Ho Ho Yellow Cake (Printable Version)

Tender yellow cake layered with fluffy vanilla cream and smooth chocolate ganache offers a nostalgic treat.

# What You Need:

→ Yellow Sheet Cake

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Cream Filling

10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 1 cup powdered sugar
12 - 1 cup heavy cream, cold
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - 1/8 teaspoon salt

→ Chocolate Ganache

15 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
16 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
17 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract.
04 - Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
05 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - Allow cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
07 - Beat butter and powdered sugar until smooth. In another bowl, whip heavy cream with vanilla and salt to stiff peaks. Fold whipped cream gently into butter mixture until fluffy.
08 - Remove cake from pan and slice horizontally into two even layers using a serrated knife.
09 - Spread cream filling evenly over bottom layer and place top layer back on.
10 - Heat heavy cream and butter in a small saucepan until just simmering. Pour over chocolate chips, let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy.
11 - Pour ganache evenly over cake and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cake is impossibly tender and stays moist for days, making it perfect for advance planning.
  • That cream filling strikes an addictive balance between buttery richness and cloud-like lightness.
  • The glossy chocolate ganache is easier than it looks and makes the whole thing feel impressively homemade.
02 -
  • If your cake layers crack or crumble, don't panic—the cream filling and ganache hide every sin, and it still tastes exactly the same.
  • Don't skip cooling the cake completely; warm cake slices messily, and the layers won't stay put in the filling.
  • The ganache should be poured when it's warm but not hot, or it'll slide right off the cake.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix together smoothly; cold eggs and butter create a separated, grainy batter that shows up as dense cake.
  • The ganache sets faster and shinier if you let it cool slightly before pouring, but not so much that it hardens in the pot—about one minute of cooling is perfect.
Go Back