Welcome to our cake baking tutorial! Let's start with the ingredients for a basic vanilla cake. You'll need one and a half cups of all-purpose flour, one and a half teaspoons of baking powder, a quarter teaspoon of salt, half a cup of softened unsalted butter, one cup of granulated sugar, two large eggs, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, and half a cup of milk. Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before you begin for the best results.
Now let's prepare for baking. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius. While it's heating up, prepare your cake pan by greasing it with butter and dusting with flour, or lining the bottom with parchment paper. Next, in a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this aside. In a separate large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes with an electric mixer, or longer if mixing by hand.
Now let's mix and bake our cake. First, add the eggs one at a time to your butter-sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. Then stir in the vanilla extract. Next, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined - do not overmix as this can make the cake tough. Pour the batter evenly into your prepared cake pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. To check if it's done, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake - it should come out clean when the cake is fully baked.
After baking, let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 to 15 minutes. This allows the cake to set and makes it easier to remove from the pan. Then, carefully invert the cake onto a wire cooling rack. Let it cool completely before frosting, which usually takes about an hour. While waiting, you can prepare your frosting. Popular options include vanilla buttercream, chocolate ganache, or cream cheese frosting. Once the cake has cooled completely, use a spatula to spread the frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake. You can keep it simple or add decorations like sprinkles, fresh fruit, or piped designs. The frosting not only adds flavor but also helps seal in moisture.
Here are some helpful tips for baking the perfect cake. Always use room temperature ingredients for a smoother batter. Avoid overmixing, as this creates a tough cake. Measure your ingredients precisely for consistent results. You can easily create variations of this basic cake recipe. For a chocolate cake, add cocoa powder to the dry ingredients. For a lemon cake, add lemon zest and a bit of lemon juice. For a spice cake, add cinnamon, nutmeg, and other warm spices. Feel free to experiment with different frostings too - buttercream, ganache, or cream cheese all work wonderfully. Store your finished cake covered at room temperature for up to three days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate or even freeze individual slices. Now you're ready to bake delicious cakes for any occasion!