Ina Garten Yellow Cake Recipe
The Ina Garten Yellow Cake recipe is a true classic comfort dessert. It tastes soft, buttery and rich. This cake feels warm and joyful, perfect for birthdays and family time.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Optional frosting:
- 1 cup butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 –3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Prepare the pans
- Grease pans and line with parchment circles. This keeps the cake from sticking and helps smooth release after baking completely.
Preheat the oven
- Set oven to 350°F or 175°C. Proper preheating helps cakes rise evenly and bake with perfect golden color throughout.
Cream butter and sugar
- Beat butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. This step traps air, giving your yellow cake a light tender texture.
Add the eggs
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. This keeps batter smooth and prevents curdling while building rich flavor base.
Mix dry ingredients
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl. Mixing first spreads leavening evenly and avoids lumps in batter later.
Combine wet and dry
- Add dry mix to butter mix in parts, alternating with milk additions. Start and end with dry mix for best texture always.
Add vanilla
- Stir in vanilla extract gently. It gives that warm bakery aroma and classic Ina Garten Yellow Cake taste everyone loves truly.
Fill the pans
- Divide batter evenly between pans. Smooth tops with spatula so cakes bake flat and stack easily for frosting later.
Bake the cakes
- Place pans in center of oven. Bake until golden and a toothpick comes out clean, usually about thirty minutes.
Cool and frost
- Let cakes cool in pans briefly, then on racks completely. Frost with buttercream or chocolate frosting once fully cooled.
Notes
- Use room-temperature butter and eggs
- Do not overmix the batter
- Weigh flour for accuracy if possible
- Preheat oven fully
- Cool cakes before frosting
- Use real vanilla extract
- Rotate pans if oven bakes unevenly