Get ready to celebrate with the ultimate party classic—a soft, fluffy Eggless Yellow Birthday Cake topped with rich chocolate buttercream and colorful sprinkles! This cake has all the nostalgic flavor you love, without the eggs. It’s easy to make, fun to decorate, and perfect for birthdays or any sweet celebration.
Oriana’s Thoughts On The Recipe
This Classic Eggless Yellow Cake has become a must-bake in our house for birthdays and celebrations. It’s buttery, tender, and so fluffy you’d never guess it’s made without eggs. I created this recipe years ago for my daughter’s birthday, and it quickly turned into one of our family’s favorites. Whether you’re baking for someone with an egg allergy—or just want a foolproof classic that everyone can enjoy—this cake checks all the boxes. Trust me, you’ll want to bookmark this one.
What I Love About This Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need, Substitutions & Notes
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
For the Eggless Yellow Cake:
- All-purpose flour: The base of the cake that gives it structure and softness. Make sure to measure it correctly—too much can make the cake dense.
- Baking powder & baking soda: These leavening agents work together to make the cake rise and stay light and fluffy.
- Salt: Just a pinch enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Milk: Adds moisture and richness. You can use dairy or a non-dairy option like almond or oat milk.
- Apple cider vinegar: Reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise and become tender. You won’t taste it, promise!
- Unsalted butter: Brings flavor and richness. Using unsalted allows you to control the overall salt level.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps it brown beautifully in the oven.
- Plain regular yogurt: A key egg substitute that adds moisture and helps bind everything together.
- Pure vanilla extract: Adds that classic warm flavor that’s so essential in a yellow cake.
- Ground turmeric: Just a tiny bit gives the cake a lovely yellow color without affecting the taste.
To Assemble and Decorate:
- Chocolate Buttercream: Smooth, creamy, and perfect for layering and decorating this celebratory cake. Check out my Easy Chocolate Frosting recipe.
- Sprinkles: Totally optional but so much fun! They add a festive look and a little crunch.
Food Allergy Swaps
- This recipe is naturally egg, dairy, wheat/gluten, nut, peanut, soy, sesame, fish, and shellfish free, making it suitable for most dietary needs, but always check labels for hidden allergens.
- Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives.
- Butter: Substitute butter with dairy-free butter substitutes. Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Vegan Butter and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks are my favorite butter substitutes for baking.
- Milk: You can use your favorite non-dairy milk, like soy or oat milk.
- Yogurt: Use your favorite brand of plain, unsweetened non-dairy yogurt.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free, all-purpose flour blend. Look for a gluten-free flour blend specifically formulated for baking, as it will have the right combination of flours and starches to mimic the texture of wheat flour. My favorite is Better Batter Original Blend. I also like Doves Farm Freee Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, but this blend does not contain xanthan gum, so you need to add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup (140 g) of gluten-free flour blend.
Potential Recipe Challenges & Pro Tips
- Cake layers sinking in the middle: This can happen if the batter is overmixed or the oven door is opened too early. Pro Tip: Mix just until everything is combined and resist the urge to peek—keep that oven door closed during baking!
- Dry cake texture: A dry cake is usually from overbaking or not measuring ingredients correctly. Pro Tip: Use an oven thermometer for accuracy and check the cake a few minutes before the suggested time.
- Cake sticking to the pan: This can be frustrating, especially when you’re excited to frost! Pro Tip: Always grease and line your pans with parchment paper for easy removal.
Process Overview: Step-by-Step Photos
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Step 1 – Prepare Your Pans and Oven
Preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease them with baking spray that has flour. This will help the cakes come out easily.
Step 2 – Mix the Dry Ingredients
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a big bowl. This helps everything blend smoothly and keeps the cake light.
Step 3 – Combine Milk and Vinegar
In a mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the milk and vinegar. Let the mixture rest for 5 to 8 minutes, until thickened and curdled.
Step 4 – Cream the Butter and Sugar
Using a mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until it’s creamy. Add the sugar and beat on high for about 4 minutes until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. Remember to scrape down the bowl so everything mixes evenly. Mix in the yogurt, vanilla extract, and turmeric with the mixer on medium speed until everything is combined and smooth, about 1 minute.
Step 5 – Add Wet and Dry Ingredients
Lower the mixer speed and add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk mixture. Start and finish with the flour. Beat just until combined each time—don’t overmix or the cake might get tough.
Step 6 – Bake the Cake
Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 23 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove them from the pans and cool completely on the rack before frosting.
Step 7 – Make the Chocolate Buttercream
You can use any buttercream that you like, homemade or store-bought. I used my Easy Chocolate Frosting.
Step 8 – Assemble and Frost
Place the first cake layer on your platter and spread about 1 cup of chocolate buttercream evenly over the top. Add the second layer and press down lightly. Spread 1 ½ cups of buttercream over the top and sides. Use an offset spatula to smooth it out.
Step 9- Decorate
Put the remaining buttercream into a piping bag and add pretty swirls on top. Press sprinkles gently onto the sides and add more on top. Remove the parchment strips from the platter edges, and your cake is ready to serve!
Extra Recipe Tips For Success
- Measure Carefully: Especially with baking, precise measurements ensure the best results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes before you start, giving it plenty of time to reach the ideal recipe temperature.
- Room-Temperature Ingredients: Ensure that all wet ingredients are at room temperature before mixing. This helps them combine more easily and evenly.
- Don’t Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix just until combined to keep the cake tender.
- Don’t open the oven door until the cake(s) has set. Leave the oven closed until the minimum time is stated in the recipe.
- Know your oven! Every oven is different, so baking times must always be taken with a grain of salt. Oven thermostats can be wildly off, affecting baking time, so keep an eye on yours. The cake(s) are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Completely Before Icing: This prevents the icing from melting and sliding off the cake.
