how to bake a cake

Baking a great cake from scratch comes down to measuring ingredients accurately, using room-temperature dairy and eggs, and avoiding overmixing the batter. I’ve gathered some top-rated recipes from the web, or you can follow the classic vanilla cake recipe below.

Classic Vanilla Cake

Overview

• Prep time. 15 minutes
• Bake time. 30 to 35 minutes
• Yield. One 8-inch round layer (or double for a two-layer cake)
• Difficulty. Easy

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup (120ml) whole milk or buttermilk, at room temperature

Instructions

1. Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and lightly flour the sides so the cake releases cleanly.
2. Mix dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar. Beat the room-temperature butter and sugar together in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Combine wet and dry. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Pour in the milk, mix gently, and fold in the remaining flour until no dry streaks remain.
6. Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake on the center rack for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
7. Cool. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Watch this quick demonstration to see the creaming and mixing process in action:

Pro Tips & Variations

• Use room-temperature ingredients. Cold eggs and milk can cause creamed butter to seize, resulting in a denser cake.
• Measure flour lightly. Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife rather than scooping directly from the bag, which packs too much flour and dries out the cake.
• No oven? You can bake this batter on the stovetop by placing the cake tin inside a large, covered, heavy-bottomed pot preheated over low heat for 35 to 40 minutes.
• Flavor swaps. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest for a citrus cake, or replace ¼ cup of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder for chocolate.