This yellow cake made with freshly milled flour has a soft, tender crumb with rich, buttery vanilla flavor and that classic golden color you want in a homemade yellow cake. It’s a beautiful from-scratch cake for birthdays, holidays, or anytime there’s something special to celebrate.
I made this cake with 100% freshly milled soft white wheat, which worked beautifully for this yellow whole wheat cake. I finished it off with a creamy vanilla cream cheese frosting for a classic layer cake that’s perfect for birthdays and celebrations. If you’re craving chocolate, my Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting is another delicious option.
And if you’re looking for a sifted white cake made with sourdough and freshly milled flour, I have this cake Sourdough Vanilla Cake with Fresh Milled Flour, that is my favorite go-to for a tender white cake.
If you’re new to milling flour for cakes, this Cake & Pastry Flour from Freshly Milled Flour guide explains which grains I use and how I prepare them. You can also visit Baking with Freshly Milled Flour for more help baking with fresh flour.
Did you know you can convert many of your favorite recipes to freshly milled flour? I share the process, along with my tips and step-by-step instructions, in my How to Convert Recipes to Freshly Milled Flour guide.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Variations & Add-Ins
Recipe Tips
Use room-temperature ingredients – Let the butter, eggs, egg yolks, and milk come to room temperature before mixing. They blend together more smoothly and help create an even cake batter.
Cream the butter and sugar well – Beat them together for the full 3–4 minutes, until lighter in color and fluffy. This incorporates air into the batter and helps give the cake a lighter texture.
Rest the batter for 10–15 minutes – Give the freshly milled flour time to absorb the liquid before baking. I recommend at least 10 minutes, with 15 minutes being my preferred rest for freshly milled flour cakes.
Don’t overmix the batter – Once you begin adding the flour and milk, mix just until everything comes together. Overmixing at this stage can work against the tender crumb we’re looking for.
Don’t overbake – Start checking the cakes around 28 minutes. They’re ready when the centers spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Use cake bands for even layers – I soak Wilton cake bands before wrapping them around my 9-inch Wilton cake pans. They help the cake layers bake more evenly with flatter tops, so I usually don’t need to level them before stacking.
How to Make Yellow Cake with Freshly Milled Flour
- Prepare the pans – Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper so the layers release easily after baking.
- Mill the flour – Mill soft white wheat berries on the finest setting and weigh 450 grams of freshly milled flour for the cake.
- Mix the dry ingredients – Whisk the freshly milled soft white wheat flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
- Cream the butter and sugar – In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for 3–4 minutes, until lighter in color and fluffy. Don’t rush this step because the air incorporated during creaming helps create a lighter cake.
- Add the oil – Mix in the neutral oil until completely incorporated, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs – Beat in the eggs one at a time, allowing each one to mix in before adding the next. Add the two egg yolks, followed by the vanilla, and mix until combined.
- Add the flour and milk – With the mixer on low, alternate adding the flour mixture and whole milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Avoid overmixing once the flour has been added.
- Rest the batter – Let the batter rest for 10–15 minutes before baking. This gives the freshly milled flour time to absorb the liquid and helps create a softer, more even crumb.
- Fill the pans – Divide the rested batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and gently smooth the tops.
- Bake – Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until the centers spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool – Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
- Level the cake layers, if needed – Once the cakes are completely cool, check the tops before assembling. I bake mine in 9-inch Wilton cake pans wrapped with pre-soaked Wilton cake bands, which helps the layers bake more evenly and usually eliminates the need for leveling. If your layers have domed, you can trim the tops with a cake leveler or serrated knife.
- Fill and stack the cake – Place the first cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate and spread an even layer of frosting over the top. Use a thin layer or add a little more if you like plenty of frosting between your layers. Place the second cake layer on top.
- Crumb coat the cake – Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top and sides of the entire cake. This crumb coat traps any loose crumbs so they don’t end up in the final layer of frosting.
- Chill the cake – Refrigerate the crumb-coated cake for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the frosting feels firm enough to frost without pulling up the crumb coat.
