Basic 1 2 3 4 Cake Recipes

CLASSIC 1-2-3-4 CAKE (WITH VARIATIONS) RECIPE

Steps:

• Butter and flour a Bundt cake or (10-inch) tube cake pan or two 9-inch round cake pans (or three 8-inch round cake pans).
• Heat the oven to 350 F for Bundt or tube pan, or 375 F for layers.
• Sift the flour with the salt and baking powder; set aside.
• Cream the 1 cup of butter until light. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar; continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add the sifted flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until the batter is smooth; do not overbeat.
• Turn into the prepared pan(s).
• Bake a tube or Bundt cake at 350 F for about 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until the cake bounces back when touched lightly with a finger. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes then carefully remove to cool on a rack.
• Bake layers at 375 F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake bounces back when touched lightly with a finger.
• For a Bundt or tube cake glaze, combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, 2 tablespoons of milk or cream, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until smooth; add more milk, as needed, for drizzling over the cake.
• If you made a layer cake, use your favorite frosting.

BASIC 1-2-3-4 CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 °F.
• Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans. Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs,1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed.
• Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4 inches above counter, then dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling racks. Cool completely and spread cake layers with your favorite frosting to make a 3-layer cake.

ONE - TWO - THREE - FOUR CAKE II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round pans.
• Beat butter and 1 cup of sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks well, then add to butter mixture.
• Sift together flour and baking powder. Add alternately with the milk to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat well. Add vanilla.
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Add 1 cup sugar to the egg whites. Fold into cake batter.
• Divide evenly into three prepared 9 inch round pans. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 minutes.

1-2-3-4 CAKE

Steps:

• Butter and flour the bottom and sides of three 8 by 1 1/2-inch cake pans with the softened butter, tipping out the excess flour.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until it is light, creamy, and fluffy, about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar into the butter, and beat until the mixture is very light and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. As the sugar blends in it will change the color of the butter to a much lighter color, almost white.
• Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl until they are well blended. Gradually beat into the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, starting with the flour mixture, add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with two equal additions of the milk, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. In a clean bowl using clean beaters beat the egg whites until they form firm, glossy peaks. Do not overbeat until they are stiff and dry. Fold the whites into the batter.
• Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pans, dividing it equally among them. Give the filled pans a little knock on the countertop to level the batter. Bake in the center of a preheated 350°F oven for 25 minutes, or until each cake springs back when touched in the center. Remove the pans from the oven and put them on wire cake racks to cool for a few minutes, then loosen the layers by running the flat side of a knife blade around the sides of the pans, put a rack on top of each pan, and invert so the cake comes out onto the rack, top side down. Then reverse the layers so they are top side up.
• Mix the orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, and orange rind together and drizzle the mixture over the still warm cake layers, being careful not to let it all soak into one spot; then pile the layers on top of each other. Let the cake cool.

BASIC 1-2-3-4 CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.
• Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed.
• Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4 inches above counter, then dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.
• Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling racks. Cool completely and spread cake layers with your favorite frosting to make a 3-layer cake.

1-2-3-4 CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans,.
• Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy.
• Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
• Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed.
• Divide batter equally among prepared pans.
• Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4 inches above counter, then dropping it flat onto counter.
• Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.
• Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes.
• Invert cakes onto cooling racks.
• Cool completely and spread cake layers with your favorite frosting to make a 3-layer cake.

1-2-3-4 CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch baking pans and line the bottom of each with parchment paper. Butter the paper and dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Stir baking powder and salt into cake flour.
• In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the four egg yolks one at a time. Add the vanilla to the mixture.
• Add the flour mixture and milk alternately, starting and ending with one third of the flour. Stir just until the flour is incorporated.
• In another bowl, whisk egg whites to soft peaks. Stir one third of the egg whites into the batter, then gently fold in the rest. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Hint: Whisk the egg whites first in the mixer and put the stiff egg whites on a plate. Then beat the sugar and butter in the same bowl.