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    BeeyondCereal » Recipes » Cake Recipes

    Single Layer Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting

    Modified: Oct 17, 2023 Published: Jul 26, 2022 by Nicole Durham This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    4.43 from 7 votes

    When you want something sweet but don't need a large dessert, this single layer yellow cake with chocolate frosting is a perfect option.

    Recipe: $3.75 | Per Serving: $0.47 | Servings: 8

    a sliced yellow cake with chocolate frosting on a metal cake stand.

    Yellow cake with chocolate frosting is a traditional and classic dessert. Often made using boxed cake mixes like this Chocolate Pistachio Bundt Cake or Rainbow Heart Cake.

    This homemade cake is made from scratch and is a beautiful way to get your favorite flavors without the processed mixes.

    I have nothing against boxed mixes. In fact, some of my best cake recipes use them, like my Tres Leches Layered Cake and Southern Banana Pudding Cake. But boxed cake mixes make large portions, and we want something smaller today.

    Jump to:
    • 🍯 Why This Recipe Works
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions for Single Layer Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting
    • 🍴 Recipe Tips
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Storage
    • 💭 Recipe FAQs
    • ❤️ More Delicious Cake Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🍯 Why This Recipe Works

    1. Made from scratch IS tastier. There's no doubt that making foods from scratch is tastier, so you can feel good about serving up this homemade yellow cake with chocolate frosting or going back for a second slice.
    2. Perfect for a small occasion or family. When you want to do a small celebration, birthday, or simply want to serve up something sweet after dinner, this single layer cake recipe is perfect for a one-time treat without so many tempting leftovers in the fridge.
    3. It's cheap to make! This recipe comes together and costs less than $5 to make, making it very frugal and affordable.

    🥘 Ingredients

    ingredients needed for one layer yellow cake with chocolate frosting.

    Ingredient Notes:

    Granulated sugar- Use white sugar to make the cake sweeter and have a better consistency.

    Leavening agents- You will need baking soda and baking powder to help the cake puff up and rise as it bakes.

    Heavy cream- Use heavy cream, not milk, to make the whipped ganache frosting the perfect consistency.

    Milk chocolate chips- You could use semi sweet if you wanted to, but I love the milk chocolate taste with yellow cake!

    For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.

    🔪 Instructions for Single Layer Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting

    Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour or line an 8" square or round pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

    Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, powder, salt. Add egg, milk, vanilla, oil; whisk. Stir in hot water.

    Step 2: Add flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl (Image 1).

    Step 3: Whisk together until well mixed (Image 2).

    Step 4: Add egg, milk, vanilla, and oil (Image 3). Whisk together. Add hot water and whisk well until the batter is smooth (Image 4). It will be runny, but that's okay.

    Pour batter into pan, bake until done. Let cool. In bowl, add chocolate chips.

    Step 5: Pour batter into the prepared pan (Image 5). Tap the pan gently against the counter to release any air bubbles.

    Step 6: Bake cake for 25 to 28 minutes or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in a few places comes out clean (Image 6). Let cool completely (Image 7).

    Step 7: Add chocolate chips to a large mixing bowl (Image 8).

    Microwave cream until almost boiling. Pour over chocolate chips, whisk smooth. Chill, then whip until fluffy.

    Step 8: Heat the cream in a medium bowl in the microwave until almost boiling. 1-2 minutes. Add to the chocolate chips and whisk until smooth and well combined (Images 9&10).

    Step 9: Chill the mixture until it's cold.

    Step 10: Once it's chilled, whisk it on high speed until it's light and fluffy (Image 11).

    Step 11: Frost cake (Image 12).

    🍴 Recipe Tips

    1. Don't overmix. Do not overmix your cake batter or use too hot of water (like boiling) or else your cake batter will turn out dense. It will still be delicious- but it won't be fluffy.
    2. Let cake cool. Letting the cake cool completely before frosting it will prevent the frosting from melting, and letting the cake cool completely before storing in the fridge will keep it from becoming dense as well.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Storage

    This cake, once frosted can be kept covered and stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. It will taste best when fresh, so don't wait too long.

    💭 Recipe FAQs

    How long is chocolate ganache good for?

    When making the frosting, you start by making chocolate ganache and then letting it cool. You can keep the ganache well covered in the fridge for up to 1 week in advance, but I recommend no more than 2 days before when you need it.

    What is the flavor of yellow cake?

    The flavor of yellow cake is vanilla. The yellow color comes from the egg yolks that are used in the batter, which causes the mix to become a shade of yellow.

    Can I add cocoa to a yellow cake mix to make it chocolate?

    If this is what you desire, then go for it! You can add in about ¼ cup of cocoa powder to turn this yellow cake into a chocolate flavored one.

    a sliced yellow cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.

    ❤️ More Delicious Cake Recipes

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    • sliced oreo bundt cake with marshmallow icing and oreo cookies to the side.
      Oreo Bundt Cake

    If you tried this Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your feedback in the 📝 comments section below. I would truly appreciate it!

    📖 Recipe

    a yellow cake with chocoalte frosting and sprinkles missing a slice and resting on a metal cakestand.
    Print Recipe
    4.43 from 7 votes

    Single Layer Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting

    When you want something sweet, but you don't need a large dessert, this yellow cake with chocolate frosting is a perfect option.
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 428kcal
    Cost Recipe $3.75 / Serving $0.47
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowls
    • Measuring Cups
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Whisk
    • Electric Mixer
    • 8 inch cake pans

    Ingredients

    Cake:

    • 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour ($0.16)
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar ($0.27)
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda ($0.01)
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder ($0.05)
    • ¼ teaspoon salt ($0.01)
    • 1 large egg ($0.15)
    • ½ cup milk ($0.10)
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract ($0.09)
    • ½ cup vegetable oil ($0.35)
    • ½ cup warm water ($0.00)

    Chocolate Frosting:

    • ¾ cup heavy whipping cream ($1.49)
    • 1 cup milk chocolate chips ($1.07)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour or line with parchment paper, an 8" square or round pan. Set aside.
    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
    • Add egg, milk, vanilla and oil. Whisk together. Add warm water and whisk well until the batter is smooth. It will be runny but that's okay.
    • Pour batter into prepared pan. Tap the pan gently against the counter to release any air bubbles.
    • Bake cake for 25 to 28 minutes or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in a few places comes out clean.
    • Cool cake completely before frosting.

    Chocolate frosting

    • Heat the cream in a medium bowl in the microwave until almost boiling. 1-2 minutes
    • Add the chocolate chips and whisk until smooth and well combined.
    • Chill the mixture until it's cold.
    • Once it's chilled, whisk it on high speed until it's light and fluffy. Frost cake.

    Notes

    • Cake Batter Mixing: Avoid overmixing batter or using boiling water to prevent dense cake; aim for fluffy texture.
    • Cooling: Let cake cool completely before frosting to prevent melting, and before storing in fridge to maintain texture.
    • Flavor Variation: Add ¼ cup cocoa powder to turn yellow cake into chocolate flavored.
    • Storage: Once frosted, store covered in fridge for 3-5 days. Best enjoyed fresh.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 235mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 358IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg
    Author Nicole Durham
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Diet Vegetarian
    Tried this recipe?Mention @BeeyondCereal on Instagram and hashtag it #BeeyondCereal
    Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used. To view how this recipe was calculated you can visit my Pricing Disclosure Page for more information.

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    The proud owner and recipe developer behind BeeyondCereal. Here, I'm passionate about showing people how to navigate the kitchen with frugality in mind, whipping up family-friendly recipes that not only save money but also bring joy to every meal.

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