Many people think that baking a cake is easy as buying a box of mix. True, this will produce a cake - if you can call a crumbly, messy disaster a real cake. But this is a far cry from the truly perfect layer cake. From scratch is the way to go. Ingredients make a huge difference. Technique is an incredibly important factor, too. Perfection is possible.
Ingredients .
Make sure all the ingredients are fresh then you are well on your way to heavenly deliciousness!.
Choose cake flour to increase the lightness of a cake or a whole wheat flour to increase the density of a cake. The kind of sugar you use is important too. When you begin frosting the cake, it can be fun to add sprinkles or other decorations.
You'll also need eggs and baking powder. And you'll need butter and some good-sized pans to bake the cake in. Butter will grease the pans so the cake slides out, and the fat in the butter will meld with the sugar to make a cake that almost melts in your mouth. White sugar will make for a very light and airy cake, but for a cake with depth and texture, choose brown sugar. The butter will need to be room temperature so that it can be creamed easily.
Mixing the Batter .
Once you have set out the ingredients, start with the butter. First you need to cream the butter. For best results, use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. After slowly add the sugar. Mix the butter and sugar together until they are light. Add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix well. When you mix the batter for your cake, follow the recipe until you can do it on your own. Pausing the mixer to scrape down the sides with a spatula a couple of times during the mixing process will help you get everything in without making a mess. And this will ensure that the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Adding Wet and Dry Ingredients .
While the mixer is mixing the sugar and wet ingredients sift the flour and other dry ingredients together into a separate bowl.