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Easy Yellow Cake with Buttercream Frosting
4.5 from 636 votes

Easy Yellow Cake with Buttercream Frosting

This Easy Yellow Cake features a tender, moist crumb made with buttermilk, sour cream, and a blend of all-purpose flour and sugar. It is topped with a vanilla buttercream frosting, which can be adjusting in sweetness and color with confectioners' sugar and food coloring. The cake’s texture balances richness from the dairy ingredients with a light crumb suited for celebrations or casual desserts.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Cooling Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 9
Calories: 435 kcal
Course: Cake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Cake
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 egg large
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • ⅓ cup sour cream lite is okay (plain Greek yogurt may be substituted)
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract McCormick Pure
Buttercream Frosting
  • ½ cup butter softened, unsalted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract McCormick Pure
  • pinch salt optional and to taste (helps offset the sweetness)
  • 1 ½ to 2 cups confectioners’ sugar I use 2 cups
  • 2 to 4 red food coloring or as necessary to achieve desired color, McCormick brand, drops

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
Make the Cake
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, optional salt; set aside.
  2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, sour cream, oil, and vanilla.
  3. Add the wet mixture to the dry, mixing lightly with a spoon or folding with a spatula until just combined. Small lumps will be present, don’t overmix or try to stir them smooth.
  4. Turn batter out into prepared pan and bake for about 29 to 32 minutes, or until center is set and not jiggly, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
  5. Place pan on a wire rack and allow cake to cool. After cake has cool completely, make the buttercream.
Make the Buttercream Frosting
  1. To a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large bowl and handheld electric mixer), add the butter, vanilla, optional salt, confectioners’ sugar, and beat on low speed for about 1 minute so you don’t spray sugar everywhere. After sugar has incorporated some, increase to medium-high speed and continue to beat until very smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  2. Turn all but 1/3 cup frosting out onto cake and spread evenly with a spatula or offset knife to create an even, smooth flat layer of white frosting; set cake aside.
  3. To the remaining 1/3 cup frosting in the mixing bowl, I added 2 drops red food coloring, beat momentarily to incorporate, and added the pink frosting on top of the white to create a two-toned layer of frosting. However, for ease you can tint all of the frosting pink. 

Notes

  • Store the frosted cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; refrigerate if preferred.
  • Use plain Greek yogurt as a sour cream substitute if needed in the cake batter.
  • Adjust food coloring gradually in the frosting to achieve your desired shade.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 435kcal (22%) Carbohydrates 66g (22%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Polyunsaturated Fat 8g (47%) Cholesterol 54mg (18%) Sodium 228mg (10%) Sugar 54g (108%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 9 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 435

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 435kcal 22%
Carbohydrates 66g 22%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Polyunsaturated Fat 8g 47%
Cholesterol 54mg 18%
Sodium 228mg 10%
Sugar 54g 108%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.