Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting
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This yellow sheet cake with chocolate frosting is perfect for birthdays and celebrations. It’s a moist and tender golden yellow cake with the perfect buttery, vanilla flavor. Then it’s topped with creamy chocolate frosting. So much better than a box mix!
A Note from Fiona
Why you’ll love this Yellow Sheet Cake!
Yellow sheet cake with chocolate frosting is the perfect easy recipe to add to your baking repertoire. It’s incredibly moist with a soft and tender cake crumb, and the perfect buttery, vanilla flavor. Because yellow cake is richer than white cake cake, so it holds its own topped with a thick layer of creamy chocolate buttercream frosting. Best of all – this recipe is specifically designed to be made as a sheet cake – so it feeds a crowd and there’s no fancy decorating skills required.
Compared to my layer cake yellow cake recipe, this version is a little softer and fluffier because the cake doesn’t require the stability needed for stacking cake layers. It also takes less effort and is easier to transport.
Table of Contents
Yellow Cake vs White Cake
Yellow cake, or sometimes called golden yellow cake, is a buttery vanilla cake that uses whole eggs. A white cake, in comparison, uses just the egg whites. The richness of the egg yolks gives the cake a beautiful pale yellow color and adds a richness to the flavor.
Making the Cake
This recipe uses the creaming method.
- Preheat the oven and prep the pan first.
- You’ll first sift together the dry ingredients to remove any lumps.
- Then in a separate bowl you’ll cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy – this steps helps to aerate the cake, creating a better cake texture.
- The vanilla extract and oil are mixed into the butter mixture.
- Followed by beating in the eggs 1 at a time into the butter mixture.
- Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
- Then you’ll mix in the sour cream. I love the addition of sour cream for an extra moist cake.
- Finally, the dry ingredients and milk are mixed into the butter mixture, alternating between additions.
- The process of alternating between additions helps to create a uniform cake crumb and reduce over mixing.
- Then the batter is poured into the prepared pan – give the top a smoothing out.
- Bake in the middle of the preheated oven. It will take about 38-45 minutes – or until the top is slightly springy to the touch and an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist cake crumbs.
Pan Sizes
This cake can be made in a 9×13 inch pan (23×33 cm), which is as pictured. It will need about 38-45 minutes to bake. You can also use a 12×17 inch half sheet pan (30.5×43 cm), which will take about 22-27 minutes to bake.
Chocolate Frosting
The chocolate frosting is super creamy and a simple, American-style buttercream. It’s made using real butter for the most flavor, powdered sugar, vanilla, a little salt to cut the sweetness and whipping cream or milk. This recipe makes enough so that there’s a very thick layer if you made a 9×13 inch pan, or a thinner layer if you used a 12×17 inch – which I find is the appropriate ratio with the thinner cake.
Baking Tips
- Ensure your ingredients are at room temperature. This is imperative for easy mixing and a tender cake. If the cake is cold, you end up overmixing the batter – which can lead to a touch cake crumb.
- A little oil goes a long way. While this cake uses primarily butter, we’re adding a touch of butter to keep the cake moist for longer.
- Sift your dry ingredients. Again – this helps to remove lumps and prevent over mixing.
- Do not over bake. Baking the cake for too long will create a dry cake, but not long enough and the cake will be gummy. Always go by the tests, and not just time. When finished:
- the cake should be pulling apart from the sides of the pan
- the top should be slightly springy and firm to the touch
- the cake shouldn’t wobble if you gently nudge the pan
- an inserted toothpick/cake tester should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs (no gooey cake batter!)
Make Ahead Tips
This cake can be made 1 day before serving. Cool fully, then cover the pan and store at room temperature. Make the frosting and decorate the day you plan to serve. The cake can be stored at room temperature before serving.
Sheet cakes can be made ahead of time, wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 2 months. Always thaw in the fridge – otherwise the cake can become gummy. Once thawed, let it sit on the counter to come to room temperature. Make the frosting and decorated.
More Sheet Cakes to Love
Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Equipment
- 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan*
Ingredients
Yellow Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (168 grams), softened
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar (350 grams)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (60 ml)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream (60 ml), room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk (260 ml), 2% is ok, but not ideal – do not use skim
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams), softened, but not starting to melt
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder (57 grams), sifted
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar (330-440 grams), sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3-5 ml whipping cream (45-75 ml), milk is ok
Instructions
Yellow Sheet Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Lightly grease the cake pan
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together for about 30 seconds. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy – about 2-4 minutes.
- Beat the oil and vanilla into the butter mixture until fluffy. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix the sour cream into the butter mixture.
- Mix the dry ingredients and milk into the butter mixture, alternating between additions and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition. Mix in ⅓ of the dry ingredients, followed by ½ of the milk. Repeat the process until all of the dry ingredients and milk are incorporated. I always to the last few additions with a wire whisk to avoid overmixing.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until the top looks set and the cake is starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. The top of the cake should be slightly springy to the touch and an inserted toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist cake crumbs. Always go by the tests as opposed to time.
- Cool the cake in the pan.
Chocolate Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the cocoa powder, 3 cups powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Beat together, starting with the mixer on a low speed and gradually increasing to medium speed until combined.
- Add in 3 tablespoons cream and beat together until fluffy. Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time, if you want the frosting sweeter, alternating with 1 tablespoon of cream. If the frosting seems too thick – mix in more cream/milk.
- Ensure the cake is completely cooled, then frost with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Notes
- Pan Sizes: This cake can also be baked in g 12×17 inch sheet cake pan. The bake time will be about 22-27 minutes.
- Flour: Measure carefully, or the cake can become dry. Whisk first, then spoon into dry measuring cups and level off the top. Use a scale for the most accurate results.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: The butter, eggs, sour cream and milk should all be at room temperature before getting started to ensure that that everything mixes together properly, without overmixing. Overmixing can lead to a tough cake crumb.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Fresh cake is always best. If stored in the fridge, let the cake sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before enjoying.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only based on 1 slice of cake with frosting, assuming the cake is sliced into 15 uniform pieces and all the frosting is used.
