Did you know I bake lots of cakes? Like, lots and lots of lots of cakes? I had a homemade white cake recipe that I love but have been on the search for a good (and it must be GOOD) yellow cake recipe. This Yellow Cake Mix is the perfect way to get rid of box mixes or the perfect gift for a friend! This recipe also makes the perfect Birthday Cake!!!
Yellow Cake (Also Called Butter Cake)
There are two reasons that I finally ended up in this yellow cake recipe:
- It’s a one-bowl recipe.
- It uses whole eggs, not 8 egg yolks.
Oh, and one more… it’s the BEST! Tastes amazing.
(If you want this recipe written out to try my Birthday Cake recipe, it is the same delicious yellow cake only written to be made immediately.)
Homemade Cake Mix
The recipe is written to be stored. You prepare the dry ingredients, label them, and store them in your pantry. When you are ready to bake the yellow cake, you remove it from your pantry and add the wet ingredients.
It is a great option if you have a few extra minutes the week before a birthday or special occasion! Not only can making your own cake mixes save you time, but they taste amazing and are real, natural ingredients!
If you want a yellow cake recipe check out this Birthday Cake version. Detailed tips and tricks on how to make this yellow cake from scratch when you do not need to make the yellow cake mix.
Chocolate Buttercream
I couldn’t help but pair this yellow cake with rich chocolate buttercream, as that is my favorite combination.
Yellow Cupcakes
If you would like the CUPCAKE version of the best yellow cake, try this recipe for the Perfect Yellow Cupcake.
How to Gift Yellow Cake Mix
If you want to give this as a gift simply print out the ‘wet’ ingredients and the directions and attach them to the jar. Be sure to add some instructions, though. Something like, “After the cake is cooled call me and I will be right over.” 😉
More Popular Cakes
Yellow Cake
Equipment
- Stand mixer I like this one from Kenmore!
- Round cake pans (or you can use a 9×13 baking dish)
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- ⅛ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup (1 stick or 113g) butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
Measure flour into quart size mason jar.
- Add sugar on top, then baking powder, then salt. Place lid on jar. (My ingredients JUST fit)
When Ready to Prepare Cake Batter
- Place softened butter into a stand mixer and mix on medium for 1-2 minutes. (You can also use a hand-held mixer)
- Place dry ingredients into stand mixer and combine with butter for 30 seconds.
- Add milk, oil, vanilla and eggs and mix on medium-high for one minute.
- Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350°F. For 8-inch pans it's 20-25 minutes. For cupcakes start checking around 15 minutes. To make in a 9×13, bake for 30-38 minutes. Cool before frosting.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
This was so easy and delicious! I don’t do a ton of baking but this came out perfectly for me the very first time and it was a major hit. I made it for my mom for Mother’s Day with a yummy homemade icing and she ate the whole thing in a few days time! 😂 Thanks- this will be one of my go-tos forever.
Written recipe says to add milk but video does not show milk being added to bowl. Do you add milk.
Written recipe is correct.
That was the best butter cake recipe. The cake was delicious.
Great recipe! Comments below:
1) everyone, the author did note to follow the written recipe since it includes milk – the video does not.
2) instead of the sugar measurement in the recipe, I used 1/2-cup of honey and 1/4-cup white sugar – the taste of the cake was sweet enough for my taste.
3) baked mine in a 8″ square pan for 50-minutes – I will try a 9×13″ pan next time and see how long that takes.
Happy eating.
Thank you for that awesome feedback. Glad you enjoyed it!
I made the apple fritter last week and they were excellent!Now I’m trying the yellow cake will let u know!
I have recently moved to Colorado and would like to know if I need to adjust your recipe for high altitude baking.
Hi, Robin! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. Before making any changes, try the recipe as is (even in high altitude). If it doesn’t turn out, there are a couple of things you could modify. But, only make one change each time you make the recipe. You could add more flour (up to 2 tablespoons more per cup), decrease the baking powder by up to 1/4 teaspoon, or reduce the sugar by 1-3 tablespoons. I hope this helps, and have a great day!
If buttermilk is substituted for the milk, should it be with the same measurements?
HOW LONG DO THESE CAKE MIXES KEEP IN JARS AND CAN YOU USE BAGGIES I DONT HAVE MASON JARS BUT WILL GET SOME SOON . IF I USE BAGGIES DO I HAVE TO REFRIG.
Thank you so much for this wonderful made from scratch cake mix!!! I was wanting to make a pineapple cake from another website.
Except that it called for a box of yellow cake mix. There is something in boxed cake mixes that makes me nauseous, I can’t abide the smell. I found your homemade yellow cake mix and decided to try it in his recipe, using only the dry portion. The only change I made was that your mix makes about 23oz of dry mix and his recipe calls for a 15 1/2oz box.
I weighed out 15 1/2oz of your mix and carried on with his recipe.
It was fantastic!
Now I plan to make up more of your dry mix and use it as a master mix. I can measure out 15 1/2oz anytime I want to substitute a box cake mix in recipes.
Thank you again!
I am thrilled to hear this Pam! You are quite resourceful and I love how you made it work for you! And, of course, thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the recipe after making your adaptations. Have a wonderful day!
Did I miss something…the video didnt show the milk going in. Looks scrummy, tho, and my BFF’s birthday is in another week!
The written recipe is correct.