This buttery yellow sheet cake is simple and straightforward. Made from basic ingredients, it’s soft, tender, and perfectly moist. Baked in a half sheet pan or quarter sheet pan, this classic birthday cake doesn’t require any special assembly or decoration. Top with my creamy and rich chocolate fudge frosting.
If you’re not making confetti cake, this buttery yellow cake with rich chocolate frosting is the quintessential treat for your birthday candles this year. After plenty of recipe testing, I landed on a simple combination of basic ingredients that yield a tender and flavorful cake crumb.
You know the super moist cakes that stick to your fork? That’s what this is!
This Yellow Sheet Cake Is:
- Simple to make, assemble, and decorate
- Flavorful and moist
- Extra buttery and soft
- Perfect for a half sheet or quarter sheet pan
- Covered in fudge-like chocolate frosting
Best Ingredients to Use for Yellow Sheet Cake & Why
- Cake Flour: Cake flour produces a wonderfully light and cakey crumb. I highly recommend it. If you don’t have cake flour, you can use this DIY cake flour substitute.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: I used to make this cake as written below, but with 1 teaspoon of baking soda. (No baking powder.) In recent years, I began using a particular mix of baking powder and baking soda. This change is in the recipe below. The crumb was instantly lifted and the cake was even fluffier. Note: I use a *touch* extra baking powder here than in my layered yellow cake.
- Salt & Vanilla Extract: Flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Like vanilla cake, creamed butter and sugar is the base of this yellow sheet cake. There’s simply no other way to achieve the same cakey and soft crumb. (For denser cakes, such as carrot cake, we use oil since we’re looking for a different texture.) Make sure you are using proper room temperature butter.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake.
- Eggs: My layered yellow cake uses whole eggs, plus additional egg yolks. In that recipe, I also whip egg whites into peaks before folding into the cake batter. Layer cakes require a little more finesse because you’re stacking cakes on top of one another, squishing them down. I don’t find either addition (more egg yolks and whipped egg whites) necessary here. However, feel free to mix in just the egg yolks where you add the whole eggs in the written recipe below. Then whip the egg whites separately before folding into the batter after you add the milk. I don’t take that extra step here though.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream promises a tender cake crumb. Plain yogurt works as a substitute if needed.
- Whole Milk: Liquid is key in most cakes because it thins out the batter. You can use nondairy or lower fat milks in a pinch, but the cake’s texture isn’t as rich or moist.
I use the same ingredients in my yellow cupcakes, too.
Check out this chocolate fudge frosting! It’s the same frosting I use for my piรฑata cake. (Another cake that’s perfect for a birthday celebration.) What I love most about this particular frosting is that it’s dense and smooth, not whipped or fluffy like I usually make it.
The recipe yields enough for a thick layer of frosting.
The Many Benefits of Sheet Cakes
I love sheet cakes because they feed a large crowd, bake up fast, and cool pretty quickly. There’s also no assembly required or special decorating techniques needed.
I call sheet cakes the fuss-free cakes.
You can use a 9×13-inch cake pan for a quarter sheet cake or a 12×17-inch sheet pan for a half sheet cake (pictured below). The quarter sheet cake, which is pictured above, is thicker and requires a little longer in the oven. Both bake times are included below. If sheet cakes are your preference too, try this cookies and cream cake, apple cake, zucchini cake, or funfetti sheet cake next!
Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: half sheet serves 25, quarter sheet serves 12
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
The ultimate birthday cake is right here! This yellow sheet cake with chocolate fudge frosting is the only yellow cake recipe you’ll ever need.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups (266g) cake flourย (spooned & leveled)
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, at room temperature*
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, at room temperature*
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 and 1/2 cups (540g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3/4 cup (62g) natural unsweetened or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
- 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup*
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- optional: rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Generously grease and lightly flour a 12×17-inch half sheet pan or a 9×13-inch quarter sheet pan. Set aside.
- Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed for 3 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Turn the mixer down to medium-high speed and beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the sour cream.
- Add 1/2 of the cake flour mixture/dry ingredients and 1/2 of the milk and beat on low speed until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and milk and beat on low speed until combined. Do not overmix this batter. The batter will be smooth, velvety, and slightly thick. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl.
- Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan. Smooth it out into a thin, even layer. For a 12×17-inch sheet cake, bake for 20-22 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For a 9×13-inch sheet cake, bake for 36-40 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. With either size, make sure you rotate the cake pan once or twice during bake time.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan placed on a wire rack. As the cake cools, make the frosting.
