How to bake a cake?

A basic vanilla cake comes down to one technique: creaming. Start by beating 1 cup of softened butter with 2 cups of granulated sugar until the mixture is light, pale, and noticeably fluffy — about 3 to 4 minutes with an electric mixer. This step incorporates air bubbles that will expand in the oven, giving the cake its rise. Beat in 4 eggs one at a time, then add 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Measure out 1 cup of milk. Add the flour mixture and the milk to the butter mixture in alternating batches — three additions of dry, two additions of wet — starting and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined after each addition; overmixing at this stage creates a dense, tough cake.

Pour the batter into two greased 9-inch round pans or one 9x13 pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 to 35 minutes. The cake is done when the top springs back when lightly pressed, a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, and the edges have pulled slightly away from the pan. Let the pans cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then turn the cakes out to cool completely before frosting — if you frost while the cake is still warm, the frosting will slide right off.