Alex Guarnaschelli's Simple Cake Recipe Is Perfect For Any Occasion

Sunshine yellow, rich and moist, warm and vanilla-scented ... there's just something about yellow cake. Whether thickly slathered in fudgy buttercream frosting or topped with fruit and freshly whipped cream, the classic cake has us all, well, whipped up. For many, it was the first cake they ever made from a mix, if only because it called out so insistently from the grocery store shelf, demanding to be made. How does it even get so yellow? Certainly not from the vanilla flavoring, and certainly not from another ingredient like lemon, since yellow cake doesn't actually contain lemon at all. 

Though it might make you nostalgic for box mix, yellow cake is actually one of the easiest cakes to make from scratch because it's made with whole eggs, rather than just egg whites (like chiffon cake calls for). Once you get into the whole separating of the whites from the yolks, making a cake can suddenly feel so labor intensive. Here to remind us of that is Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli, who posted one of the simplest, most inviting yellow cake recipes we've ever seen on Instagram. It's ready in a snap, perfect for any occasion, and we are officially obsessed. 

"This is my fave simple yellow cake recipe," Food Network star Alex Guarnaschelli shared with her followers on Instagram. "I honestly love that it takes on any frosting or can even just be topped with summer fruit and sorbet or ice cream." Guarnaschelli advised all the would-be bakers out there, "for best results, make sure all the ingredients are room temperature," before laying out the simple directions in just a few easy steps.

First, the chef says to whip two sticks of unsalted butter with sugar until fluffy (if you use an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, this should take about five to eight minutes). Next, add four eggs, one by one, then your vanilla, and then the milk in a slow stream. Follow that up with the flour (this recipe calls for both cake flour and all purpose), baking powder, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Split the batter evenly between two 9-inch greased pans and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown — should take between 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool your cakes for 15 minutes in the pan before serving, and top with whatever your heart desires. Thank you, Alex Guarnaschelli!