Description
A classic yellow cake with rich chocolate frosting made from scratch. This moist, fluffy dessert is perfect for birthdays, holidays, or anytime you’re craving something sweet. Easy to customize for dietary needs and bursting with flavor in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake:
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar (divided; part for egg whites)
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Optional: ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Optional: Lemon zest, cinnamon, or espresso powder
Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1½ cups cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 7 cups powdered sugar
- Buttermilk (add 1 tablespoon at a time to desired consistency)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Line and grease two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper, butter, and flour.
- Whip egg whites with part of the sugar until stiff peaks form; set aside.
- In a bowl, mix buttermilk, melted butter, egg yolks, olive oil, and vanilla extract.
- In a separate large bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until combined.
- Gently fold in whipped egg whites to create a light, airy batter.
- Divide batter evenly between pans and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, beat butter until creamy. Add cream cheese, cocoa powder, and vanilla, mixing on low speed.
- Gradually mix in powdered sugar in small increments, then adjust consistency with buttermilk as needed.
- Frost the cooled cake layers and enjoy!
Notes
- Use high-quality ingredients for the best results.
- Avoid overmixing to keep the crumb light and fluffy.
- Substitute with gluten-free flour or plant-based milk if needed.
- Add nuts, lemon zest, or espresso powder for custom flavor.
- Work quickly when frosting the chocolate frosting sets fast.
- Store covered at room temp for 3 days or in the fridge for 1 week.
- Freeze individual slices for up to 2 months; thaw overnight.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: ~375
- Sugar: ~32g
- Sodium: ~260mg
- Fat: ~20g
- Saturated Fat: ~11g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: ~47g
- Fiber: ~1g
- Protein: ~5g
- Cholesterol: ~75mg