CAKE BAKING TIPS
Eggs and dairy products (butter,
buttermilk, milk, sour cream) should
be at room temperature before
going into the batter. If they are too
cold, especially the butter, the cake
volume will be reduced.
Rather than pouring cake batter
into the pans, use a 1-cup measuring
cup so you can count the number of
scoops per pan. This ensures that you
get an equal amount of batter in each
pan and end up with cake layers that
are the same height.
Cake flour is a forgiving flour that
helps to ensure velvety soft cakes.
For a substitute, sift together ¾ cup
all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons
cornstarch for every 1 cup of cake
flour you need.If you see air bubbles in the cake
batter after you’ve poured it into
the pans, gently tap the pans on
your countertop to help to release
the bubbles. One or two taps is
sufficient; any more can cause the
cake layers to not rise properly.Don’t mix the dry ingredients into
the batter all at once. Add them
a little at a time alternately with
the liquid in your recipe. Be sure
to begin and end with the dry
ingredients, and give the batter
a final few stirs with a spatula to
make sure there are no pockets
of dry ingredients trapped at the
bottom of the mixing bowl.Cake layers can be baked up to
2 months ahead. Wrap cooled
cake layers tightly in plastic wrap
and then freeze in heavy-duty
resealable plastic bags. You can
also assemble and frost layers
while they are frozen, which helps
to prevent the layers from breaking
or crumbling during frosting. Once
frosted, let the cake come to room
temperature before serving.