- Make the frosting: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until pale, smooth, and creamy, about 2 minutes. Using a fine mesh strainer, sift the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa together. Add the sugar/cocoa mixture to the butter, then beat on low speed for 20 seconds. Stop the mixer, then add the milk, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. If the frosting is too thick, beat in an extra splash of milk.
- Frost cooled cake and top with sprinkles.ย Slice and serve.ย Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Cake can be made 1 day in advance, covered tightly at room temperature, and then frosted right before serving. Frosting can also be made 1 day ahead of time. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Bring frosting to room temperature, then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so itโs creamy again. Adding a splash of milk will help thin the frosting out, if needed. Frosted or unfrosted cake can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links):ย 12×17-inch Half Sheet Pan or 9×13-inch Quarter Sheet Pan | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack | Fine Mesh Strainer | Icing Spatula
- Cake Flour: Cake flour produces an extra light cake. I recommend it, especially if making the thicker 9×13 inch cake. If desired, you can use the same amount of all-purpose flour instead. The original recipe was written with all-purpose flour. Or you can try this cake flour substitute.
- Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream lends the best flavor. You can substitute plain yogurt in a pinch. I suggest a full-fat variety.
- Milk: For a rich and moist cake, I highly recommend whole milk. You can use lower fat or nondairy milk in a pinch, but the cake won’t taste as rich or moist. You can use buttermilk instead, too. I recommend whole milk or even half-and-half in the frosting, but lower fat or nondairy milk works in a pinch.
- Corn Syrup: A little corn syrup makes the frosting uniquely glossy and shiny. You can leave it out if you’d like.
- Yellow Cupcakes: You can use this cake batter to make about 20 cupcakes. I also have a yellow cupcakes recipe that produces the same buttery moist texture and flavor. If using this cake batter, follow the same baking instructions as the yellow cupcakes.
- Yellow Layer Cake: Here is my layered yellow cake recipe.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Can this recipe be doubled (or maybe it needs to be tripled?) for a layered 1/2 sheet cake?
Hi Alexis, if youโre looking for a thicker cake in a half sheet pan, we recommend multiplying the recipe by 1.5. Doubling it may be a bit too much batter and could lead to uneven baking or spillover. Just keep an eye on the bake time and use a toothpick to test for doneness. (When it comes out clean, the cake is done.) So if you’re layering 2 of this size, you’d need to triple the amounts. For best results, we’d recommend making 1.5x the recipe twice, instead of tripling and then dividing. Hope it turns out great!
Gosh, was this ever good. I bake a lot and always enjoy trying new cake & frosting flavors, but sometimes you just want a good old-fashioned birthday cake type cake. And this recipe definitely fits that bill. Delicious, soft yellow cake and the fudgy frosting was so smooth and chocolaty. Wonderful recipe that I know I’ll use again when the cake craving hits.
Which is fairly often in my case.
Love this frosting. I would like to make it a little more firm – what would you suggest, please? Perhaps add some melted bar chocolate? Other? Thanks so much.
Hi Anita, you can try adding a bit more confectioners’ sugar to help thicken the frosting more. So glad it’s a favorite!
Made this to take over a neighbors house for dinner. Itโs easy and tasty. I used a 9×13 5 qt dish that was labeled as deep dish. So there was no way it was over flowing. I also added espresso powder to the frosting. It was the first time adding corn syrup to my buttercream. Iโll probably leave it out next time. I donโt think itโs worth buying some if you donโt already have it on hand. I also added more cocoa powder. I find Sallyโs buttercreams to be a little too sweet for me.
As always, Sallyโs recipe was a hit! So many compliments! Will definitely be a new favorite!
Followed directions exactly. Didnโt have cake flour so made some with the recipe linked and it was so thin. Used 9×13 pan and itโs only barely over an inch thick. Very disappointing. Tasted great so gave it 2 stars. Not sure what happened
Check your baking soda and baking powder expiration dates, sometimes that can be the issue
I LOVED this recipe!! 5 stars. I baked in a 9×13 glass pan and it was great. I halved the frosting recipe and it was perfect for us. My hubby said it was the best cake Iโve ever made. So Iโll be making this again ๐ thank you!
My son has gotten into baking, so we originally made a blender cake recipe from a popular cooking show that came out super dense. We decided to try again with this recipe and it came out so soft and fluffy! I think this will be our go-to yellow cake from now on!
Too much sugar and butter for this type of cake, way to much frosting, I won’t make this again..I used a whole pound of butter in the recipe..
This was a miss. It was very crispy around the edges & sunk in the middle. I followed the recipe, weighing everything & baked in a 9×13 metal pan & baked for 40 minutes. It was very dense & didn’t have much flavor. The frosting was great. Everyone tried a slice & no one cared for it. I’m going to throw in in the mixer & make cake pops with what’s left.
