Cakes

If you’d really like to make a holiday bundt cake but don’t own a tube pan, there’s no need to rush out and buy one. This simple hack using a cake pan and a ramekin works just as well!This is yet another great tip we picked up from Michael Ruhlman’s book RatioRuhlman says he simply places a glass cup or ramekin in the middle of a cake pan before pouring the batter inside.

The results were mixed.

You can make vibrant buttercream without tons of food dye — just use this one simple tool.

Mess-free is the way to be!

No more puddles at the bottom of the cake!

Just in case you need a reminder!

Don’t have a cake scraper? Use this unexpected kitchen item to help get those sides super smooth.

It’s more than just chocolate! Learn more about the classic dessert’s rich history.

If you have trouble getting the edges nice and sharp, try this hack to get the job done.

No more smushed cake and smeared frosting!

When you go to bake a chocolate cake, it’s pretty easy to find what you’re looking for, right? Sure, there are some that are flourless and fudgy, and others that are tender and fluffy, but they’re all labeled “chocolate.” The opposite end of the spectrum isn’t so simple. There’s a whole lot of terminology to describe what seems to be the same thing. But are white, yellow, and vanilla cake actually the same across the board? Not quite.

While I certainly enjoy the cake portion of a slice of cake or a cupcake, I’m really in it for the buttercream frosting. That thick, sugary frosting brings the sweetest finishing touch to these desserts. There are a few different styles of buttercream, but no matter which one you make, be sure to avoid these mistakes.

Q: I want to make a birthday cake for a friend. Problem is, her birthday is not for two weeks, but I’m seeing her tomorrow.Is there a way to freeze a fully-decorated birthday cake so that it will thaw into something beautiful? Are there certain cake or icing recipes that work best (my friend loves carrot cake).Sent by CarolynEditor: Carolyn, the short answer is yes! Many cakes freeze very well even after being decorated.

Don't cry over broken cake.

On Cupcake Project, I’ve converted every imaginable kind of cake to cupcakes. I’ve made angel food cupcakes, pound cake cupcakes, upside-down cake cupcakes, cheesecake cupcakes, and more! It’s not hard to take your favorite cake recipe and translate it into cupcakes. Here’s the process that I’ve developed over the years. Here are eight steps to get from favorite cake to perfect cupcake recipe.

Q: My mom and I are driving from Minneapolis, MN to Madison, WI next weekend to visit my grandpa for Father’s Day. A few other relatives are coming too. I am in charge of the celebratory dessert and was hoping to make cupcakes as they are festive and enable portion control (my grandpa is on a diet).The problem is, I need to be able to make the cupcakes two days ahead of time, then drive them 5 hours to my grandparent’s house.

This is the one baking rule you should break!

Fact: Most cakes do not need to be refrigerated.

Don't rush the chill, friends.

Plus you'll be able to serve more cake and cut down on waste!

Without eating half of it.

I love this for me!

Never ruin your creation again.

No fancy tools required!

Parchment paper is truly a magical tool!

So THAT’S why we’re supposed to use room-temperature butter in our cakes!

Q: I love German chocolate cake, but I know people who are allergic to coconut.Can I recreate the caramel and evaporated milk frosting without coconut? Will the layered cake still hold up?Sent by LaurenEditor: Lauren, the filling would still be delicious without coconut, but we would recommend making a little more of it (perhaps 50% more) to bulk up the filling between the layers. You could also substitute finely chopped nuts for the coconut.

Birthday party in the park! Here’s a good question from reader Theresa.I am organizing a birthday picnic BBQ for 2 friends next weekend. We’re expecting about 20 guests. Our picnic site is at a park so we have no access to a refrigerator or freezer (just coolers). Could you suggest a birthday cake (or cupcakes? Pies?) that is tasty, easy to make, transportable, and won’t melt at the sight of the sun? Thanks so much!Theresa, a birthday park in the picnic sounds like a blast.

