Yellow Cake Recipe

Recipes

Jan 16

Written By Jennifer Minyard

High Altitude Yellow Cake

Soft, Fluffy & Bakery-Perfect

Yellow cake seems simple—until you bake it at high altitude. At elevation, classic yellow cake recipes often rise too fast, sink in the center, turn dry around the edges, or develop a coarse crumb.

The combination of lower air pressure, faster evaporation, and aggressive leavening works against the tender structure yellow cake is known for.

This high altitude yellow cake recipe delivers a soft, fluffy crumb, even layers, and rich vanilla-butter flavor. All without doming, collapse, or dryness.

The High-Altitude Science

To get these results, we made three key shifts:

Controlled Rise: Leavening agents are reduced to keep the cake from overexpanding in mountain kitchens.
Added Moisture: In the drier climates, more moisture is needed to keep the crumb together and not flaking apart on the plate.
Higher Heat: As the cake rises, the exterior needs to set to prevent the middle from collapsing when the gases escape.

High Altitude Yellow Cake

PREP TIME: 15 mins COOK TIME: 28-32 minutes SERVINGS: One 9×13 cake or two 8-inch round layers

Baking Powder: Reduced to 2 teaspoons to prevent rapid over-expansion and sinking.
Sugar: Slightly reduced to 1 1/2 cups to limit excess moisture loss and over-browning.
Liquid: Increased to 1 1/4 cups milk or buttermilk to counteract mountain dryness.
Eggs: Increased to 3 large eggs for added structure and stability.
Oven Temperature: Increased to 365°F so the cake sets before the rise collapses.

Ingredients

  
	3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened	

1/2 cups granulated sugar	

large eggs, room temperature	

tablespoon vanilla extract	

1/2 cups all-purpose flour	

teaspoons baking powder	

	1/2 teaspoon salt	

1/4 cups milk or buttermilk

Directions

  
Prepare Pans:		Preheat oven to 365°F (185°C). Grease and flour pans or line with parchment.
		
Cream Butter & Sugar:		Beat butter and sugar together for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. This step builds structure - don't rush.
		
Add Eggs & Vanilla:		Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla.
		
Combine Dry Ingredients:		Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
		
Mix Batter:		Add dry ingredients in batches, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with dry. Mix just until combined.
		
Bake		Pour batter evenly into prepared pan(s). Bake 28–32 minutes for layers or 30–35 minutes for a 9×13, until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
		
Cool		Cool completely before frosting.

Simply Altitude Pro Tips

Prevent a Sinking Cake: Too much leavening causes rapid expansion, followed by collapse before the crumb sets.

Buttermilk Secret: Buttermilk adds tenderness and improves crumb strength in thin air.

Even Cake Layers: Weigh your batter before dividing to prevent uneven baking.

Frosting Tip: Let cakes cool fully—warm layers crumble more easily at altitude.

Explore More High-Altitude Baking

If you enjoyed this recipe, head over to our High Altitude Baking Made Simple page. It’s our combined resource for mastering the science of elevated baking, featuring helpful adjustment charts and troubleshooting tips for different altitudes.