There’s just something about a classic birthday cake that never goes out of style. For me, it’s always been yellow cake with chocolate frosting—a nostalgic combo that brings back memories of childhood celebrations, colorful sprinkles, and candles blown out with big wishes. This recipe is my go-to when I want a cake that feels special but still incredibly familiar. The buttery yellow layers are soft and tender, and the chocolate frosting? Silky, smooth, and deeply chocolaty with just the right amount of sweetness.
I love serving this cake slightly chilled—it makes slicing easier and gives the frosting a firm, fudge-like texture that’s downright irresistible. For a festive touch, add rainbow sprinkles, chocolate curls, or a handful of crushed candy on top. It pairs beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a glass of cold milk, and it’s just as delightful the next day. You can even bake the yellow cake layers a day in advance and store them wrapped tightly at room temperature. Once frosted, the cake keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Whether it’s for a birthday, a celebration, or simply because cake sounds like a good idea (it always does!), this one’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- Flour— 2 cups
- 3 Eggs, 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 Stick Softened Butter
- White Sugar— 2 cups
- Baking Powder— 2 1/2 teaspoons
- Salt— 1 teaspoon
- Buttermilk— 1 cup
- Vegetable Oil— 1/2 cup
- Vanilla Extract— 1 tablespoon
- Milk Powder— 1 teaspoon
- Rainbow Sprinkles— 2 cups
- Chocolate Frosting— 3 cups
What You’ll Need
- 2 Round 9 Inch Cake Pans
- Cooling Rack
- Piping Bag & Tips
- Cooking Spray
- Hand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Sifter
How to Make Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting
- First, preheat oven to 350F.
- Use a hand mixer to cream butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, around 3-4 minutes. Incorporate the eggs one at a time then mix in vegetable oil and vanilla extract by hand.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, milk powder, and salt.
- Next, pour the buttermilk into the batter then mix until most of the white streaks have disappeared.
- Now fold in the sprinkles but be careful not to overmix.
- Ensure both cake pans are well greased then pour in the batter, evenly distributing it between both pans.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs.
- Once the cake rounds are finished baking place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting. You can either use store bought or homemade frosting. Here’s a recipe for a Chocolate Frosting that pairs excellently with this yellow cake.
Store at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerate for up to a week.
Tip:
- Coat sprinkles in 1 teaspoon of flour before adding to batter to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
Let us know what you thought of this festive birthday themed yellow cake with chocolate frosting recipe. Feel free to check out some of our other yummy dessert recipes.