Store-bought cake is perfectly fine, of course, but there’s something special about a scratch-made cake.
Food Styling: Annie Probst.
If youre not a fan of traditional chocolate frostings, try aGerman chocolate cake.
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Pop the cork for aprosecco cakeor browse ourbirthday cake recipesand customize one for any celebratory occasion.
The possibilities are almost endless, and these directions will help you make nearly all of them to perfection.
This is not just to make them easier to work with.
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Room-temperature butter will blend easily with other ingredients, and the room-temperature eggs will yield a higher cake volume.
Test Kitchen Tip:Never use melted butter when softened butter is called for.
It will ruin the cakes texture.
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Rather than adding eachdry ingredientindividually to the batter, whisk them together in a bowl beforehand.
That way youll know the ingredients will be equally distributed throughout the batter.
Many of ourbest cake recipesstart with the same method: beating butter or shortening with sugar until its fluffy.
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These cakes are sometimes called creamed cakes because the fat and sugar are creamed together.
In fact, creaming butter and sugar is the most important step.
Their protein creates a structure around the air bubbles that will maintain the texture.
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Test Kitchen Tip:Break the eggs individually into a custard cup or small bowl first.
Use an offset spatula to spread the batter in an even layer.
Be sure to spread it to the pans edge.
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Bake your cake according to your recipes directions.
For creamed cakes, insert awooden toothpicknear the center of the cake.
Place a wire rack over the top of each cake and flip the pan.
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Gently lift the pans off, being careful not to tear the edges of the cakes.
If you usedwaxed or parchment paper, carefully peel the paper off the cake.
Allow the cake to cool completely (about 1 hour).
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(And it keeps the frosting from melting as soon as you spread it!)
Repeat until all the layers are stacked.
For a three-layer cake, plan on using 312 to 4 cups.
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To do this, spread a very thin layer of frosting over the sides and top of the cake.
Let the cake stand for 30 minutes so the frosting sets up.
Once the cake is completely covered, go back and add more swirls as desired.
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Serve the cake within 2 hours or store in the refrigerator.
For more cake ideas, here are someeasy and elegant cake recipesto inspire your next baking session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, absolutely.
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All of these tips can improve the quality of your boxed cake recipes.
Your cakes will need room to rise, so aim to fill your pans no more than two-thirds full.
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