Basic Cake Recipe

                     

This recipe is based on an age old formula used for cakes from 1800s. Following this formula, you can easily remember the proportion of the ingredients used. This way, you need not refer a recipe each time you bake. I have also explained tips and tricks to be followed to bake a perfect cake.

The Age old formula which I mentioned is 1:2:3:4

1 stands for 1 cup Butter
2 stands for 2 cups Sugar
3 stands for 3 cups Flour
4 stands for 4 Eggs
                     
                       This is the base for all cake recipes. Every basic cake recipe you look for will be based on this proportion. There may be minor changes in the ingredients used, like one may use 2 3/4 cups of flour in place of 3 cups. This may be due to the fact that we all are using different ingredients and it may behave differently. Every baker would have ended up with their own formula right?!!! Other cake types like Eggless, Angel food cake etc will have different proportion and will post those recipes too in the future.
                      Along with the above main ingredients there are few other ingredients too. The are
1 cup Milk
1 Tbsp Baking powder
1 Tbsp Vanilla essence
1 pinch of salt
                     In this recipe, I have halved the above proportion which yielded a seven inch round cake. Let us get into the recipe

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup Butter

2. 1 cup Sugar

3. 1 1/2 cups of Cake Flour (Click this -> Cake Four)
4. 2 Eggs
5. 1/2 cup Milk
6. 1/2 Tbsp Baking powder
7. 1/2 Tbsp Vanilla essence
8. 1 pinch of salt

Recipe:

      One simple method to prepare batter is to mix dry ingredients separately and mix wet ingredients separately and mix both together. Well, there are also other ways to do so. Here I have explained the way I prepare.

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉. 

2. Line the bottom of a Seven inch round pan with parchment paper. Grease the sides with oil and sprinkle some flour on it.

3. Beat Egg, butter and Sugar well in high speed until light and fluffy. The volume will be increased a little and the colour will be pale.

4. Add Baking powder, salt and vanilla essence (any flavour of ur choice) to the mixture and beat well. Alternatively, baking powder and salt can be mixed with cake flour and shifted together few times. In that case, you can skip this step. 

5. Now, we have to include milk and flour to the mixture. This can be done by alternating flour and milk. Beat after each addition. Finish off with flour. This should be done in low speed.

6. Spread the batter in the pan and bake it for 45 to 50 minutes.

7. Doneness of the cake can be tested by inserting a bamboo skewer in the middle of the cake. Fine crumbs sticking to the skewer is the correct consistency.

8. Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for 20 mins.

9. Run a knife along the walls of the pan, so that it helps the cake to get separated from the pan

10. Invert the pan in your hands and take the cake out of the pan. 

11. Let the cake to cool off completely. 

Notes:

1. Butter, Eggs and Milk should be in room temperature.

2. Using Cake flour is mandatory if you want a light and tender cake. Can be bought at stores or made at home. Cake Flour -> (1 cup minus 1 Tbsp) All purpose flour plus 1 Tbsp Corn flour shifted together multiple times

3. Sieving the cake flour 4 to 5 times is mandatory for a soft cake. Measure the flour again after shifting before using it in the recipe.

4. Beating the eggs, butter and sugar well to fluffy consistency is mandatory

The steps 3 & 4 makes sure that the unsaid ingredient "air" is incorporated well in the batter. Air helps to get soft and tender cakes. 

5. Using a Bake strip while baking will give evenly risen cakes. If you prefer to do frosting, you may need a flat top. In that case, You have to cut off the crown. So if you need flat top cakes, you can use bake strips. Bake strips can be easily made at home. Just cut pan length strips from a clean and thick kitchen towel. Wet the strips and squeeze out the water and wrap the strip around the pan and connect both ends of the strip with a safety pin. Don worry, Thick clothes and safety pin will not burn not melt. You can buy bake strips from shops as well.

6. Do not open the oven during the initial 20 to 25 minutes. It will interrupt the cake from rising.
7. Baking time will vary from oven to oven. So the baking time given in any recipe will be rough estimate. Check for the doneness of the cake 5 to 10 minutes ahead of the end time.
8. While checking, if the bamboo skewer comes out with liquid batter, you have to increase the bake time. If it comes out clean, then after taking out, the cake may get over baked because of the heat inside the cake. So for the perfect cake, the bamboo skewer inserted should come out with very fine cake crumbs sticked to it.

Following all the tips mentioned will yield a perfect cake!!!