Yellow Butter Cake Recipe

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This Southern yellow butter cake recipe is moist, buttery, and full of homemade flavor—just like Grandma used to make! Perfect for any occasion.

You guys know by now that we’re not cake snobs around here. I’ll happily doctor up a cake mix to make a fabulous cake like The Best Coconut Cake You’ll Ever Make, but that doesn’t mean I don’t bake cakes from scratch. I think everyone should have a basic cake recipe up their sleeve, and this is one of my favorites!

Growing up in the South, a good yellow butter cake was the heart of every celebration. My grandma’s homemade butter cake was the centerpiece of Sunday suppers, birthdays, and family reunions. This isn’t just any yellow cake—it’s a rich, moist, and buttery classic made the old-fashioned way. With a tender crumb and a deep, buttery flavor, this cake is pure Southern comfort.

One thing she taught me is that a true homemade butter cake has to have just the right amount of vanilla and butter flavor. Every time I bake this classic yellow cake, I’m transported back to her kitchen. It was the best yellow cake I ever had, and now I’m thrilled to pass the recipe on to you.

Ingredients & Substitutions

The difference between this easy Yellow Butter Cake recipe and your usual homemade yellow cake recipe is that instead of using vegetable oil, or a mix of oil and butter, this is a classic yellow cake made with butter. That makes it a little richer, velvety smooth. It’s also just a little firmer, not dense like my Sour Cream Pound Cake, but firm enough that it is easier to handle than a really fluffy cake that sometimes crumbles as you assemble the cake.

Cake Ingredients:

• All-purpose Flour – Make sure you sift your flour before measuring. You can also substitute with cake flour for a lighter texture.
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Unsalted Butter – Make sure to take it out about an hour before you’re ready to bake so it can soften.
• Sugar – You’ll use granulated sugar for this recipe.
• Eggs – Let your eggs sit on the counter with your butter to bring them to room temperature.
• Vanilla Extract
• Butter Extract – This flavoring adds extra butter flavor to the cake. If you can’t find it you can substitute with additional vanilla extract.
• Milk – Measure our your milk and let it sit on the counter with the butter and eggs to come to room temperature
• Sour Cream – this adds extra moisture and richness to the cake.

Frosting Suggestions:

• Creamy vanilla buttercream
• Classic Southern caramel frosting – Swap vanilla buttercream for a rich caramel frosting for a traditional Southern favorite.
• Rich chocolate frosting

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This ensures a soft, even texture in the finished cake.

Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar. In the bowl of your mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed using the paddle attachment. Continue mixing until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. This step is key to getting that classic yellow cake texture.

Step 4: Add Eggs and Extracts. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and butter extract for that signature buttery cake texture and flavor.

Step 5: Alternate Dry Ingredients with Wet Ingredients. While mixing on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture, then ⅓ of the milk, and ⅓ of the sour cream, mixing well after each addition. Repeat this process until all ingredients are incorporated. Be careful not to overmix—just mix until everything is combined.

Step 6: Bake. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Place them in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 7: Cool and Frost. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, frost with your favorite buttercream or chocolate frosting.

Storage & Reheating

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Refrigerator: Keep refrigerated for up to a week.
• Freezer: Wrap slices individually in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheating: Let frozen slices thaw at room temperature before serving.

Looking for More Classic Southern Cake Recipes? Try these!

• Hummingbird Cake
• Sour Cream Pound Cake
• Banana Pudding Cake
• Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
• Coconut Cake

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Servings: 14

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Cooling Time: 2 hours hrs

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

Yellow Butter Cake Recipe

Created By: Kat Jeter & Melinda Machado

This easy Yellow Butter Cake recipe is a homemade yellow cake made with butter instead of oil. It is a rich, moist, cake that goes well with any frosting.

Print Recipe

3.62 from 13 votes

Ingredients

• 2 cups All-purpose Flour, sifted (you can substitute cake flour)
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• ¾ cup Butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups Sugar
• 3 Eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon Butter Extract, if you don’t have butter extract you can use vanilla extract
• ¾ cup Milk, room temperature
• ½ cup Sour Cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a bowl combine sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In the bowl of your mixer add butter and sugar. Cream together on medium high speed using the paddle attachment until it becomes light and fluffy.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add eggs one at a time mixing in each one well before adding the next.
• Beat in the vanilla and butter extract.
• While continuing to mix add ⅓ of the flour, then ⅓ of the milk, and ⅓ of the sour cream, mixing in each component before adding the next. Continue this process until all of the flour, milk, and sour cream has been added.
• Pour the batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans.
• Place in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F. for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the cake pans and letting them cool complete on a wire rack.
• Frost with your favorite frosting and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 274kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 66mg, Sodium: 174mg, Potassium: 121mg, Sugar: 22g, Vitamin A: 425IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 59mg, Iron: 1.1mg

Nutrition Disclaimer: We are not certified nutritionists. Nutrition facts are an estimate and are provided as a courtesy. They are generated by an online API which recognizes ingredient names and amounts and makes calculations based on the serving size. Results may vary.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American