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Basic Yellow Cake

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By Pillsbury Kitchens
Updated Mar 9, 2021
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Everyone needs a fluffy yellow cake from scratch in their recipe collection—and it doesn't get much easier than this one. It's light, fluffy and simply delicious. This no-fail homemade yellow cake recipe is quick to prepare and easy to make. With a few steps and basic pantry ingredients, you can have it in the oven in just 20 minutes. This yellow cake with chocolate frosting is a tasty way to make any occasion extra special.

More About This Recipe

  • Once you’ve baked yellow cake from scratch, you’ll have a go-to-recipe that never fails to delight and impress. “You made this yourself?” people will ask, and you can just smile and nod. No need to tell them that your never-fail recipe required just a few steps and some basic pantry ingredients—or that you were able to mix it and put it in the oven in just 15 minutes. There’s just something so celebratory about cake that it seems to be the one dessert everyone loves. If you want to welcome a new neighbor, make a splash at the next neighborhood potluck or tell someone “Have a Happy Birthday,” there’s really no better way to do it than by baking a cake. This yellow cake recipe is sure to become your favorite baking project when something a little bit special is the order of the day. And now that you know how to make yellow cake, you can find more time-tested favorites, heirloom classics and fun modern twists in our cake and cupcake recipe collection.

Basic Yellow Cake

  • Prep Time 20 min
  • Total 1 hr 55 min
  • Ingredients 13
  • Servings 15
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Ingredients

Cake

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups milk

Frosting

  • 4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/3 cup milk

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour 13x9-inch pan. In medium bowl, stir flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
  • Step 
    2
    In large bowl, beat granulated sugar and 3/4 cup softened butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and eggs until well blended. Alternately add flour mixture and 1 1/4 cups milk, beating well and scraping bowl after each addition. Pour batter evenly into pan.
  • Step 
    3
    Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
  • Step 
    4
    Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Cool 10 minutes.
  • Step 
    5
    In large bowl, beat remaining Frosting ingredients with electric mixer on low speed until creamy. Gradually beat in melted chocolate until well blended. Immediately spread on cake.

Nutrition

460 Calories
21g Total Fat
5g Protein
61g Total Carbohydrate
43g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
460
Calories from Fat
190
Total Fat
21g
32%
Saturated Fat
13g
64%
Trans Fat
1/2g
Cholesterol
80mg
27%
Sodium
270mg
11%
Potassium
140mg
4%
Total Carbohydrate
61g
20%
Dietary Fiber
2g
8%
Sugars
43g
Protein
5g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
10%
10%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
10%
10%
Iron
15%
15%
Exchanges:
1 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 2 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 4 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
4
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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