Recipe: D.I.Y. Yellow Cake

After last week's discussion of cooking compromises, we felt honor-bound to share the recipe that makes us choose baking cakes from scratch over using a mix.

This one-bowl recipe can be mixed up in under 10 minutes, and it turns out a reliably light golden cake with a moist crumb. It's solid with flavor and the taste of butter, unlike the over-heightened, additive-ridden cake mix products, which usually taste overwhelmingly of sugar and not much else.

It's a plain, fast cake, and ideal when slathered with thick fudgy frosting. I also like to layer it with warmed jam and powder the top with confectioners sugar.

The most time-consuming part is preparing the cake pans, and you are going to have to do that whether you use a boxed mix or not. It really does come together in a few minutes, and in spite of the quick one-bowl method it has always given me reliable and consistent results. Cakes have a reputation for trickiness, but this recipe simply doesn't support that.

The recipe is pretty much straight out of the old reliable Betty Crocker. I use whole milk, since I think it adds just a little more richness, and I do not make the original recipe's allowance for margarine in place of butter. For a cake, only real butter will do!

Quick Yellow Cake
makes one 9x13 or two 9-inch cakes

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Take the butter out of the fridge to soften and preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare one 9x13 pan or two 9-inch round pans by greasing them thoroughly with butter or non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening. You can also flour them, if you want, although this isn't strictly necessary. Sprinkle a little flour over them, tilt and shake to distribute evenly, then tap out the excess over the sink.

Mix the ingredients together in the order they're listed - creaming the softened butter and sugar first, then adding the eggs, flour, salt, baking powder, and finally the liquids. Using an electric beater, beat everything together on low for 30 seconds, then high for 3 minutes.

Immediately pour into the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops spring back slightly when pressed.

Let cool on wire racks for at least 15 minutes, then flip each pan over onto the rack and tap gently all over. Lift the pan slightly. If the cake doesn't feel like it's falling out smoothly, lay a slightly damp kitchen towel over the pan and tap again. If necessary, let the cakes cool more. If they have been baked thoroughly, however, they should fall right out of the pans once they've cooled a little and the sides of the cake have shrunk back from the pan.

Cool completely then frost and eat!

(Image: Faith Hopler)

Comments (12)

hello, I am wondering, if I would use a springform pan, do i have to use 2 of them to make this recipe? thank you:)

I wouldn't try the springform pans. The batter is likely to leak right out the bottom. They're meant for cheesecakes, which have a thicker consistency and usually a crust.

I love Wilton pans. I believe I bought them at Wal-Mart, or a local craft place like AC Moore or Michaels, which sells cake decorating supplies. They are relatively inexpensive, but you'll still be using them in 20 years.

I also believe the dark pans, with this recipe, would brown the cake too much, as well as cause the cake to dome. (By cooking the outside too fast.)

I want to make this cake but I also need a recipe for fudgey chocolate frosting. If you have one readily available i'd appreciate it.

Does this recipe work for a 12x18 sheet? thank you

This recipe is fantastic! Ever since I moved to France, I've struggled to get the satisfactory results from my baking (ingredients are just different enough - the butter is less water and more fat than even the "european style" butter in the U.S. for example) but this came out perfectly - even though I had to hand mix it all as my KitchenAid is in the U.S. (hoping to get a 220V one eventually). Thank you! Thank you! Thank YOU! :-)

I made this today. I doubled the recipe, and bought disposable foil circular cake pans, and used three to make a layer cake. It worked out perfectly with a little batter left over for a smaller cake. Came out perfect.

And as far as fudgey chocolate frosting, allrecipes.com has a good recipe for sour cream chocolate frosting. I made it as well and it tastes exactly like fudge. Delicious!

This is my go to cake recipe for all occasions. Every time I bring it anywhere it gets rave reviews. It is so very simple, there is no excuse for making a boxed cake :)

I'm trying to figure out how you make a cake, or more specifically, cream butter and sugar with a stick blender.

Also, I want cake now. Too lazy to bake though.

I finally tried this recipe and am happy with the results, though my cake wasn't very yellow. Other recipes call for more yolks which accentuate the color. I also added 2 TB of vegetable oil which yielded a more moist cake.

What an awesome, easy recipe!! I did add an extra 2 TBS of oil per Mochene's recommendation. Great flavor and dense yet airy texture.

To the springform pan questioner, I baked a wedding cake in my springform pans--they do indeed work for normal batter. Just make sure you have the thing assembled correctly.