Vegan Yellow Cake

In my 17+ years of baking, I’ve seen a lot of cake. I actually ran a successful at-home bakery for 5 of those years! It was a blast. This yellow cake has been a repeat favourite for myself, my clients, and my loved ones. It’s super moist and tender (thanks, vegan buttermilk!), and that rich yellow colour is to die for.

I based this recipe on my vanilla cake (another favourite), but I tweaked it with a little oil for extra moisture and some turmeric to ramp up the yellow colour. I went with my Vegan Chocolate Frosting, but you can kind of use any frosting you’d like. The whole thing comes together in a little under 2 hours, so it’s totally feasible to make the morning of a big celebration. Happy baking!

The Bakery-Style Yellow Cake Recipe I’ve Been Making For Years

There are multiple reasons why this cake has been one of my most requested recipes for years. Here are a few:

• The cake itself has the best texture. The vegan buttermilk keeps it nice and tender and springy, and the combo of vegan butter and oil makes it wonderfully moist (but not too heavy).
• If you could have just one cake recipe in your back pocket, I think this might be it. You can doll it up with chocolate frosting (like I did here), vanilla buttercream, strawberry buttercream, or even cream cheese frosting! So, it’s perfect for pretty much any occasion.
• This is a true YELLOW cake. I added a smidge of turmeric to the batter to give it that golden colour. The turmeric doesn’t affect the flavour, but it sure does make the cake pretty.

Notes on Ingredients

This yellow cake recipe requires a handful of simple ingredients, many of which you likely already have in your kitchen. Here’s a checklist for you (see the recipe card below for measurements):

• Apple cider vinegar – The acid in the vinegar works with the soy milk to create a sort of vegan buttermilk that helps keep the cake soft and tender. Lemon juice would also work. Check out my post on Vegan Buttermilk for more information.
• Soy milk – It should be at room temperature. If you don’t like soy milk, you could try a different high-protein plant milk, such as pea milk.
• Brown sugar – Or cane sugar.
• Vegan butter – Melted and cooled. You can find vegan butter in most grocery stores, but you could also make your own!
• Neutral oil – I prefer canola or sunflower oil for this recipe. Avocado oil would also work.
• Vanilla extract – To add a little depth to the flavour profile.
• All-purpose flour – A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour would be fine, too.
• Baking soda – To help the cake rise.
• Fine sea salt – You could use table salt instead.
• Ground turmeric – The turmeric adds a subtle yellow colour to the cake. Don’t worry, though. It does not noticeably affect the flavour.
• Chocolate frosting – I have an out-of-this-world Vegan Chocolate Buttercream that is perfect for this cake.
• Rainbow sprinkles – The sprinkles are optional, but they make this dessert feel extra festive.

How to Make Vegan Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting

Ready to bake like a pro? Here’s a basic overview of how to make this simple yet fabulous yellow cake. See the recipe card below for more thorough instructions.

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch (20cm) round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Make the Batter

• Make the vegan buttermilk. Stir together the soy milk and apple cider vinegar and let sit for 5–10 minutes.
• Combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together the brown sugar, vegan butter, oil, vanilla, and vegan buttermilk.

Bake, Cool, and Decorate

• Bake. Smooth the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30–35 minutes.
• Cool. Place the pans on wire racks and cool for about 15 minutes before carefully removing the cakes from the pan/parchment paper and cooling completely on wire racks.

Expert Tips

Anyone can make this yellow cake recipe. It’s pretty beginner-friendly. That said, you’ll want to pay attention to the following tips and tricks in order to get it just right:

• Parchment paper. Do not forget the parchment paper circles on the bottom of the pans. Greasing the pans just isn’t enough to cleanly and easily remove the cake layers.
• Room temperature soy milk. Cold soy milk won’t curdle as well when mixed with the apple cider vinegar.
• Let it curdle. Let the soy milk and vinegar sit together undisturbed for at least 5 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when you see noticeable curdling. Skimping on this time will remove the benefits of the vegan buttermilk, so your cake won’t be as tender.
• Don’t over-mix. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until everything is incorporated. Mixing past this point will cause the glutens to overdevelop for tough, over-dense cake layers.
• Check for doneness. You’ll know the cake layers are ready to pull out of the oven when the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out mostly clean.
• Cool completely. Let the cake layers cool in their pans for 10-15 minutes before removing. This will give them some time to set for easier removal. Then, let them cool completely before frosting. If they’re too warm, the frosting will slide right off.
• Be gentle. When removing the cakes from their pans, carefully run a knife around the edges first and work slowly and gently. They’re a little delicate, and you don’t want them to fall apart!

More Frosting Options for Yellow Cake

I have a couple of other vegan frostings on my site that would go nicely with this yellow cake. So, if you want to experiment a little, consider swapping the chocolate frosting for one of these:

• Vanilla. My Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting would be a delight on this yellow cake, especially if you pair it with my Strawberry Cake Filling.
• Strawberry. The strawberry buttercream on this Decadent Strawberry Chocolate Cake is outrageous and perfect for summer.
• Coconut. If you’re a coconut person, try the coconut buttercream from my Vegan Coconut Cake Recipe.
• Cream cheese. For something a little heartier, this Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting is sure to please.

Let me know which is your favourite!

How to Store This Cake

• Countertop: This cake will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. I’d store it in an airtight container, such as a cake carrier, or wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap. I like using toothpicks to prop the plastic away from the frosting.
• Freezer: For longer storage, pop the cake in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up before wrapping the whole thing in a double layer of plastic wrap. It’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature.

I would not store this cake in the fridge. It will dry out.

More Vegan Cake Recipes

Looking for more easy vegan cakes to make your next celebratory event (or random Tuesday) extra special? Try these!

• Vegan Vanilla Cake with Buttercream Frosting
• Pistachio Cake Recipe
• Vegan Moravian Sugar Cake
• Upside Down Apple Cake
• Vegan Carrot Cake

Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan yellow cake, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchenon Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!