Thirty Minute Yellow Cake Recipes

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.

PERFECT YELLOW CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 13x9 inch cake pan.
• In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, vegetable oil, and butter. Cream together at medium speed for 1 minute.
• Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time on low speed. Stir in the vanilla extract until the batter is smooth and incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Next, mix in the sour cream and beat until well-combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and turmeric until thoroughly combined.
• Add half the flour mixture, and beat on low speed while pouring in half of the buttermilk and mix just until the flour starts to incorporate. Finally add the remaining flour, mixing on low speed while pouring in the remaining buttermilk and beating until all of the ingredients are combined.
• Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir the batter from the bottom to the top to ensure it's well-mixed.
• Pour the batter into the greased pan (or pans) evenly and bake at 350°F for 36-40 minutes (or less time for cupcakes), keeping a careful eye on the baking during the last few minutes. Test the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake--if it comes out clean, the cake is done.
• Cool completely and decorate with your choice of frosting.

CLASSIC YELLOW CAKE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line 2 9-inch (22 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl 2-3 times. Add eggs and the egg yolk, 1 at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each addition, or until just combined. Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Add ¼ of the dry ingredients to the batter and beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds, or until fully combined. Add ¼ of the buttermilk and mix for another 30 seconds, until well incorporated. Continue alternating with the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk. Beat for 3 minutes more.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool slightly, then remove from the pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Make the frosting: In a large bowl, cream together the butter, cocoa powder, and salt with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until very thick and well incorporated, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Turn the mixer speed to low and gradually alternate adding the powdered sugar and milk. As the sugar is incorporated, increase the speed of the mixer. Add the vanilla and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute.The frosting will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before frosting the cake.
• Add a small dollop of frosting to a cake stand. Arrange four pieces of parchment paper around it. Place 1 cake round on the stand. Add a large dollop of frosting to the top of the first cake and spread evenly. Add the remaining cake layer on top and frost completely.
• Decorate the top with rainbow sprinkles, if desired.
• Remove the parchment paper. Slice and serve.
• Enjoy!