Single Serve Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting (from scratch)

Name: Single Serve Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting (from scratch)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup flour; 1 tbsp corn flour; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; Pinch of salt; 3 tbsp butter; 3 tbsp white sugar; 1 tsp vanilla; 1 egg; 2 tbsp buttermilk; 2 tbsp butter; 4 tbsp dark chocolate; 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp heavy cream; 2 tbsp icing sugar; 1 tbsp cocoa powder; Pinch of salt

Tender and fluffy, yellow cake made from scratch with a rich and luscious chocolate frosting. This single serve cake recipe is tender, soft and delicious.

I’ve had yellow a handful of times in my life. Reason for this is I never met a yellow cake that made me want to eat it again or bake it again. Until this recipe. This single serve yellow cake is tender, moist, soft, fluffy and like a little cake cloud but still has a little bit of texture to it. The tenderness comes from the buttermilk and baking soda that create the most delicious texture. You cannot go wrong with a good vanilla flavor so this single serve recipe has a whole teaspoon of it in it, which might not seem like much but this is a single serve cake – aka very small in size.

The classic frosting recipe is supposed to be buttercream but not any buttercream, chocolate buttercream however I have used my chocolate fudge frosting. Why? Because it is the best chocolate frosting that tastes like chocolate, it is sturdy to decorate with and just looks so sexy and delicious. It is rich and smooth making for the prefect frosting to have with this light vanilla cake. This is an easy yellow cake recipe but we do follow the alternating method to make the batter which leaves you with a fluffy cake once baked. ALTERNATING METHOD is basically when alternate mixing the dry and wet ingredients into the cake batter.

If you have never eaten or made a yellow cake before then let this be the introduction to all your yellow cake but I must warn you, it will set a standard and raise the bar for all yellow cakes going forward. Which is not a bad thing, we must never settles for average cakes/desserts/recipes. I would suggest having a read through my Chocolate fudge frosting recipe here for a more detailed understanding on the recipe.

What is yellow cake made of?

Yellow cake is tender cake commonly made with whole eggs and egg yolks to give the cake a very soft, fluffy crumb and a bright yellow color. The tenderness also comes form cake flour or self raising flour. The batter most often than not has a an acid to help with the softness of the cake which could include yogurt, sour cream or buttermilk. Classically yellow cake is frosted with chocolate buttercream or a chocolate frosting making for the best celebratory birthday cake.

Whats the difference between yellow cake and vanilla cake?

The difference between yellow cake and vanilla cake is that vanilla cake may or may not include additional egg yolks or whole eggs in general. Which is why yellow cakes tend to be much richer, more moist and fluffier. However you will find vanilla in both the cakes.

What flavoring is yellow cake?

Yellow cake is a vanilla cake scented with vanilla extract, vanilla essence, vanilla powder or a vanilla pod that has been scrapped.

What are single serve recipes?

Single serve recipes are those which serve one portion. When baking this is not easy to achieve as most baked goods feed at least 4-6 people, things like cakes, cookies and breads aren’t commonly made for single serve options. However this recipe is a single serve, arguably it feeds 2 though. Then again 1 serving is 2 portions so we are in the clear here.

What is a single serve yellow cake with chocolate frosting?

This recipe is a single serve portion meaning the cake serves 1-2 people comfortably. The recipe includes two parts, the cake and the frosting. The cake recipe is a simple yellow cake that is fluffy and tender. The frosting is my chocolate fudge frosting recipe that is so rich and smooth, the perfect accompaniment for any cake.

What ingredients do you need to make this single serve yellow cake with chocolate frosting?

To make the cake we need flour, corn flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, white sugar, egg, vanilla, buttermilk.To make a chocolate fudge frosting we need cocoa powder (must be unsweetened), icing sugar, butter, whipping cream and dark chocolate. I also like adding a pinch of salt into the frosting. I have used rainbow sprinkles to decorate the edges like you would for a birthday celebration – I wasn’t celebrating a birthday but just wanted to make it look prettier.

What substitutes can you use to make this single serve yellow cake with chocolate frosting?

Dry ingredients –

You can use cake flour or self raising flour in place of the flour and corn flour. If you are using the self raising flour leave out the baking powder. To keep this GLUTEN FREE you can use a gluten free all purpose flour mix.

Sugar –

Using a granulated white sugar keeps the cake yellow without altering the color once baked. You could absolutely add brown sugar to make the flavor even better.

Buttermilk –

You don’t need a lot here but keep in mind this is a single serve recipe, so a little goes a long way. If you don’t have buttermilk I have had success using 1 tbsp milk mixed 1 tbsp yogurt. Alternatively use 2 tbsp milk and 1/4 tsp lemon juice/apple cider vinegar.

What equipment do you need to make this single serve yellow cake with chocolate frosting?

To make this yellow cake we need mixing bowls and a whisk. I like baking the cake in a 4 inch spring form tin but you could use a 5 inch tin as well or it will make 2 large cupcakes/3 smaller cupcakes. The frosting is made in a heavy bottom sauce pot, rubber spatula. I have portioned the cake out and layered it with the frosting using an offset spatula but you can use a butterknife as well.

How to make this single serve yellow cake with chocolate frosting?

Preheat the oven to 180℃ and line a 4/5 inch cake tin with oil and baking paper, set aside. In a small mixing bowl add the flour, corn flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and stir together, set aside. In another mixing bowl add the butter and sugar, beat well until creamy and pale. Add the vanilla, egg and whisk until smooth. Add half the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, mix until almost combined and finish with the remaining dry ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake the cake for 20-25 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool completely before decorating. In the mean time make the frosting. To make the chocolate fudge frosting we start by adding all the ingredients into a heavy bottom sauce pan and placing on low heat. Stir in-between making sure the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Do not over cook or over mix and take it off the heat. Let it cool completely (around 1 hour) before using. Divide the cooled cake into half so you have two even layers. Place one layer on a small plate and top with 2 tbsp of frosting. Spread it out evenly and place the second layer of cake on top. Add the remaining frosting on top of the cake and spread it around the sides and the top. I like leaving the frosting rustic and finishing the cake with rainbow sprinkles. Slice and serve or just bite into it.

Storing this single serve yellow cake with chocolate frosting?

The cake on its own can be stored in an air tight container or in the cake tin, wrapped in cling wrap for 1 day at room temperature (I like to bake the cake in the evening and let it cool overnight so I can frost it in the morning). The frosting can also be made ahead and stored in the fridge overnight in an air tight container. The leftover decorated cake can be stored in an air tight container at room temperature for a day and in the fridge for 2-3 days. The longer you keep it, the cake will dry out and loose its fluffy texture. I wouldn’t recommend freezing this cake as the frosting doesn’t defrost well.

Looking for more single serve recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make this Single serve yellow cake with chocolate frosting, you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more fun recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.