Go Back
old fashioned yellow butter cake slice

Old Fashioned Yellow Butter Cake

An old fashioned yellow butter cake recipe that is over 100 years old! An easy, no nonsense basic cake that only uses one bowl. It will become your go to when you need a yellow cake for any occasion.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Sifter
  • Electric mixer
  • Spatula
  • 2 8 inch cake pans
  • Wire cooling rack

Ingredients
  

CAKE

  • 2 cups all purpose flour 240g
  • 1¼ cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter, soft
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

  • ½ cup butter
  • ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3-4 cups icing sugar
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions
 

FOR THE CAKE

  • Preheat oven to 350℉/177℃. Grease two 8 inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. You can also dust lightly with flour.
  • *Have all ingredients at room temperature* In a large mixing bowl sift together all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat in butter for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture resembles damp sand.
  • Slowly add in the milk then the vanilla. Beat another minute until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary to incorporate all the ingredients.
  • Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend for another minute until smooth.
  • Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans. Batter will look fairly thin. Tap pans lightly on counter top to release any air bubbles. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until tops are lightly golden and cake tester comes out clean. Tops should also spring back when lightly pressed in the middle.
  • Cool cakes in pans for 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove by running a knife around the edges and releasing. Cool cakes completely on a wire rack. Fill and frost.

FOR THE FROSTING

  • In a small saucepan melt butter and add cocoa powder. Remove from heat. Stir well to bloom the cocoa, then transfer mixture into a medium mixing bowl.
  • Add salt and gradually beat in 2 cups of the icing sugar. Add milk slowly. Now beat in enough additional icing sugar to make a spreadable consistency.

Notes

To turn your all purpose flour into cake flour, remove 1/4 cup and replace with 1/4 cup cornstarch.
Keyword butter cake, cake, dessert, layer cake, old fashioned, one bowl, yellow cake