How to bake a cake from scratch
Bake a cake from scratch by measuring carefully, having butter and eggs at room temperature, beating the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, adding eggs one at a time, then folding in the flour gently in two or three additions. Bake in a preheated oven until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool before frosting. Baking rewards accuracy more than improvising.
Why it matters: A simple cake is the classic skill, and it works once you know the few rules.
Steps
- Take butter and eggs out of the fridge an hour ahead.
- Heat the oven to the recipe's temperature and grease and line the pan.
- Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it, or weigh it.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about three to five minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each.
- Fold in the flour mixture in two or three parts, alternating with any milk, just until no streaks remain.
- Bake on the middle rack and test with a toothpick in the center near the end of the time.
- Cool in the pan for ten minutes, then on a rack before frosting.
Common mistakes
- Scooping flour straight from the bag, which packs in too much.
- Overmixing after the flour goes in, which makes a tough cake.
- Opening the oven door early, which can make it sink.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to bake a cake from scratch
What to say
Bake a cake from scratch by measuring carefully, having butter and eggs at room temperature, beating the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, adding eggs one at a time, then folding in the flour gently in two or three additions. Bake in a preheated oven until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool before frosting. Baking rewards accuracy more than improvising.
What to show
- Take butter and eggs out of the fridge an hour ahead.
- Heat the oven to the recipe's temperature and grease and line the pan.
- Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it, or weigh it.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about three to five minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each.
- Fold in the flour mixture in two or three parts, alternating with any milk, just until no streaks remain.
- Bake on the middle rack and test with a toothpick in the center near the end of the time.
- Cool in the pan for ten minutes, then on a rack before frosting.
Check question
Why should butter and eggs be at room temperature?
Answer: They blend smoothly and trap air. Soft butter and warm eggs make a light batter.
Your checklist
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Sources
This skill is general practice and draws on no single published source.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .