Use a homemade cake mix to whip up this classic recipe in a matter of minutes! This cake mix yellow cake is moist, light, and perfect for any occasion.

We love classic cake recipes – and this cake is no exception! Yellow cake is so versatile because it compliments so many different frosting flavors. The best part is, all you need is your homemade cake mix recipe and 3 other ingredients!

Simple pantry recipes are honestly the BEST.

slice of yellow cake with chocolate frosting

What’s the flavor of Yellow Cake?

Yellow cake has the richness of egg yolk and butter to create an irresistible and simple flavor. It’s richer than white cake, because of the extra fat – but the actual flavor of yellow cake is simple and a little sweet.

What’s to love about this cake?

There are a few key things that make this cake the absolute best!!

This cake is simple. You only need a few ingredients to get this cake in the oven.
It uses a homemade cake mix. A further explanation of why this cake is so simple – it uses a cake mix that you can make at home. Click here to make the easy recipe.
It’s better than a traditional box mix cake. You can have the same ease of throwing a quick box mix together, but with SO much more homemade flavor.

Is yellow or white cake better?

The difference between yellow and white cake is the eggs. While yellow cake includes the egg yolks with the whites, white cake leaves the yolks out. This is because to get a pure white color, yellow or orange-colored ingredients cannot be used.

The flavors are slightly different – yellow cake tends to be more rich, white cake is sweet. While it comes down to preference on which one tastes better, they both have good uses.

slice of yellow cake on a plate with a fork

What makes yellow cake moist?

The amount of fat in cakes is what makes cakes more or less moist. The fat in yellow cake comes from egg yolk and milk. If there’s butter in your cake, that will also add to the fat content. Since the cake mix in this recipe already had shortening in it, we don’t add more butter.

Using whole milk instead of fat-free or 2% will help moisten your cake. This recipe includes a perfect amount of egg yolk and milk to make your cake moist and delicious!

What frostings go well with yellow cake?

There are countless options for frosting and decorating when it comes to yellow cake! We used a traditional chocolate frosting for this recipe, but here’s a list of a few other options that would be delicious as well!

cake with chocolate frosting with one slice cut

Can I make this cake in advance?

We recommend eating this cake within 24 hours of making it. If you frost it as soon as it has cooled from the oven, the cake will stay more moist.

How to Store Cake

This cake should be stored in an airtight container. It can be on the counter for up to 24 hours, but would be best preserved in the fridge.

It also freezes well! Wrap with plastic wrap and put in an airtight container and it will keep in the freezer. When ready to eat, let it fully thaw on the counter before opening it to keep it fresh.