Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
The BEST Yellow Cake Recipe with Milk Chocolate Frosting. 5-Star Rated Recipe!
I was one of those kids that were counting down the minutes at my birthday party until I could blow out the candles and eat my big ol birthday cake. I wanted a piece with a thick layer of homemade chocolate frosting.
This is literally the best yellow cake recipe. It is so flavorful, moist, and buttery! The homemade chocolate frosting is insanely rich and creamy and pairs perfectly with the homemade yellow cake.
It’s New Year’s Eve so let’s go out of 2016 with a huge yellow cake with chocolate buttercream because I see only green smoothies in my future….
If you read my last post about making a homemade yellow cake — Homemade Yellow Butter Cake, I went through many experiments to bring you these cake recipes. My pants just got tighter in an effort to bring you the perfect cake!
We had large cake testings to determine the winners of the unofficial homemade yellow cake recipe challenge.
The path to the Yellow Birthday Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting…
The recipe that I posted a few days ago is for a traditional yellow butter cake. I wanted to change it up a little and experiment with adding in some vanilla pudding mix. Since it is known to add a good amount of moisture to a cake, I was excited to see how it would affect the final product.
It not only made a denser, moister cake but also a flavorful one as well. It’s a small amount of pudding but was still a big difference-maker. This is truly THE BEST YELLOW CAKE EVER.
The chocolate buttercream recipe is one that I played with over the years and is now my go-to recipe. It has the perfect balance of rich chocolate, butter, and powdered sugar and isn’t over the top sweet. It truly is the greatest chocolate frosting. If you are a chocolate cake lover, you must try my Love at First Sight Chocolate Cake.
Add some colorful sprinkles to this Yellow Birthday Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting if you want to make kids really happy.
Here are my favorite baking pans — USA Bakeware Round Cake Pan 8 inch and USA Bakeware Round Cake Pan 9 inch.
A Wilton Angled Icing Spatula is the perfect tool to use to frost this cake.
- 4 Large Eggs
- 2/3 cup Whole Milk or Buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 2 1/4 cups Flour
- 1 1/2 cups Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Butter softened, cut into cubes
- 2 Tablespoons Oil
- 1/3 cup Vanilla Pudding Mix instant
- 1 1/2 cups Butter softened
- 1 cup Cocoa
- 5 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/3 cup Cream Half n Half or Milk
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla.
- In a standing mixer, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat the butter into the flour mixture, one cube at a time. Continue to beat until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the 1/2 of the egg-milk mixture and oil and beat the batter is light and fluffy. Add remaining egg-milk mixture and vanilla pudding and mix just until combined.
- Take a spatula and scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Spread into greased 8 or 9-inch cake pans and smooth tops with a spatula.
- Bake for 16-22 minutes, depending on the depth of pans. If the cake layers are thin, they will cook for less time than the thicker layers.
- Let cakes cool. Run a knife around edge of cake pan and flip over. Frost with milk chocolate frosting.
- To make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
- In mixing bowl, cream together butter, cocoa, powdered Sugar, and cream until light and fluffy. You may want to add more cream or milk depending on consistency. Once the cake has cooled and has been removed from pans, frost each layer with frosting.
- Top with chocolate shavings, chocolate chips, sprinkles, M & M's or whatever your heart desires.
- This recipe makes two 9-inch cake layers or three 8-inch cake layers. If you use three 8-inch cake pans, the layers will be thinner and will cook for less time.
- This is one baked good that gets even better the next day, if covered.
Happy Baking, my friends! xo
For the frosting, what brand of Cocoa do you use? Is it Dutch processed?
How would you improvise if all you had are semi-sweet chocolate chips?
I made this cake for a friend’s birthday and it was a big hit! The waitress at the restaurant begged for a piece of cake. This is an amazing yellow cake recipe and I will make it again.
Can this be made into a sheet cake? If so, what size pan would I need?
Hello Melissa! If I’m using cake flour do I still add the same amount of baking powder or does the amount change?
Good morning, this is going to be a crazy question, with the vanilla pudding do I make the pudding first and then add to the cake mix or do I add the package of set pudding mix
I used the chocolate buttercream frosting recipe and it was great! Not too sweet!
