• Baking a cake: Recipe and steps

Baking a cake

Baking a cake is a fun and rewarding experience. You can customize your cake to your liking by choosing your favorite flavors, frosting, and decorations. Here's a basic recipe for baking a cake:

Ingredients:

·       2 cups all-purpose flour

·       2 teaspoons baking powder

·       1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·       1/2 teaspoon salt

·       1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

·       1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

·       2 large eggs

·       1 cup milk

·       1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

·       Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper.

·       In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

·       In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

·       Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla extract. Mix until just combined after each addition, making sure not to overmix.

·       Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

·       Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

·       Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

·       Once the cakes have cooled, you can frost them with your favorite frosting and decorate as desired.

Tips:

·       Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before beginning the recipe.

·       Sift the flour before measuring to prevent clumps in the batter.

·       Don't overmix the batter or the cake will become tough.

·       Check the cakes for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, the cakes are ready.

·       Cool the cakes completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.