Variations & Additions
- Frosting: Swap the chocolate buttercream for vanilla, strawberry, or even cream cheese frosting.
- Cupcakes: Make cupcakes instead of a layer cake—just adjust the baking time (about 18–22 minutes).
- 9×13 Cake: Bake in a 9×13-inch pan and adjust the baking time—start checking at 35-40 minutes.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
To Store: Keep the frosted cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temperature before serving if chilled.
To Freeze: You can freeze the unfrosted cake layers for up to 2 months. Wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge before decorating.
Frequently Asked Questions
More Egg-Free Cake Recipes You’ll Love!
- Eggless Vanilla Cake Recipe
- The Best Eggless Chocolate Cake Ever
- Eggless Banana Layer Cake
- Eggless Raspberry Vanilla Bean Layer Cake
- Easy Eggless Texas Sheet Cake
- Eggless Red Velvet Cake
- Eggless Lemon Cake
- Easy Eggless Vanilla Pound Cake
- Browse more recipes…
Recipe Card
Eggless Classic Yellow Birthday Cake
Equipment
Important
• For best results, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients.
Ingredients
For the Eggless Yellow Cake:
- 4 cups (560 g) all-purpose flour
- 5 teaspoons (20 g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) salt
- 2 cups (480 ml) milk
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 g) plain regular yogurt
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric for color, (You can also use 1-2 drops of yellow gel food color if you prefer)
To Assemble and Decorate:
- 1 batch Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 cup (190 g) Sprinkles of your preferences (optional)
Instructions
Make the Eggless Yellow Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two 8-inch (20-cm) round cake pans with parchment paper. Lightly grease with baking spray with flour.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl.
- In a mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the milk and vinegar. Let the mixture rest for 5 to 8 minutes, until thickened and curdled.
- Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 4 minutes, until creamed and pale, scraping down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Then add the yogurt, vanilla, and turmeric (if using – or food coloring); continue beating to combine, about 1 minute.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until just combined, 30 to 45 seconds. Do not overmix.
- Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans.
- Bake for 23 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans on wire racks for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans. Allow the cakes to cool completely, right-side up, on wire racks before removing the parchment paper.
Make the Chocolate Buttercream:
- Feel free to use any frosting you love—homemade or store-bought, both work great! I personally use my chocolate buttercream frosting. If you’d like to try it too, just follow the instructions in the linked post.
Assemble and Decorate:
- Level the tops of the cakes with a cake cutter or a long, serrated knife as needed.
- Line the edges of a cake platter with four strips of parchment paper to keep the platter clean.
- Place the first cake layer on the platter. Spread 1 cup of buttercream evenly over the top. Top with the second cake layer, press lightly to adhere, then spread 1 1/2 cups buttercream evenly over the top and sides of the cake. You can smooth the cake’s top and sides with the edge of an offset spatula to smooth out any bumps.
- Place the remaining buttercream in a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip. Add as many swirls on the top of the cake as you like. Gently press sprinkles onto the cake sides, then top with more sprinkles. Remove the parchment paper strips and serve.
- This recipe is naturally egg, dairy, wheat/gluten, nut, peanut, soy, sesame, fish, and shellfish free, making it suitable for most dietary needs, but always check labels for hidden allergens.
- Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives.
- Butter: Substitute butter with dairy-free butter substitutes. Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Vegan Butter and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks are my favorite butter substitutes for baking.
- Milk: You can use your favorite non-dairy milk, like soy or oat milk.
- Yogurt: Use your favorite brand of plain, unsweetened non-dairy yogurt.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free, all-purpose flour blend. Look for a gluten-free flour blend specifically formulated for baking, as it will have the right combination of flours and starches to mimic the texture of wheat flour. My favorite is Better Batter Original Blend. I also like Doves Farm Freee Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, but this blend does not contain xanthan gum, so you need to add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup (140 g) of gluten-free flour blend.
- Cake layers sinking in the middle: This can happen if the batter is overmixed or the oven door is opened too early. Pro Tip: Mix just until everything is combined and resist the urge to peek—keep that oven door closed during baking!
- Dry cake texture: A dry cake is usually from overbaking or not measuring ingredients correctly. Pro Tip: Use an oven thermometer for accuracy and check the cake a few minutes before the suggested time.
- Cake sticking to the pan: This can be frustrating, especially when you’re excited to frost! Pro Tip: Always grease and line your pans with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Measure Carefully: Especially with baking, precise measurements ensure the best results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes before you start, giving it plenty of time to reach the ideal recipe temperature.
- Room-Temperature Ingredients: Ensure that all wet ingredients are at room temperature before mixing. This helps them combine more easily and evenly.
- Don’t Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix just until combined to keep the cake tender.
- Don’t open the oven door until the cake(s) has set. Leave the oven closed until the minimum time is stated in the recipe.
- Know your oven! Every oven is different, so baking times must always be taken with a grain of salt. Oven thermostats can be wildly off, affecting baking time, so keep an eye on yours. The cake(s) are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Completely Before Icing: This prevents the icing from melting and sliding off the cake.
- Frosting: Swap the chocolate buttercream for vanilla, strawberry, or even cream cheese frosting.
- Cupcakes: Make cupcakes instead of a layer cake—just adjust the baking time (about 18–22 minutes).
- 9×13 Cake: Bake in a 9×13-inch pan and adjust the baking time—start checking at 35-40 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Hi
Could you give exact recipe if using gluten-free flour?
Do you have to use granulated sugar could caster sugar be used?
Is coconut dairy free milk ok to use?
Thanks
Hi Mel! 😊 All the substitution details are in the recipe card notes. And yes, you can use caster sugar instead of granulated—it’ll work just fine. Coconut milk, or any other non-dairy milk, is a great dairy-free option too!