This 9×13-inch yellow birthday cake with chocolate frosting is a perennial party favorite. Easy to make from basic ingredients, it’s soft, tender, and perfectly moist. This buttery yellow sheet cake doesn’t require any special assembly, piping tips, or decorating skills. Top it with rich and creamy chocolate fudge frosting, your favorite sprinkles, and don’t forget the birthday candles!
I originally published this recipe in 2019 and have since updated it with new photos and additional success tips.
There are plenty of reasons to bake a layer cake, but sometimes all you need is a simple cake that feeds a crowd, travels well, and is easy to decorate. This classic yellow birthday cake baked in a 9×13-inch pan is exactly that. It’s plush and buttery with a rich vanilla flavor, an incredibly tender crumb, and a thick layer of creamy chocolate fudge frosting on top.
This is the classic birthday cake everyone recognizes and loves. It’s easy enough for beginner bakers, sturdy enough to transport to parties and potlucks, and just as welcome at a weeknight family dinner as it is at a birthday celebration. Add a handful of colorful sprinkles, light the candles, and you’ve got a cake that’s always worthy of a celebration!
If you’re looking for a reliable homemade birthday cake that tastes just as delicious as this yellow layer cake but is easier to make, this recipe deserves a permanent spot in your recipe collection.
Why You’ll Love This Yellow Birthday Cake
Every baker needs a dependable 9×13-inch cake recipe, and this one checks all the boxes. This cake is:
- Soft, fluffy, and extra buttery
- Rich with real vanilla flavor
- Easy enough for beginner bakers
- Perfect for birthdays, parties, and celebrations
- Frosted with a thick layer of silky chocolate fudge frosting
- Simple to decorate with sprinkles, piped borders, or writing icing
It’s the kind of cake that’s nostalgic in the best way—a homemade version of the classic yellow birthday cake many of us grew up eating. You know the super moist cakes that stick to your fork? That’s what this is!
Key Ingredients You Need & Why
After plenty of recipe testing, I landed on a simple combination of basic ingredients that yield a tender and flavorful yellow cake.
- Cake Flour: Cake flour gives this cake its fluffy, delicate crumb. Its lower protein content creates a finer texture than all-purpose flour, making each slice exceptionally tender. If you don’t have cake flour, you can use this DIY cake flour substitute.
- 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 soft, buttery crumb. Make sure you are using proper room-temperature butter. And if you’re just starting out your baking journey, I have a video tutorial on how to cream butter and sugar.
- 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 the layers, filling them, and gently pressing them together. I don’t find either addition (extra egg yolks and whipped egg whites) necessary in the 1-layer 9×13-inch pan version.
- Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream adds necessary moisture, which 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 won’t be as rich or moist.
You also need sugar, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and salt.
I use the same ingredients in my yellow cupcakes, too.
The batter comes together quickly with an electric mixer and just a couple of bowls. If you need a recommendation for a 9×13-inch pan, I like this metal 9×13-inch pan or this metal 9×13-inch pan.
Because it’s baked in a 9×13-inch pan, decorating is quick and beginner-friendly—no stacking or crumb coating required.
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Check out this glossy chocolate fudge frosting! It’s the same frosting I use for my piñata cake. (Another cake that’s perfect for a birthday celebration.)
It’s silky, creamy, deeply chocolatey, and spreads beautifully across the cake. The frosting pipes well if you’d like to add a border or decorative swirls, but it’s just as pretty simply spread on with an offset spatula.
A little corn syrup gives this fudge frosting its glossy sheen, but you can leave it out if you’d like.
Finish with plenty of rainbow sprinkles for the ultimate classic birthday cake!
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 no assembly required or special decorating techniques needed. They’re also easy to transport, so you don’t have the same worries about a layer cake falling over while in transit!
If sheet cakes are your preference too, try this cookies and cream cake, apple cake, zucchini cake, or funfetti sheet cake next.
Yes. Bake the cake up to one day in advance or freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 3 months.
