How to make a layer cake

Making a layer cake is a very simple process. If you are a beginner I would suggest buying a few store bought cake mixes to work with until you are experienced enough to make cakes from scratch. You will also need to buy icing and a few cake pans as well. I would recommend either 8 or 9 inch round pans or 9x13 inch sheet pans. There are many very delicious icings that you can buy from the grocery store also.

You should decide how many layers you want the cake to have and what you want to put in between the layers. Many people put icing in between the layers but I also like to put whipped cream, pudding, or strawberries.

Once you have the materials needed and have decided on what you want between the layers, you are ready to bake the cake. Simply follow the directions on the cake box to make the layers. You should let the cakes completely cool when they are finished baking so that you can easily manipulate the cakes to create the layers.

When the cakes are cooled and you have removed them from the pan, you will probably notice that each cake is the shape of a dome. In order to place these layers on top of each other they need to be as flat as possible in order for them to balance. To make them flat, use a serrated knife (like a bread knife) and cut across the top of the cake to remove the dome. Do not worry if there are a lot of crumbs or divets in the cake. After you remove the dome, brush off the crumbs and set them in the freezer for approximately one hour to make icing easier.

After an hour, remove the layers from the freezer. Place the first layer on a flat, even surface or plate for serving the cake. On top of this layer is where you will add icing, pudding or fruit. Carefully spread the filling in a very thin layer on top of this cake. When you are finished, take the second cake and place on top of the filling. Continue this action until you have all of the layers on your cake that you planned. Make sure that the tops and bottoms of all layers are as flat as possible so the cake does not topple over.

Once you are done layering the cakes and fillings, you will ice the outside of the cake. Continue the icing process by decorating the tops and sides with your favorite decorations such as sprinkles, writing gel, or candies.

Once you have mastered this process you can move on to more fancy homemade cakes, icings and decorating techniques in all flavors and sizes.

It is most important to develop a method of cake making and then once you are comfortable with the method, you can graduate to cakes and icings made from scratch of all different flavors.