The Best Yellow Cake ever. A soft and tender vanilla cake, topped with fudgy chocolate frosting and homemade cookie crumbs. It’s the ultimate birthday cake!
Welcome to the wonderful world of yellow cake.
I’ve got an ah-mazing treat for you today. We’re talking about the softest vanilla cake (ever), a seriously fudgy chocolate frosting, and a shower of homemade funfetti cookie crumbs.
If it’s not your birthday, you’ll be really wishing it was because this is the ultimate party cake 🎉
This is, hands down, one of my favourite cakes to make. I LOVE it. For all three wonderful layers, but especially for that cake.
So what is yellow cake?
That’s a great question, and to be honest, growing up in Australia, I had never even heard of yellow cake. It’s not a staple here like it is in America.
But essentially, it’s just a really good vanilla cake. It’s typically made with whole eggs – egg yolks AND egg whites and plenty of butter. My recipe also has sour cream because that simple ingredient takes a regular vanilla cake and makes it the best cake on the planet. You’re welcome.
There’s nothing special about how this cake is made – which means anyone can make it (do it, do it). It starts by creaming the butter, sugar and vanilla. My best tip here is to make sure you give the butter and sugar a really good whipping.
Sometimes I feel tempted to stop once the butter and sugar are combined but if you keep going for another minute or two, you’ll be rewarded. You’ll see the butter mixture change colour. It’ll turn pale and go extra creamy – almost whipped. And this is the foundation for a beautiful yellow cake.
Next we add an egg, yolk and all, which gives the cake it’s signature yellow colour. And then the flour and baking powder, alternating with the milk and sour cream. And you’ll end up with the creamiest looking cake batter – try not to face plant!
What can I use instead of sour cream?
If you can, please make this cake using full fat sour cream for maximum taste and texture. If you can’t find sour cream where you live, opt for a full fat Greek or natural style yogurt. It will work JUST as well.
And then there’s that frosting. Can we chat about this for a second? Now I’m VERY partial to a rich chocolate buttercream that uses real chocolate (see my favourite choc frosting recipe). BUT for this cake, we sort of want to mimic canned or packet frosting but make it taste better right?
So we’re making a cocoa based buttercream but then adding sour cream to it. I know, I know. But trust me on this one. It will give you the most wonderful, fluffy, fudgy, melt-in-your-mouth frosting. And it pairs perfect with this light and tender yellow cake.
So just when you’re thinking this cake can’t get any better, IT DOES. Enter homemade cookie crumbs. These buttery cookies are heaven sent.
They’re little shortbread cookies that you make using only a handful of ingredients. They’re crunchy and sweet and add a lovely textural element to the cake. Plus there’s sprinkles – so you know! #winning
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Let’s Bake
The Best Yellow Cake with Funfetti Crumbs
The best Yellow Cake complete with sour cream chocolate frosting AND homemade funfetti cookie crumbs.
Ingredients
Yellow cake
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 150 grams (3/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) full fat or whole milk, room temperature
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) full fat sour cream*, room temperature
Chocolate sour cream frosting
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 435 grams (3 and 1/2 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
- 40 grams (1/2 cup) cocoa powder, sifted
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) full fat sour cream*, room temperature
Funfetti crumbs
- 105 grams (3/4 cup) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornflour or corn starch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60 grams (1/4 cup) butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons funfetti sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Line and grease an 8-inch round cake pan with baking or parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale and creamy. Add egg, beat briefly until combined, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. In a separate bowl, sift together the plain flour and baking powder and salt.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the butter, along with all the milk and sour cream and slowly mix together on a low speed. Add the remaining flour mixture and continue to mix until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared tin and bake in the oven for approximately 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before gently removing from the tin and leaving to cool completely on a wire rack.
- To make the frosting, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sifted sugar, one cup at a time, continue to beat. Add cocoa powder and sour cream and beat until thick and creamy. Frost the top of your cake using a small spatula.
- Next make the funfetti crumbs. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar and cornflour. Whisk together. Pour over melted butter, along with the vanilla, stir briefly. Add sprinkles and then stir until it forms wet crumbs that look like wet sand.