Speaking of birthday cakes, I made one last weekend. This particular cake was for a friend’s son, who was having his eighth birthday. My friend’s son is madly into LEGOs, and when he saw a building block cake on LEGO’s website, he fell in love. My friend, who is a magnificent cook but doesn’t bake, asked if I would try it. Sure! Why not? I went looking online for LEGO cake inspiration and discovered many, many cakes — but a dearth of really practical directions.

We’ve talked a little bit about box mixes this week, and tomorrow we’re going to look at what’s better, when it comes to cake — boxed, or from scratch. But we also wanted to interject this note into the discussion: Did you know that you can make your own cake mix? This bright tip comes from I Am Baker. She assembles this cake mix out of flour, sugar, and a few other staples and throws it all into a jar for quicker cake-making down the road.

Q: Speaking of cake pops — any tips on making them less sweet? I know they are an inherently sweet dessert, but I have reservations serving them as I feel they might be too sweet for most people.I’ve make the version from Bakerella’s book with her homemade white cake recipe and storebought icing. (A compromise as I was short for time). PS. Shark-jumped or not, they are new to most of my friends and impressing them is fun!

If you’ve got a few spoonfuls of jam in your refrigerator, you can turn a plain yellow or chocolate cake into something special without altering the recipe one bit. We added a hint of raspberry flavor to a basic chocolate cake, above, just by mixing some jam with a little hot water.

You just need three ingredients, and you probably already have them on hand.

It's a simple trick, but it's a "game-changer."

Perfectly white frosting without sacrificing flavor!

Hint: It's all in the pan.

Wait — why didn’t I think of that?!

And it uses one ingredient you probably already have!

Just one bowl and one spatula dirty? Yes, please!

Have some extra homemade frosting? Here's how to store and use it.

The method is so easy, you'll wish you knew it sooner.

No Bundt pan? No problem!

This might be the one time that butter isn't better.

This DIY solution gives you a beautiful Bundt every time!

The key to perfectly flat frosting.

Baker Jocelyn Delk Adams of Grandbaby Cakes let everyone in on her secret to getting a picture-perfect, pristine cake that retains its shape.

In a recent TikTok video with 3 million likes, a woman shows the proper way to juice your lemons and limes.

The recipe includes the usual suspects (flour, sugar, eggs, butter, cocoa powder), but there's one extra ingredient in both the cake and the frosting.

Nope, it isn't just the frosting!

My mom's "legendary" birthday cake was actually doctored-up cake mix. Here's how she made It incredible.

So you can bake a cake and eat it all too.

No more sloppy slices!

From trimming the layers to crumb-coating, here's how to create picture-perfect cakes.

Don't toss it out! It's still salvageable.

You need this in your pantry.

The secret is in your pantry.

Ever fill your favorite intricately-designed bundt pan with homemade cake batter and wait the 50-60 minutes for it to bake, only to have the cake stick to the pan? I know I have. There is nothing more crushing than trying to invert a yummy-smelling cake from its pan and having it stick or fall out it clumps. Well, those sad times are over! Try this “steam” method with your next stuck bundt cake.

When you buy pans at the store, their size is clearly labeled, but when you inherit them from family or find them at a garage sale, it’s a little harder to decide. You may have a good eye for these things, but for those of us less fortunate, here’s a quick and easy tip for finding the volume of baking pans. Knowing the size you have on hand can make or break a recipe. The trick is actually very simple and requires very little effort.

A Bundt cake is not your average cake. While all cakes strive to be delicious, the Bundt cake can be a little more fun and pretty than some other presentations simply because of the pan it’s baked in. To make sure you get the best cakes every time, avoid these five mistakes. Bundt cake recipes describe the Bundt pan by the number of cups of batter that it holds. Overfill it and your cake will overflow in the oven.

If you’ve ever scrolled through the dozens upon dozens of beautiful Bundt cakes that fill up Pinterest, then you know how hard it is to come up with a list of just 10. Consider this list just the beginning of what’s out there. Sure, you could leave that hole in the center of a Bundt empty, or you could fill it with sweet stewed cherries and whipped cream.