome – despite the fact that I did not use any baking strips to ensure levelness. A leveled cake is always easier to ice. I saw your post “Cake…three ways” and the pictures of the mini cakes cut out of this very same cake recipe shows this cake un-iced. From that picture I can see that the cake does not rise very much and that it stays rather flat for you too. One thing that still needs testing is – will this cake hold up any weight? I would like to use this recipe in a stacked fondant cake structure, but I am not sure it will hold up. Have you tried using it to build a 3-tier stacked cake in the two years since you’ve found this recipe? On another note, I just wanted to tell you that you have an absolutely fantastic blog – your creativity is admirable.
oho nice cake thk u its really yummmy !! i am so eager to prepare this cake now
oho nice cake thk u its really yummmy !! i am so eager to do prepare this cake now
Hi! Does the buttercream frosting melt??
I made this cake today for my mom’s birthday… DELICIOUS! It was a hit! And I am a terrible baker! Thank you!!
I’ve tried this and it’s great. I just realized that it’s a basic 1-2-3-4 cake–1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups flour, 4 eggs. No wonder it’s good, it’s been around for ages. I’m making my niece’s b-day cake tomorrow and using this recipe. The sugar spray is a nice touch!
Meemz – I spoon it into the measuring cup and then level it off.
Hi Bakerella,
Just one more question. I was wondering how you measure your flour? Is it by sticking the measuring cups in the flour bag? or is it by the other meathod of spooning the flour in the measuring cups and flattening the top at the end? I use the former. What do you use?
I just tried this cake. It’s lovely and all my cousins gave it thumbs up :) Do any of you guys know why some yellow cake recipes come out eggy? i.e. the finished product smells/tastes of eggs.
I made this for a baby shower I hosted, what a hit! I’m not a fan of the buttercream on store-bought cakes- but, oh my! The frosting was delicious! Let’s just say I made sure I sent the gals home with some cake so I wouldn’t gobble it up myself!
I love how everything is just so pink…. so cute!!
Gizelle – not quite sure what you are asking. This recipe makes three layers. But if you’re asking if you can split each layer in half, then yes I think that will work. You’ll have six total.
I used this recipe for the first time tonight…for a batch of cupcakes. It is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!! I knew I could count on you…thanks!!!!
I’ve been looking for a great yellow cake recipe for a birthday cake, and since your pumpkin pie bites turned out so amazing I trust your opinion.
Do you think that instead of using one whole cake for each layer I could slice the cakes in half (2 cakes for 4 layers) or is this too moist for that? I’m using a bavarian cream filling, so I think I’ll stay away from the sugar spray. Thoughts?
well this is my first time ever trying buttercream frusting, EVER. and im not sure if its my favorite. now either i screwed it up (which i would imagine to be pretty hard to do since its so simple) or i just dont like this kind. darn iiiit. im still excited to try to cake though. it looks gorgeous =]
OH MY GOSH! i am baking this cake right now, and the batter is the most delicious batter i have ever tasted. yum yummmm yum! i cant wait till it is done.
I know this is an older post, but I just made this cake a couple days ago for my grandmother's birthday and it turned out perfectly! It was a huge hit. This is definitely my new go-to yellow butter cake recipe. Thanks!
hi,
I was wondering about how long to bake these as cupcakes? I'm not sure if it would be the same time as a cake. I read through all the posts, but couldn't find it. Also whoever had made them as cupcakes, was there anything that anyone changed?
Thanks so much :)
Bakerella, I emailed you about cupcake help regarding this cake! I just wanted to let you know so that it doesn't get spammed! :)
I made this today and it was way too plan and flour tasting. I followed everything correctly and had all the right ingredients. Definitely not moist, but crumbly. This recipe was a waste of 2 hours! I think I'll just stick with box cake mixes.
I followed all of your directions exactly and it turned out perfectly. I made it for my daughter's 3rd birthday party. Definitely had to double the icing recipe to have enough for all three layers. Thanks for the recipe!
thanks…i think i may be doing something wrong when i'm creaming the butter. maybe my butter is too soft. i tried another recipe several times and it happened each time. since i need the cakes for this weekend, i tried a different recipe all together (one without butter, just shortening) and that worked. i'm sure it won't taste as good, but now i can just experiment some more when i'm not under deadline! thanks for replying to my comment!
Michelle – try the pound cake I made a couple of weeks ago.
Julie – I'm guessing you must have changed something if it worked the first time and not the second, so it's hard to say what caused it.
hi! i made your recipe once and LOVED it, but just tried again and the centers sank terribly…any advice on what i did wrong?? thank you for your wonderful site!!
Hi! Just wanted to say that I tried this recipe w/ the butter cream icing and it was fabulous! I did cupcakes instead of cake and left out the spray (too scared to do it) and the butter flavoring (didn't have any) and they were great! It was my first time not using a box. I even did a 1/4 batch dry run before the party to see how they'd turn out and all the test tasters really enjoyed them. Thanks for sharing all your great recipes with us. I talk about your blog everywhere I go :) Oh, I also tried your cheesecake recipe and as I expected, it was SSOOOOOOO good. I think I ate half of it.
I am planning to make my first fondant-covered cake next week and I would love a recommendation for a yellow cake that holds up! You mentioned a recipe that was better used when covered with fondant- if you don't mind sharing please email me at skutniml@gmail.com :)
Jill – it should be enough. If it's too much, make some extra cupcakes
I'm going to try this recipe for my daughter's first birthday party! Question: I'm using an 11x15x2 sheetpan–do you think I need to increase the recipe, or will there be enough batter?
Anonymous – I don't know. But I'm pretty sure she uses a completely different recipe. The MMF would probably still be too much. But, if you were doing a small cake, maybe not.
Well, thank you for this recipe! It came out quite fantastically. I had to make my own self rising flour (adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda and a pinch of salt per cup of cake flour) but it didn't seem to negatively affect the quality of the cake. Quite moist and delicious.
So what did she do to change the recipe to make it moist and cover it with fondant?
I like using MMF so would that make a difference since MMF weighs a little less than the regular fondant?
Thanks!!
instead of milk could i use buttermilk…
404momi and EJ180 – so glad you enjoyed it!
My daughter and I are taking Wilton cake decor classes and I've since used this recipe twice with in the last month. The first time I used it with a glass pan, it was dry because I baked it too long (but still good served with strawberries over it), the next I used my metal pans for our decorating class, way too good! I served the last one this w/e after it being frozen for a week with company and they absolutely raved about this cake recipe. I'm on my way up to bake the next one tonight for Tuesdays class using it again. I can't thank you enough for sharing this recipe with us. This recipe is most certainly a KEEPER for sure!
This is indeed the best basic cake recipe in the universe. The first two times I tried it I did not use the butter flavoring and it was good. I finaly broke down and bought the butter flavor and it was "off the chain"! I have a picture on my blog of the last piece standing.
The lady who gave me this recipe uses a different one when she covers cakes with fondant because this one is pretty moist.
Question: Has anyone tried this receipe under fondant? Would it be too moist to hold up under the weight of fondant?
Ingrid – 1 1b. 10X powdered sugar = @ 3.5 cups
I’m really anxious to try this recipe for yellow cupcakes, but a have a doubt.
I didn’t understand what the
“1 1b. 10X powdered sugar” of the buttercream recipe means. Is it 10 tablespoons of powdered sugar?
Thank you!!! Sorry about any mispelling, I’m from Brazil and I don’t practice writing a lot :)
samanthaaa – ummmm… i dunno. I’ve never baked in a microwave before.
hi, what if i were to use a conventional microwave to bake it. what wld the temp be adjusted to?