Cake flour produces a softer, finer crumb than all-purpose flour, giving this cake its classic bakery-style texture. If needed, you can use a homemade cake flour substitute, but the crumb won’t be quite as delicate.
Absolutely. Vanilla buttercream, classic chocolate buttercream, strawberry buttercream, or whipped chocolate ganache would all pair beautifully with this cake.
Insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, the cake is finished baking.
Yellow Birthday Cake Tools
9×13-inch Baking Pan with Lid
Measuring Cups & Spoons
9×13-Inch Yellow Birthday Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This 9×13-inch yellow birthday cake is soft, buttery, and topped with rich chocolate fudge frosting. Made from basic ingredients and easy to decorate, it’s the perfect homemade cake for birthdays, parties, and celebrations.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups (266g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 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
- 2/3 cup (160g) sour cream, at room temperature*
- 1 cup (240g/ml) 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 (120g/ml) whole milk
- 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup*
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- optional: rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 3 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the sour cream.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and half 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 over-mix 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 batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake for 32–38 minutes or until the top is very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through baking and, if you notice the top and edges quickly browning, tent the cake with aluminum foil.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan placed on a wire rack. As the cake finishes cooling, make the frosting.
- Make the frosting: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until pale, smooth, and creamy, about 3 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 until the sugar is mostly incorporated, about 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.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and top with sprinkles, if desired. Slice and serve.
- 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 it’s 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): 9×13-inch Metal Baking Pan or this 9×13-inch Metal Baking 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, and I strongly recommend it here. In a pinch, 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 yellow layer cake recipe.
- Update in 2026: We updated this recipe with 2 small changes for more effective leavening and to produce a moister crumb. To make it as written originally, increase baking powder to 2 and 1/2 teaspoons and decrease sour cream to 1/2 cup (120g).
Reader Comments and Reviews
Good news/bad news on this cake. I love Sally recipes and am an experienced baker, but this nearly burned my house down. In the 9×13 pan, there is just too much batter, and it ended up dripping all over the floor of my oven before I smelled it and pulled it out. Filled my house with smoke.
The good news is that it tasted SO GOOD that my daughter was eating the partially baked batter out of the pan. If I make it again, I would make in a half sheet pan or use less batter in a quarter sheet pan.
Hi. The yield for this recipe seems a bit unclear. I just want to clarify that it yields TWO 13 x 9 cakes or one 1/2 sheet? Is this correct? Thank you!
Hi Vera, Either of these pans will yield one cake. The 9×13 will be a thicker cake.
I’d like to make a yellow sheet cake and have buttermilk I need to use up. How can I use it in this recipe? Sub it for sour cream or the milk?
Hi Deb, The best way to use buttermilk in this recipe is to replace BOTH the whole milk and the sour cream – so you will use a total of 1.5 cups of buttermilk. Enjoy!
The cake is moist and, as a coworker said, “dense but in a good way.” I didn’t have cake flour or cornstarch so I used all-purpose flour which probably accounts for the denseness. If I were to make this cake again, I would do the recipe at 1.5 because a single recipe just isn’t enough cake in a 9×13 pan, even if it was made with cake flour. I skipped this frosting recipe for a chocolate sour cream one, which was a huge hit.
hi…my pan is 12 x 18 and i plan to make 2 cakes for a 2 layer cake .. from all the comments it seems need to at least triple the recipe to yield 15-16 cups of batter to divide over the 2 pans? is that correct? about how long would i need to cook each pan? and is it best to use the less butter and cooking oil (what cooking oil do you recommend?) combo? to prevent the cake from sinking? many thanks in advance
Hi Jane, here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes. We recommend sticking with the recipe as written for best results, but let us know what you try!
I just made this cake this afternoon. My husband commented, this is the fluffiest cake!
We loved it! Thanks
Hi Sally and team! How many cups of batter does this yield? I am trying to determine which yellow cake recipe is best for a 10inchx8.5×2 inch pan (it’s a number “2” pan for my son’s 2nd birthday), so that the cake does not become too dense and thick. Thank you for any guidance!
