Name: Super-Moist Yellow Cake With Rich Chocolate Frosting
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Yield: Makes two 9"-diameter cakes
Ingredients: ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces, plus more for pans; 3 cups (345 g) cake flour; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 1 Tbsp. baking powder; 1 tsp. baking soda; 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 4 large eggs, room temperature; 2 large egg yolks, room temperature; 1½ cups buttermilk, room temperature; 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract; 4 cups (440 g) powdered sugar; 1½ cups (126 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder; 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature; ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. (or more) buttermilk, room temperature

Yellow cake with chocolate frosting being sliced and served.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

This one-bowl yellow cake can be whipped up in 15 minutes, bakes in 30, and sports a rich chocolate frosting that comes together quickly while the sponges cool.

The majority of homemade layer cakes use a technique called creaming, in which fat (usually butter) is beaten with sugar until light and fluffy. This yellow cake recipe relies on reverse creaming, where the dry ingredients are mixed with room-temperature butter until sandy before the wet mixture is incorporated into the fat-coated flour. This technique aerates the batter more effectively and prohibits gluten development, resulting in a tender cake that stays moist.

You’ll notice this recipe calls for both baking powder and baking soda. When tested with just baking powder, the cake rose less and was denser in texture. Adding baking soda gave the cake extra lift, producing a fluffier, lighter crumb—but only because of the inclusion of buttermilk. Baking soda needs an acidic ingredient to cause the desired reaction, so don't be tempted to swap it out.

The easy frosting comes together in the blink of an eye, with more buttermilk to highlight the fruity notes of cocoa powder. It’s a rich, flavorful chocolate frosting that’s not too sweet, seasoned with just the right amount of salt for balance.

Editor’s note: For a cake of this size, ¾ cup sugar may not sound like a lot, but the light sweetness balances well with the rich chocolate frosting. For more of our favorite cakes, check out our cake recipes finder→

Recipe information

Total Time
1 hour 45 minutes
Yield
Makes two 9"-diameter cakes

Ingredients

Cake

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces, plus more for pans

3 cups (345 g) cake flour

¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 large egg yolks, room temperature

1½ cups buttermilk, room temperature

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Frosting and assembly

4 cups (440 g) powdered sugar

1½ cups (126 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt

¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. (or more) buttermilk, room temperature

Preparation

Cake
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Butter two 9"-diameter cake pans and line each bottom with a parchment paper round; butter parchment. Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix 3 cups (345 g) cake flour, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl until combined, about 30 seconds.
Step 2
With the motor running, add ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces, then increase speed to medium and beat until butter is in small pieces and mixture looks sandy, about 3 minutes.
Step 3
Turn off mixer and add 4 large eggs, room temperature, 2 large egg yolks, room temperature, 1½ cups buttermilk, room temperature, and 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until pale yellow and fluffy, about 1 minute (be careful not to overmix batter). Divide batter between prepared pans and smooth tops with an offset spatula.
Step 4
Bake cakes until tops are golden and spring back when gently pressed, 30–35 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cakes cool in pans 15 minutes. Run a small knife or offset spatula around inside of pans to loosen cakes, then turn out onto rack. Remove parchment and let cakes cool completely, about 1 hour.
Frosting and assembly
Step 5
While the cakes are cooling, sift 4 cups (440 g) powdered sugar and 1½ cups (126 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer with clean beaters (or paddle) on medium speed, beat 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, and ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl until creamy, about 4 minutes. Add half of dry ingredients and beat on low speed until incorporated. Add remaining dry ingredients and ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. buttermilk, room temperature, and beat until thoroughly combined. If frosting is too stiff, thin with more buttermilk (1–2 Tbsp.) until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
Step 6
Using a large serrated knife, slice domed tops from cakes. Place 1 layer on a large plate or cake stand and spread a thick layer of frosting on top with an offset spatula. Place second cake layer on top and generously frost top and sides of cake with remaining buttercream. Smooth sides and create decorative swoops and swirls on the top.
Editor’s note: Head this way for more of our best birthday cake recipes →