This is silly but… does this cake need to be refrigerated? The icing has milk and butter, which makes me think so, but I prefer room temp cake if possible. Thanks!
Hi! Your recipe looks great! I’m looking forward to making this! How far in advance can I make this cake and how should I store it?
Thanks for a fabulous recipe! My daughter is having a cake decorating party and each guest gets a 2-layer six inch cake to decorate. This recipe made 3 6″layers. I baked them for about 40 minutes and they are just perfect! I had been hunting for a good yellow cake and I have certainly found it. Thanks!
Obviously this is an old post and I may not get any answers. But I made this cake, word for word, for my son’s birthday. The cake took 27 minutes until a toothpick came out clean. When I just went to flip the cake to cool on rack to eventually frost (after some time, the middle was stuck to the cake pan, and the center didn’t seem cooked. It was soft and smooshy. I’ve made countless cakes before. This is not something that happens! Any idea what went wrong here!? Btw, great frosting recipe! It’s delcious.
I just wanted to update my comment. I realised after a few months later, it was an issue with my oven!
Would cheesecake pudding mix work as well?
Hi! I plan on making this cake for my husbands birthday tomorrow. It looks delicious! Before I buy the ingredients though I was wondering if it would make a difference if I used half n half instead of whole milk or buttermilk in the cake recipe.
Hi! You can use half water half half and half
I know that it sounds crazy but it works!
Hope this helps!
One of the most delicious cakes I have ever tasted! My whole family devoured it!! GOD bless!
I love to hear it, Melia! Thank you so much for trying my recipe. I am so glad you devoured it! — Melissa
hi there,
I have been hunting for a yellow, fluffy , moist cake. Hopefully this would be it. I tried a different recipe from Divas and it sank in the middle. i have to do a layered 9×13′ cake. Very nervous about it. Can I use 2 9×13″ pans and can i double the recipe? How much longer should i put it in the oven? Hopefully it wont sink in the middle. Please advise urgently as I need to do it this weekend.
Thank you.
Do you use unsalted butter for both the cake and frosting?
Hi Shana! I use salted butter for this cake. I hope that helps. Thanks! — Melissa
Salted For the frosting as well?
I never saw an answer to the questions regarding whether you add the powdered instant pudding mix or if you make the instant pudding first and then add thr pudding already made to the cake. Can you help? Want to make for my son’s birthday!
Hi Christine! You use the powdered mix and just add it to the cake. I hope that helps! — Melissa
Hi! I am going to make this for my sons first birthday. I am making one big cake for the guests and then I wanted to make a smaller smash cake for my son. Do you by chance have the recipe measurements for a smaller cake? Thanks!
For the frosting can i use heavy whipping cream instead of milk or half and half?
Absolutely! Heavy cream is divine is this frosting! It will just make it richer. — Melissa
I made cupcakes today with this recipe. I wasn’t sure if I did anything wrong because the batter came out thick. Also the cupcakes taste very sweet is that from the vanilla pudding?
If I wanted to make the frosting w/o the chocolate, is it ok to just leave out the cocoa? Or should I replace it with something?
Looking forward to making this for my daughters birthday!
Hi Rebecca! You can make it without cocoa but you will want to add a little more powdered sugar to compensate for the missing cocoa. I hope that helps! — Melissa
Hi,
What size ‘cubes’ for the butter in the cake (such as: 1/2″, 1″, etc.)? Just trying to avoid extra work – Ha!
Thank you,
Shelley
Hi Shelley! I understand! 🙂 1/2 cup = 1 cube of butter. If a recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, it needs 2 cubes of butter. I hope that helps! — Melissa
Hi! I’m going to bake this cake for my son’s birthday this weekend. I would like to use three 9 inch round pans. I’m curious; did you 11/2 times your cake recipe just like you did in the pictures? Thanks!
Hi Lisa! I am so sorry for the delay in replying. For the pictures, I used three 8-inch cake pans. It still provides a good sized cake but if you want a taller cake, you can 1 1/2 times the recipe. Happy late Birthday to your son! — Melissa
Do you know the nutrition facts for this cake and icing? Thank you
Hi Lauren! I have started to add nutritional information to my website so stay tuned. It should be updated this week. Thanks! — Melissa
If using buttermilk, should the baking powder be replaced with baking soda and how much ?