- Finish frosting – Spread the remaining frosting evenly over the top and sides of the chilled cake. Smooth the frosting or decorate as desired before serving.
Freezing and Storage
- Refrigerator – Because this cake is frosted with vanilla cream cheese frosting, store the finished cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For the best texture, let the cake sit at room temperature briefly before serving so the cake and frosting can soften slightly.
- Freeze the Cake Layers – Let the unfrosted cake layers cool completely, then wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap followed by foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before assembling and frosting.
- Freeze the Frosted Cake – Freeze individual slices in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let the slice soften slightly at room temperature before serving.
Did you know you can convert your favorite recipes to freshly milled flour? Learn how to convert recipes and find more fresh flour guides at The Cottage Mill.
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Yellow Cake Made with Freshly Milled Flour
Prep:25 minutes Cook:30 minutes Batter Resting Time:15 minutes Total:1 hour 10 minutes Equipment
- Two 9-inch round cake pans
- 2 Wilton Cake Pan Bands *Optional, helps the cake bake evenly
Ingredients
For the Yellow Cake
- 3¾ cups freshly milled soft white wheat flour 450 grams
- 1 tablespoon baking powder 12 grams
- 1¼ teaspoons salt 7 grams
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened, 142 grams
- ⅔ cup neutral oil 150 grams
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400 grams
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 13 grams
- 1¼ cups whole milk room temperature, 300 grams
For the Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter softened, 226 grams
- 8 ounces full-fat brick-style cream cheese softened and cubed, 226 grams
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted, 480 grams
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 15 grams
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream 45 grams
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and pans – Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. If using cake bands, pre-soak them and wrap them around the pans before baking.
- Mill the flour – Mill soft white wheat berries on the finest setting and weigh 450 grams of freshly milled flour. I use the flour whole and unsifted for this recipe.
- Mix the dry ingredients – Whisk the freshly milled flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl until evenly combined.
- Cream the butter and sugar – In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for 3–4 minutes, until lighter in color and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Add the oil – Mix in the neutral oil until completely incorporated.
- Add the eggs and vanilla – Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the two egg yolks and vanilla and mix just until combined.
- Add the flour and milk – With the mixer on low, alternate adding the flour mixture and whole milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. Avoid overmixing.
- Rest the batter – Let the finished batter rest for 10–15 minutes. This gives the freshly milled flour time to absorb the liquid before baking.
- Fill the pans – Divide the rested batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and gently smooth the tops.
- Bake – Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until the centers spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cakes – Let the cake layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack. Let them cool completely before frosting.
- Cream the butter for the frosting – Beat the softened salted butter with the paddle attachment on medium-high for 2–3 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
- Add the cream cheese – Add the softened cream cheese one cube at a time, beating well after each addition until completely incorporated and smooth.
- Finish the frosting – With the mixer on low, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar. Add the vanilla and heavy whipping cream, then beat on medium-high for another 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy. For a firmer frosting, reduce the cream to 1 tablespoon or leave it out.
- Level the cake layers, if needed – Check the completely cooled layers before assembling. I use pre-soaked cake bands around my 9-inch cake pans for a more even rise, so I usually don't need to level them. If needed, use a cake leveler or serrated knife to trim the tops.
- Fill and stack – Place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread an even layer of vanilla cream cheese frosting over the top, using as much or as little as you prefer. Place the second cake layer on top.
- Crumb coat – Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top and sides of the cake to trap any loose crumbs.
- Chill – Refrigerate the crumb-coated cake for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the frosting has firmed.
- Finish frosting – Spread the remaining vanilla cream cheese frosting evenly over the top and sides of the chilled cake. Smooth or decorate as desired.
Notes
Emily Rider
Home miller since 1999 with fresh-milled flour & sourdough experience. Sharing from-scratch recipes and traditional kitchen skills, rooted in the seasons and inspired by everyday cottage living and seasonal rhythms.