In the recipe you mention that baking this as a half sheet will yield a thinner cake slice. If I want to bake a thicker half sheet, would you recommend multiplying the recipe by 1.5 or just doubling?
Hi Cecilia! If youโre looking for a thicker cake in a half sheet pan, I recommend multiplying the recipe by 1.5. Doubling it may be a bit too much batter and could lead to uneven baking or spillover. Just keep an eye on the bake time and use a toothpick to test for doneness. (When it comes out clean, the cake is done.)
How would this do in a bundt pan? I have an old family recipe for a chocolate chip bundt cake that uses a yellow cake mix from a box and I would love a more homemade version. Also if I do add chocolate chips do you suggest any other changes? Thank you!
Hi Trish, this batter will fit into a Bundt pan. We’re unsure of the exact bake time. Same oven temperature. You can add chocolate chips here. We recommend lightly tossing the chocolate chips in flour before adding to the batter to help prevent / minimize sinking.
This is a great cake but would be super thin in a 1/2 sheet pan and way too much frosting for a 9×13 pan
Love the cake, but it overflows a quarter sheet pan! I made this cake and chose the quarter sheet pan option only to have my kitchen fill with the smell of burning cake. I looked back at the recipe and saw that you used a 9×13 casserole in the pictures. Please change the directions accordingly.
P.S. the cake still tasted fantastic!
Hello! If I use your frosting recipe on some cupcakes a day in advance, will they store well? I would like to finish baking the cupcakes and frost them a day in advance of my party.
Hi Amelia, after decorating anything with buttercream or cream cheese frosting, itโs fine for 1 day at room temperature. After that, we would refrigerate it. But, use your best judgment and whatever you are comfortable with- weโve never had any problems leaving frosted desserts at room temperature for a day
Wow, this was the best yellow cake Iโve ever made!
I love to bake and I made this for my older sonโs birthday. Our family was there and they all agree, this cake is a home run. Definitely their new favorite.
I did use the extra dark chocolate in the frosting and filled with chocolate mousse. it turned out so well and I wish there was a place to add a picture to show you the end results.
Thank you for sharing your recipes with us!
Hi Sally,
I have a question regarding you Homemade yellow cake recipe however I couldn’t find a place to leave a comment.
I’m making a spiral cake and would like to use your yellow cake recipe. Since the cake requires some carving I’m wondering if the cake will be sturdy enough to do so.
Hi Lori, are you looking to make a cake roll like this or a vertical cake like this? We haven’t used this batter in either way, so we’re unsure how it would work. Let us know if you do give it a try.
It’s called a spiral cake as it has a track going up the sides of the layers. Can be used for a race track, a road, train track etc. It involves some carving around the sides in order to carve out the road. It requires a sturdy cake so I’m unsure if either recipe is sturdy enough to withstand carving.
Sooo good! Came out perfectly!! First from scratch cake, so relieved it was a success lol!
I made the yellow cake for 2 layers recipe, but I put in a 9×13 pan. It was delicious, but very crumbly. Iโm not sure what happened, was it because I made the layer cake with the round cake recipe? The frosting was delicious as well.
I was looking forward to the dark, fudgy frosting, but mine came out light and fluffy. Don’t get me wrong, it’s DELICIOUS, but it had the flavor and consistency of regular chocolate frosting, nothing fudgy about it. Any idea what I did wrong or what I could change next time to make it thicker and fudgier?
This is probably the first time a Sally recipe didn’t come out perfectly so I assume it’s user error. Thank you for any advice!
Hi Britta, we’re glad you enjoyed it! Was the frosting over whipped by chance? Over whipping introduces more air can also make the color lighter, too. For next time, mix until everything is just combined. Hope this helps!
Hi Lexi, thank you for your advice. I did as you suggested and got a much thicker, fudgier frosting. Still not quite as dark as the pictures of the Chocolate Fudge frosting on here, but delicious and a great texture. Will be making 100 cupcakes with this frosting next weekend so I’m glad I got it down. Thank you!
Hi Sally
I want to make this cake using two 9 inches cake pans. I think I did that once before and as I remember it came out ok. What do you think about using 9inch pans.
Hi Maria, for a round cake, weโd use this yellow layer cake recipe instead. Same great taste!
I have seen multiple comment responses on the layer cake back from 2022 indicating a need to modify the recipe to include both butter and oil. Wanted to check if that version was thoroughly tested? Iโm wanting to make the layer cake version and hoping that the same recipe but with the butter+oil switch is sally team approved?!