Making a cake can be a fun and rewarding process!
Here’s a basic recipe for
a simple vanilla cake:
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup milk (whole or any type you prefer)
Instructions:
1. Preheat the Oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake
pan or line it with parchment paper.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients:
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream the Butter and Sugar:
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer or a whisk to beat the softened butter
and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. This usually takes
about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add Eggs and Vanilla:
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the
vanilla extract.
5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the
milk. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined—don’t
overmix!
6. Pour into the Pan:
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
7. Bake:
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes
out clean. The top of the cake should be golden and spring back when lightly
pressed.
8. Cool:
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, remove it from the
pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Frost (Optional):
Once the cake is completely cool, you can frost it with your favorite frosting
(buttercream, cream cheese frosting, or whipped cream are great options).
Decorate as desired.
10. Serve:
Slice, serve, and enjoy your homemade cake!
This is a simple recipe, but you can customize it by adding ingredients like
chocolate chips, fruit, or a flavored extract to the batter.