Hi Samantha, I have used buttermilk before and have kept the recipe just the same and it turns out awesome. I hope that helps! Thanks! — Melissa
This cake was easy and delicious to make!
I love to hear it! Thanks for trying my recipe, Jamila.
Can I add lemon zest and lemon extract to this recipe? I really like this recipe and I need a lemon cake?
Hi Julie! I haven’t tried that yet but you can give it a shot. I also have a lemon olive oil cake recipe, which is delicious! It calls for fresh lemon juice and zest.
I have attempted homemade yellow cake before but haven’t been happy with the results. This one is hands down the best one yet. I will make this cake from now on. My family loves it!
I love hearing that, Jane! Thank you for trying my recipe and for taking the time to comment. I appreciate it! — Melissa
How long would you suggest baking it if I used (3) 8 inch pans?
It looks absolutely amazing and I cant wait to try it out !
Thanks
Hi Coco! Since the batter is thinner, I would suggest reducing the baking time by 5-7 minutes and to keep checking the center of the cake. I hope that helps!
I made this cake last week and it was a HIT! One of my sisters took a slice home for the next day and said (and I quote), “it’s bomb ass”! I’d call that a rave review!! Follow the recipe exactly and you won’t regret it. Happy baking!
I love to hear that, Marie! Thank you for taking the time to write such a kind comment and for trying my recipe. — Melissa
Hi. I would like to try baking this cake using the cake flour mentioned in the comments. Do I have to reduce the amount of flour if I use cake flour?
1/3 cup instant pudding for this recipe….is that the small box?
Will this frosting recipe develop a “crust” if left uncovered? Surprisingly, im asking because my husband actually loves when frosting develops that thin little layer of crust after drying out a bit haha…his birthday is coming up and his favorite is yellow cake with chocolate frosting!
Hi Kelsey! That’s a first! I haven’t heard of someone loving the crusty frosting but that’s awesome. It will crust over when exposed to the dry air. Bake the cake the day before, frost it, and let it sit out overnight. I hope he has a great birthday! P.S. My husband loves this cake too!
Yay thank you!
Do you add the pudding mix or do you make, cool and add made pudding?
I used regular vanilla pudding instead of instant. Oops. Will the flavor be compromised? It looks beautiful.
I baked your cake last night for my step-sons’s birthday party tonight. (Knowing the frosting will soak in like you said and make it moist. 1st off, I followed your recipe to the T, I only greased and did not flour the cake pans. (Two -9inch rounds). I ended up baking them a full 23 minutes checking first at 16 minutes. I cooled for 10 mins in pans only because that is what all the other cakes I bake suggest. (you don’t really specify.) They totally fell apart!!! Thank goodness I have learned as a baker, it doesn’t have to look perfect to taste good. I managed to piece it together with frosting! (Delicious by the way!) So, my question to you is should I have floured the pans as well as greased? Or do you think it was because I opened the oven and checked it at 16 mins., 20 mins, then 23 mins.? I will let you know how everyone likes it!!
My boyfriend requested a yellow cake with chocolate frosting for his birthday, and he consented to letting me make it from scratch instead of from a box mix, so I had to find a great recipe. This recipe was PERFECT! His mom and sister ended up coming over to eat with us, and everyone loved it! I halved the recipe since it’s only the two of us and had no problems doing that. I used whole milk and regular all-purpose flour. I did use the vanilla pudding mix. I cut out about a cup of sugar from the frosting (after halving it), and everyone thought it was perfectly sweet. Thank you!
My husband specifically asked for yellow cake with chocolate icing for his birthday. I hate grocery store cakes so I’m opting to try and make it myself. Your reviews rave about the flavor so I’m using your recipe. I’ll follow to the letter and hope he’s so impressed that he’ll want to msg you himself to thank you. Because all ovens don’t heat the same, I haven’t had great success with baking. Hopefully, my attempt will give novice bakers the courage to try. I’ll text again soon and give you my results. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I just realized, I’m not sure if I bought instant pudding mix! Its European Gourmet Bakery brand and it just says ‘organic cooked pudding and pie filling mix”. Help! Will it work the same way still??? TIA!
How tall does each cake generally come out if you use two 9′ pans to bake the cake ? Does the cake double in size, I ask because mine seems to not have risen that much. What would I have done in the process of making this cake to have it not have risen properly?
The frosting is fabulous by the way and after my boyfriend’s birthday tommorow I will let you know how the cake taste.
I made this recipe twice because I liked the butter, oil and buttermilk. I was confused by the mixing method, have never mixed the butter with the dry ingredients. No info on how big or how many cubes to use. I use butter that comes in 2 sticks to a cup, each stick is a half cup. Can this recipe be mixed by creaming butter and sugar adding eggs, then alternate flour and buttermilk?
WOW! I am not much of a baker and I did have some trouble when I turned the cooled layers out of the 3 8” pans. Not completely cooked in the center but I was able to salvage by cutting the cakes in half and stacking 5 layers high. One was not salvaged but I ate the outside of it.
The frosting was perfection and I struggled to apply it smoothly but I did great. Everyone loved it. Worth the mess I made in my kitchen but it will be better next time.
Thank you for the amazing recipes.
Hi, I am planning on making this cake for my cousins birthday on March 2. I was thinking about adding strawberry puree/jam to each buttercream layer any thoughts? Also, I know you like to use cake flour, is there any reason for not using it in this recipe? Is all purpose flour best with this cake? Thanks
WOW! After many years of trying many good – very good yellow cake recipes in search of a keeper Ah-MAZING recipe… my search is over :). Thank you! This is one amazing yellow cake recipe.
I love your recipes and as a member of another baking group, my one suggestion for your recipes is to please label the flour as cake flour or all purpose flour, and also specify if you use the paddle attachment or whisk attachment for the mixer. I usually can find this information scrolling through your comment section, or guess, but it’s always so nice when a recipe specifies it for you so you can take the guessing game out of it. Cheers!
I made this cake about 6 months ago and it was a hit. But now I need it to serve at least 30 people on Saturday May 4th. Could I make this in square pangplans or a rectangle? What would you recommend?
Hi! This cake sounds delicious!! I am planning to try this recipe for my daughter’s birthday in June and was wondering if it’s possible to convert this to a sheet cake using 9×13″ pans. Any tips?
Absolutely loved this recipe! It was a hit at my sons birthday party! I did add 1/4 cup of brewed coffee and Dutch chocolate milk instead of whole milk to icing recipe and it was perfect!
Hi there! Can the batter be cooked as thin layers to make a tiny layer cake?
Hi Melissa,
I made this cake recently for a friend’s 40th birthday and it was fantastic! I make layer cakes fairly often, and this is absolutely hands-down the best recipe I’ve ever made. It was light and moist, absolutely perfect. I baked in two 9″ pans for the full 22 minutes, plus another minute or so.
I think the vanilla pudding mix really adds to the flavor – my friend said the cake tasted like a donut, and she loves donuts (who doesn’t?).
The frosting was also perfect. Not too sweet, and just the right amount. I am now planning to make this for my own birthday!
Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
This cake is phenomenal! It is now my go to cake! I love all of your recipes. Whenever I am looking for a new recipe, I come here! Thank you so much!
I made this recipe yesterday with (2) 8″ round pans and it came out nicely! Made with whole milk, and the texture was more dense than fluffy. One pan needed 24 minutes in oven and the other needed 26 minutes. I reduced the powdered sugar in the frosting by an entire cup and felt it was perfect! I used maybe 1/6 cup of whole milk in frosting. Excellent recipe, family loved it!
Hello Modern Honey have you made this with cake flour I know that it is a finer mill, and what would be the measurements for the cake flour if so, and would that mess up the recipe or would that make it more moist and softer.
Thank you 🙏 so very much,
Hi, I would like to know the answer to your question as well. I am not sure why Modern Honey hasn’t answered it; perhaps it is because she doesn’t know? (Hard to believe she hasn’t seen the questions as it was posted at least three times, and I see that she does respond to some of the questions). In any event, I plan to try the recipe with all purpose flour. I think that the addition of the oil and pudding mix will soften the crumb.