In the past, whenever I was in the mood to get messy in the kitchen, I would always bake all sorts of cupcakes, cookies, and brownies from scratch. However, my cake skills were limited to the cake recipes from the box. I have always struggled to make a cake from scratch because the science to creating a moist cake that stays together is a challenge. One night, I decided that enough was enough, and I was going to learn how to make a two (not one) layer cake from scratch. I found a fantastic recipe online from Kara Cook that enabled me to make my first ever cake from scratch; it is perfect for beginners and those that want to delve into the cake baking community!
Ingredients for Cake
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2 cups all-purpose flour
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2 cups granulated sugar
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¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
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2 tsp baking powder
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1 tsp salt
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1 cup milk
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½ cup oil
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2 eggs
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2 tsp vanilla extract
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1 cup boiling water
Ingredients for Frosting
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½ cup softened at room temperature butter
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½ cup of cocoa powder
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4 cups powdered sugar
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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1 pinch salt
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6-8 tbsp milk
Tips to Keep in Mind for the Cake
I combine all of the ingredients with a whisk. First, I thoroughly whisk the dry ingredients together and then add in the wet ingredients. When the batter is smooth, I pour in the cup of hot water to stir. The mixture will be a thin consistency.
Place the batter into two 9 inche greased round pans lined with parchment paper. For about 30-35 minutes, bake in the oven at 350 degrees. I recommend checking the cakes at the earliest time of 30 minutes. Take an end of a knife, and lightly poke the highest risen part of the cake. If the batter sticks to the blade, that means it needs to cook longer. If it doesn’t, then that means the cake is finished baking. Take the cakes out and let them sit for ten minutes. Then move them to a cooling rack.
I swear by this method from Kara Cook. The trick to keeping the cakes moist is to wrap them in plastic wrap when they are still warm, and then freeze them overnight. The steam traps inside the plastic and diffuses into the cake, so it is not dry.
When it is time to take the cakes out from the freezer, they are easier to stack and put frosting on because they do not fall apart. Before stacking them, ice the top of the bottom-most layer, and the sides quickly. Since the cakes are frozen, the icing will lose its texture, so work diligently! Then, the topmost layer will stick to icing when it is stacked. Ice the entire cake until both stacks look like one large stack. After a few hours, the cake will thaw up, and the icing will soften. So, take pictures then!
Tips to keep in Mind for the Frosting
I use a hand mixer to combine the ingredients, inserting milk a little at a time. To soften the butter, I place it in the microwave for no longer than 10 seconds.