When you want something sweet but don't need a large dessert, this single layer yellow cake with chocolate frosting is a perfect option.
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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, like this Single Layer Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 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.
- 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.
- It's cheap to make! This recipe comes together and costs less than $5 to make, making it very frugal and affordable.
🛒 Ingredients
Granulated sugar- Use white sugar to make the cake sweeter and have a better consistency.
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!
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Swap chocolate types if needed. Milk chocolate chips are delicious, but semi-sweet or a mix of whatever chocolate you already have works just as well for the frosting.
Buy cream in small cartons. Heavy cream can be pricey, grab the smallest container or use leftover cream in other recipes like whipped cream or creamy pasta.
Skip special decorations. This simple cake doesn't need sprinkles or piping, its flavor stands on its own, keeping the total dessert under $5.
🥄 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.
Step 2: Add flour, sugar, and baking powder 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 until smooth. (Image 4).
Step 5: Pour batter into the prepared pan (Image 5).
Step 6: Bake cake for 30 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).
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).
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- 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.
- 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
Storage: This Single Layer Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting, 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.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
This Single Layer Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting pairs perfectly with a cold glass of milk, fresh berries, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a warm cup of coffee or hot cocoa for a simple, cozy dessert moment.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
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.
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.
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.
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🐝 If you tried this Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Single Layer Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour - ($0.16)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar - ($0.27)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder - ($0.05)
- ¼ teaspoon salt - ($0.01)
- 1 large egg - ($0.15)
- ⅔ cup milk - ($0.10)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - ($0.09)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil - ($0.35)
Chocolate Frosting
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream - ($1.49)
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips - ($1.07)
Instructions
- Preheat. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour or line an 8 inch round or square pan with parchment paper.
- Mix Batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the egg, milk, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil. Whisk until smooth.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
- Make Frosting. Heat the heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl until very hot but not boiling, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chocolate chips and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until cold.
- Whip. Once chilled, beat the mixture on high speed until light and fluffy. Spread over the cooled cake.
Notes
- Mixing. Avoid overmixing the batter to keep the cake light and tender.
- Cooling. Let the cake cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
- Flavor Option. Add ¼ cup cocoa powder to the dry ingredients for a chocolate cake variation.
- Storage. Store frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Best enjoyed fresh.
Nutritional Information
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