- Pour onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and spread out into one layer. Bake for 10 minutes, then leave to cool completely. Decorate the top of your cake with the crumbs.
Notes
*Sour cream: If you don’t have sour cream, a thick full fat Greek yogurt or natural yogurt will work as well.
Nutrition Information
This recipe was first published on Sweetest Menu in January 2017.
Astrid says
Tastes sooo good!!! And so great it is also so healthy for you right? 😉
Way too much yummy frosting, how can I store this Jess?
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it Astrid! You can keep any leftover frosting in the fridge or freeze it. You’ll just need to bring it back to room temperature to use it again.
Michelle says
Can you store crumbs if you want to make a double batch for future use?
Jessica Holmes says
Absolutely! They will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days.
Brandy says
I made this recipe and followed the instructions exactly and my cake came out very dense. I’ve read the reviews saying it’s so moist and fluffy, where did I go wrong?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Brandy, sorry to hear that! Did you make any changes to the ingredients or method? I’ve found when making a cake like this, the correct creaming of the butter and sugar is crucial to achieving that light and fluffy texture. Also not adding too much flour (measure in grams) or over mixing the cake batter. If you’d like to troubleshoot further, send me a photo of the cake at hello@sweetestmenu.com
Shachi says
Hi.. how does butter cream frosting goes with this cake instead of chocolate cream frosting? I’m thinking of making frosting which you made with butter cake.. will it taste good?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes definitely!
Ameera says
Hi, I had a question regarding the cookie crumb- at what temperature should it be baked?
Thank you!
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Ameera, good question! Just the same temperature as the cake (in step 1). Hope you love it!
Alyssa Erickson says
WOW! I just finished frosting this cake and shaved a sliver off to taste it and it truly is phenomenal! The cake is super tender and fluffy and the frosting has a nice tang to it. I used plain full fat yogurt in the cake and frosting, since I had that on hand. I made this cake for myself, since this is my birthday month and I like to celebrate ALL month:) Oh, and I made the cookie crumbs a couple days before and they are delicious!
Thank you for sharing this delicious cake recipe!!!!
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Alyssa! It’s one of my favourite cakes – and happy birthday!
Alyssa Erickson says
Thank you!
Alyssa says
Could I use full fat plain yogurt instead of sour cream?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes!
Giselle says
I was looking for a simple vanilla cake and I came across this one. It is so soft, yum and so simple. I didn’t have sour cream so substituted it with Greek yogurt, left out the frosting and crumble because I already had some chocolate ganache on hand. This has got to be my go-to simple Vanilla sponge cake recipe for the future ❤️
Jessica Holmes says
Aw I’m so glad you loved it Giselle! It’s one of my faves too ☺️
Preetika says
Hi what is the difference between vanilla and yellow cake in terms of taste ? I wanted to make one but not sure which of the two recipes of yours should I make..a standard vanilla sponge cake which is moist and buttery would be which of the two??
Jessica Holmes says
Hello, great question. They are very similar, in the above post I talk about how yellow cake is basically a very good vanilla cake. It gets its colour from using egg yolks as well as egg whites – some vanilla cakes or white cakes only use egg whites. You can really do either!
Saneah says
Hi Jessica,
Could I use this recipe for a multi-tiered cake?
Thanks!
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Saneah, absolutely! I also have a layered Vanilla Cake recipe that you might like or I’ve had a few readers make my White Chocolate Mud Cake as a tiered cake as well. Hope that helps!
Amanda says
Can I substitute unsweetened apple sauce for the sour cream? Will it leave any taste?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Amanda, I recommend using sour cream as it makes the cake have an amazing texture.
Sarah says
I’d never made a yellow cake before and I loved it!
Jessica Holmes says
Oh I’m so glad to hear that Sarah! It’s def one of my faves 😊
Josh says
The best!
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it Josh!
Amanda says
My birthday isn’t until August, but I already want this! Those funfetti crumbs are just fantastic! I love them.
Jessica Holmes says
Aww thanks Amanda! Let me know if you do get the chance to try it! 🙂
Joanne says
I love a good yellow cake, and have not baked one in such a long time! This cake looks fantastic!
Jessica Holmes says
Thanks so much Joanne! I’m rediscovering just how good vanilla cakes can be! 🙂