Hi Jenna, this recipe yields about 5 cups of batter. Hope it’s a hit for your son’s birthday!
I followed the recipe exactly. It came out extremely dry.
What might I have done wrong ?
Hi Jackie, I’m sorry this cake came out dry for you! How are you measuring your flour? Be sure to weigh or else spoon & level your flour, so you don’t add too much. Also, you may find it helpful to review these tips on how to prevent dense and dry cakes. Hope this helps for next time!
Hello, i love baking with your recipes! They always come out perfectly. Sometimes it is a challenge finding the correct sized pans here in Germany but other than that all is good.
Now to the question
I am looking for a fudgier frosting for our all time favorite chocolate cake with raspberries. Everyone loves it and want that i bake it for the birthdays.
I came across this frosting…1. question is it really so diffent from the „normal“ chocolate buttercream frosting?
Question 2 Will this frosting be enough to generously frost a 2 or 3 layer 9 inch cake? Thank you very much for your efforts in Advance
Kind regards Greta
Hi Greta, this frosting is more on the dense and smooth side, rather than whipped or fluffy. It’s quite fudgy! A bit of corn syrup also helps to give it a unique glossy shine. For a layer cake, we’d recommend using the frosting ratios for this pinata cake (it uses the same frosting, but in a larger amount). Hope you enjoy it!
I loved this cake but found the frosting to be too buttery tasting. And made the pizza dough which was outstanding!
This is the BEST yellow cake I have ever made and ever had! I made this for my boss’ birthday, and it was a huge hit with my co-workers. Just fabulous.
The cake is lovely; however I was looking for a recipe to fit a half sheet sized cake pan. This made enough for a healthy 9 x 13, but was only half what was needed for the half sheet sized cake pan.
I enjoyed making this cake with the tasty frosting. My family enjoyed it.
But I have to add the nutritional facts, for my foods class project. I don’t suppose you could send them to me?
Hi Jaaden, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
One question: I plan to bake either this cake or the vanilla sheet cake that utilizes the reverse-creaming method. Which recipe more closely resembles the store bought mixes that turn out so tender and nearly melt in the mouth? That’s the recipe I’d prefer trying first. Thank you. Love your recipes!
Hi Pam, both are wonderfully soft and moist, so it really depends whether you are looking for a yellow cake taste or more traditional vanilla cake. Let us know what you try!
Wonderful recipe – I’d love to make a chocolate version of the cake, any suggestions?
Hi Lauren, here is our chocolate cake instead—see recipe Notes for 9×13 instructions!
Everything I’ve made from Sally’s is incredible. I’ve never had volcano cakes to actually come out of the custard cups until I made Sally’s!
That being said, I think I’ll reduce the butter in this recipe next time. Tastes delicious but a bit on the buttery side.
Hi!!
Ok so I want to make this in advance but I don’t want to freeze the cake. How long can I leave it in fridge or or room temperature ?
Hi Rylee, see recipe Notes for our recommended make-ahead instructions. Enjoy!
Hey! I love your recipes and I often swap the flour for my gluten free 1:1 flour. With this being cake flour, I’m curious if I should do a GF all purpose (14 TB + 2 TB) corn starch mix, or 1:1 and corn starch mix or if the 1:1 by itself will be fine. The 1:1 has very low protein and is mostly made of rice flour and potato starch (I’ve used better batter, King Arthur and bobs red mill) so I’m inclined to think a simple 1:1 swap will do. Any suggestions? Thank you!
Hi Courtney, we do not have any experience swapping cake flour with gluten free flour, so we’re unsure of the exact results or any additional tweaks that may be needed. Let us know if you decide to try it!
Hi Sally! Would I be able to cut this recipe in half to feed a smaller group and use a 9×9 or 8×8? Thank you!
Hi Priyanka, here’s everything you need to know about cake pan sizes and conversions—that will help for scaling this one down for your needs. Hope it’s a hit!
Hi Sally, I am obsessed with this recipe. I LOVE IT! Best cake ever. So if I am planning on making a this recipe for 25 people… how can i go about making this into a round cake? Do you have any recommendations? I would use the cake conversion pan page but I think I need more than that to get a right idea of what size pan i can use and how many layers. Please let me know your thoughts! Thanks!
