Description
This classic Yellow Cake with Chocolate Icing is a moist, tender cake perfect for family gatherings or special treats. It features a rich vanilla-flavored cake topped with a creamy, deep chocolate frosting.
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour (300g)
- 1.75 cups granulated sugar (350g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (226g)
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature (240ml)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted (113g) (for icing)
- 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (45g) (for icing)
- 3.5 cups powdered sugar (420g) (for icing)
- 3 tablespoons whole milk or cream (for icing)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for icing)
Instructions
- Prep Pans: Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract, then scrape down the bowl sides.
- Alternate Dry and Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry mixture and milk to the wet ingredients in three additions, starting and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined.
- Bake Cake: Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 28-32 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cake Layers: Let cakes cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto the rack to cool completely.
- Make Chocolate Icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk or cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Adjust consistency by adding more milk/cream for thinner icing or powdered sugar for thicker.
- Assemble and Frost Cake: Once cake layers are fully cooled, level domed tops if desired. Spread a generous layer of icing on the first cake layer, top with the second layer, then cover the entire cake with remaining icing.
Notes
For easy cake release and cleanup, use parchment paper rounds in the bottoms of your pans. To quickly soften butter, microwave in 10-second intervals (do not melt completely). Cake layers can be baked the day before serving; prepare the icing fresh before assembly. If cake batter looks dry, add 1-2 tablespoons extra milk. A pinch of espresso powder (about 0.25 teaspoon) can deepen chocolate icing flavor.
- Prep Time: 58 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx 120g)
- Calories: 380 calories
- Sugar: 45 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg