Low Sugar Yellow Cake

Total time1 hr 30 min

Prep time25 min

Cook time35 min

This buttery yellow layer cake gets its sunny hue from a pinch of turmeric and its structure from a careful balance of flour, baking powder, and baking soda, whisked together before the wet ingredients ever get involved. Creaming softened butter until pale and fluffy builds the tender crumb, while aquafaba and a splash of vanilla fold in for lift and richness without any egg on the ingredient list. A mix of whole milk and sour cream, added in alternating stages with the dry ingredients, keeps every bite moist and gives the finished layers a soft, close texture. Once baked and cooled, the cakes are stacked and coated in a smooth, whipped butter frosting that spreads easily and holds its shape between and around the layers. It's a classic-looking, from-scratch cake with real structure and flavor, and it fits neatly into a lifestyle that skips added sugar without giving up a proper celebration cake.

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the cake

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
King Arthur Baking Company Unbleached All-Purpose Flour Gold Medal Flour All-Purpose Unbleached - 5 Lb Bob's Red Mill Organic All Purpose Unbleached White Flour - 5 Lb Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Unbleached White Flour - 5 Lb Pillsbury Best Flour All Purpose - 5 Lb
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2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
Chef's tip
Use the same volume. Baking behavior varies by blend: some brown faster or stay softer, while others brown less. Follow the package's baking guidance and start checking a few minutes early.
½ cup aquafaba (liquid from one 15 oz can of chickpeas)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup sour cream

For the frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
Chef's tip
Follow the package's conversion to powdered sugar. In frosting or glaze, add liquid gradually - replacements can absorb it differently.
3 tbsp whole milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and grease the parchment.
2
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and turmeric in a medium bowl until evenly combined. Set aside.

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