No Birthday party is complete without a birthday cake, and while you can always order a cake for your loved ones, nothing beats the feeling of a homemade cake made with love for cherished ones.
Birthday is an occasion that comes only once a year, and if you want to show your loved ones how much they matter to you, there is no better way to make a cake for them. A cake made by your loved ones is not just a dish; it’s a memory that constantly reminds you of how much they care for you.
While everyone wants to surprise their friends and family by making a cake for them, baking a cake can be quite complicated, especially if you’re a beginner. Baking a cake is no rocket science! If you follow the expert tips and tricks below, you can make a marvellous, lip-smacking, and visually appealing homemade cake without breaking a sweat.
Sometimes, a process can be quite simple, but in our mind, we make it so complex that executing it becomes too challenging. This can be said about making a homemade cake as well. Just stick to these steps below, and you will be able to make light, fluffy, and delicious cake every time.
Ingredients
Most people believe that you require tons of ingredients to make a delicious cake, whereas all you need are these 7 items:
- 1 cup (200g) of white sugar
- ½ cup (113g) of unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp (9.9 mL) of vanilla extract
- 1½ (188g) cups of all-purpose flour
- 1¾ tsp (8.4g) of baking powder
- 1⁄2 cup (120 mL) of milk
Note: These ingredients make a 23cm round cake, so if you want to make a larger or smaller cake, you can use the cake quantity calculator to get the exact quantity of ingredients for your cake.
Simple Steps to Make Homemade Cake
Once you have gathered the ingredients, you just need to follow the steps below, and you will never have to ask how to make cake at home.
Step-By-Step Guide To Baking The Perfect Birthday Cake
Step 1: Prepare the Cake Pan
The first step to create delicious homemade cakes is to prepare your baking pans. If you want to make a layered cake, you have to do greasing and line round cake pans. You can use baking spray or butter to cover the inside of the pan before adding a round parchment paper to the bottom and giving that a quick coat of cooking spray. This step will prevent the cake from sticking to the pan once it is baked. Even though if you have non-stick pans, it is better to follow this step to be on the safer side.
Step 2: Cream the Ingredients
After you have prepared the cake pans, the next step is to focus on the cake batter. Get a mixer and start by adding sugar and room-temperature butter to the bowl, and cream the ingredients until the batter is light and fluffy. This will give your cake height and a tender crumb. Do this for about 4 to 5 minutes and avoid overmixing the batter, as it can cause the cake to collapse in the oven and turn dense.
After that, you need to add the eggs in one at a time and continue the beating process till they are well mixed. Don’t rush this process as patiently following the process to allow your batter to achieve the perfect airy consistency later.
Step 3: Combine The Dry Ingredients
While making a cake, the recipe will demand you to sift the dry ingredients together before you mix them with the ingredients. In the dry ingredients, you will usually find baking soda, baking powder, cake flour, and salt, and if you are making a homemade cake chocolate, then you will also add cocoa powder.
This step allows the ingredients to aerate and distribute evenly within the batter and prevent clumping.
Step 4: Alternate Between Dry And Wet Ingredients
Once you have properly mixed the dry ingredients, it’s time to add them to your creamed mix. Remember to alternate adding the dry mix with any remaining wet ingredients until you achieve a smooth batter. Examples of wet ingredients are fruits, milk, sour cream, etc.
Step 5: Portion The Batter
After your batter is done, it is time to add it to the pans you prepared earlier. If you are preparing a layered cake, then it is recommended to divide the batter using a kitchen scale to ensure it is split evenly between each pan.
Step 6: Bake And Cool The Cake
After you have put the batter into the pan, pop it into the oven and set the temperature and timer according to what is stated in the recipe. When the time is up, take them out of the oven to check if the cake is done. Make sure you’re wearing baking gloves because the cake will be quite hot.
There are different ways to check if a cake is done. You can tap the top of the cake, and if it springs back when tapped, that means the cake is fully baked, and if it doesn’t, then it needs more time in the oven. You can also insert a toothpick into the cake and, if it comes away, with a few moist crumbs or none at all if the cake is ready.
Once the cake is baked, remove the pans from the oven and set them down to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Invert each pan and lift it away from the cake. Remove the parchment paper and let the cake cool completely before frosting.
That’s it; by following the above steps, you will be able to make scrumptious birthday cakes for your loved ones without any worries. Once you get the hang of baking simple cakes, you can explore various recipes and create unique homemade cake design.
Top Baking Tips for Perfect Birthday Cake
If you are a beginner, then baking a cake might feel like a monumental task, and sometimes, even if you do all the steps correctly and mess up the baking part, the cake will not turn out to be great. Here are the top baking tips that will ensure you are able to make a moist, fluffy, and yummy cake for your loved ones.
1: Just focus on the recipe
The internet is filled with tons of cake recipes, and as a beginner, so much information can be overwhelming and might end up confusing you. So, just focus on the recipe and ignore all the other information available on the internet.
2: Check for Room-Temperature Ingredients
If a recipe mentions that the ingredients should be room temperature, then there is a reason for it, and most beginners make the mistake of not using room temperature when stated. Room-temperature ingredients mix up easier and quicker as they are warmer, thus preventing over-mixing.
3: Measure Ingredients Correctly
The difference between a good cake and a great cake is the proper measurement of ingredients. To get the perfect measuring, you can use measuring cups.
4: Focus on the Flour used
Different types of flour have different textures, and if you don’t pay attention to the flour used, the cake will not turn out the way you wish. Use the exact type of flour mentioned in the recipe to get the best results.
5: Mix Batter Just Right
Another common mistake that beginners make is either they over-mix or under-mix the batter. Mixing the batter is a crucial step in the cake-making process, so make sure you do it properly. Overmixing the batter will make your cake tough and chewy, and undermixing your batter will cause structural problems for the cake as it will crumble easily.

Conclusion
Practice makes the man perfect, and if you want to make amazing homemade cakes, then you will have to ensure that you follow all the steps carefully and practice them to achieve a professional touch. If you’re struggling to make a homemade cake, no worries, as you can get delicious cakes online at an affordable price.