Hi Rylee, for a round cake, we’d use this yellow layer cake recipe instead. Same great taste!
I always love your baking skills and have baked many items but my cake as someone said 9 x 13 Pyrex started to overflow a bit center fell a bit it feels tender made my own cake flour turned cake ??? If taste ok putting whip cream n berries for the fourth hoping for the best!
Thank you! Easiest and best homemade cake I’ve made so far! Everyone loved it and the chocolate fudge frosting! I love all of your recipes that I have tried
Just wanted to thank you again for clarifying the recipe!! Made 2 13×9 cakes. Turned out perfectly. Frosting recipe sufficiently covered both cakes in the pan, not grainy and wonderfully delicious, not overly sweet… and I’m not a frosting girl. Quality cocoa is key. Cakes got rave reviews! Paired well with a homemade Sea Salt Vanilla Ice Cream. Keep Calm and Bake On.
Thank you for your response but… Is the milk added to the other wet ingredients (i.e. butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, sour cream)? It never states that. Cake flour/dry ingredients to me means flour, baking soda, baking powder & salt. Am I understanding this incorrectly?
You’ll have mixed together the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. To that mixture, add in 1/2 of the dry mixture and 1/2 of the milk, and mix that all together until combined. Then add in the rest of the dry ingredients and the rest of the milk, and mix again until combined. Hope this clarifies it for you!
Thank you very much!!! That is much clearer. Maybe I’m the only one who has had this problem but your explanation is far clearer than the recipe. Might be nice to make that alteration for clarity. Was asked to make 2 of these cakes for a friend’s birthday party and don’t have time to make mistakes. Really appreciate your time responding. Take care & happy baking!!!
Happy I could help! Enjoy the cake. 🙂
Hi! I loved your recipes. But this one caused the cake to overflow, it burnt in the center and at the end it collapsed. I’m sure I did something wrong. Can you help me? This never happened to me before.
Hi Angelica, I’m so sorry to hear about your cake disaster! What size pan did you use?
Am I missing something here? I presume I add the milk to the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla mixture? Does milk go in last in the wet ingredient series? Never states that and then only references adding the milk, not milk mixture, to the dry ingredients.
Hi Cat, in step 4 of the recipe, it says: “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.” Hope this helps!
I’m not sure what I might have done wrong. I thought I followed the recipe exactly but my cake came out not light and fluffy but very dense. It was almost a strange texture. The frosting was very smooth and tasty, maybe a bit sweet, but I was really disappointed with the cake.
The cake itself is delicious and won rave reviews tonight. I didn’t care for the frosting but I just don’t like powdered sugar frostings, they’re too sweet. However, 2 out of the 4 of us loved the frosting as well.
My grandmother tasted one bite and was in tears. She said it was just like her mother used to make it. My question is that sometimes there are still lumps of butter in my frosting, I’ve tried what I know to do. Any tips?
Hi Kelsey, be sure to use room temperature butter so that it fully incorporates with the other ingredients. And feel free to mix for a bit longer if needed to make sure it’s completely smooth. We’re so glad the cake was a hit!
Hi! Would this recipe be suitable for a layer cake? Also, could layers be baked ahead, wrapped, and frozen?
Hi Lisa, we’d recommend following our recipe for yellow layer cake instead. And yes, here’s everything you need to know about how to freeze cakes!
It looks like the option to comment on the yellow layer cake recipe is gone. Just wanted to say that the middles sank and it’s crumbly. I’ve baked other cakes from this site and it’s my first time with this problem 🙁 I saw that other people had the same same issue and you said you had been testing it with vegetable oil and less butter. Do you happen to remember if using vegetable oil worked better? Thanks!
Hi Cami, we are in the process of re-testing this recipe, but have had success with reducing the butter to 3/4 cup butter (1.5 sticks/170g), + adding 1/2 cup vegetable oil. If you try it, please report back on your results!