Ready to bake your first cake? These seven beginner-friendly cake recipes are insanely delicious.
These light and fluffy cake recipes are perfect for beginners. However, you can make any of these cakes for any fun occasion like birthdays, holidays or just because it’s the weekend!
I’ve created these recipes with a beginner mindset. You’ll see simple directions with minimal ingredients and equipment; even kids can help make these cakes!
With most of these cake recipes, I’ll walk you through how to use the creaming method. It’s where the butter, sugar, and vegetable oil get mixed on medium-high with a paddle attachment until the butter mixture is light in color. This is where the air gets incorporated into the batter, giving you those light and fluffy cake layers that everyone loves.
You can choose from 7 classic and delicious cake recipes like vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, even lemon, and strawberry too!
Below I’ve listed some tips for your success and some tools and equipment you may need to make these cakes! I’m so excited for you to create your first cake!
Tips for success:
- Read through all the ingredients and instructions so you can get a better idea of how much time and what you need to make these cakes.
- A single batch of these cake recipes makes three to four 6-inch round cake layers or two to three 8-inch round cake layers. Make sure to fill each cake pan ⅔ of the way for best results.
- To make cake flour at home, mix 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour and ¼ cup cornstarch. Sift or whisk together to get rid of any lumps.
- Be careful not to overmix these cake batters, or else the cake will come out dense. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- You can bake the cake layers ahead of time. Wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month.
- Serve at room temperature and use a hot knife to get clean cake slices!
What Tools You’ll Need to Make These Cakes:
- 5-quart, Stand Mixer with mixing bowl & paddle attachment
- 3, 6-inch cake pans or 2, 8-inch cake pans
- Offset spatula
- 8-inch or 10-inch white cake board
- Whisk or sifter
- Rubber Spatula
- Non-Stick Cooking Spray and Parchment Paper
- Ice Cream Scooper with Trigger Release (for dividing cake batter evenly)
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Cake Stand, optional
- Microplane, or zester
- Juicer (electric or hand)
Here’s how you make all 7 beginner-friendly cake recipes!
Let’s Get Baking!
1. White Cake
The secret to this white cake recipe is sour cream and clear vanilla extract. The sour cream adds moisture and keeps it light. The clear vanilla extract is full-body vanilla without the amber coloring.
This cake tutorial is simple and perfect for a last-minute sweet treat. With this cake recipe in your back pocket, you’ll always have a tasty and beautiful cake that’s a winner!
Get the recipe here White Cake Recipe – XOKatieRosario.com
2. Lemon Cake
Are you looking for a super tasty lemon cake recipe? Seriously, anyone can make this lemon buttermilk cake recipe. This lemon cake recipe is made with buttermilk, fresh lemon juice, and zest. Fresh lemon is a versatile ingredient paired with raspberry jam, blueberry filling, thyme, rosemary, olive oil icing, and cream cheese frosting.
Get the recipe here Lemon Cake Recipe – XOKatieRosario.com
3. Vanilla Cake
For beginner bakers, it can be intimidating to make your first cake from scratch. This vanilla cake recipe is perfect for the beginner home baker. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. I have laid out every step you need to take to make this vanilla cake. With these steps below, you’ll gain confidence and be ready to make any cake recipe. This vanilla cake recipe is buttery and has a delicious crumb that is perfect for tall stacked cakes. You can use this vanilla cake recipe for cupcakes or turn it into a sheet cake for a larger crowd.
Get the recipe here Vanilla Cake Recipe – XOKatieRosario.com
4. Dark Chocolate Cake
There’s nothing better than a piece of chocolate cake. Here you’ll learn how to make this rich and decadent dark chocolate cake recipe. These dark chocolate cake layers are perfectly moist and have the right amount of crumb. Think of this chocolate cake as an elevated Devil’s Food cake. Perfectly moist and easy to make a chocolate cake.
Get the recipe here Dark Chocolate Cake Recipe – XOKatieRosario.com
5. Strawberry Cake
This Strawberry Cake is made with fresh summer strawberries, strawberry preserves and has a hint of lemon for brightness. This is the ultimate strawberry cake that looks and tastes just like strawberries. The most frustrating thing about most strawberry desserts is when it doesn’t taste like strawberry. This cake recipe changes the strawberry cake game. You’ll learn exactly how to make this made from scratch strawberry cake with fresh strawberry buttercream!
Get the recipe here Strawberry Cake Recipe – XOKatieRosario.com
6. Red Velvet Cake
Red velvet cake is so much more than a white or chocolate cake tinted red. Some say red velvet is popular because of its rich flavor and bright, vibrant color. This iconic cake started in the south and is a masterpiece of flavors, textures, and compliments sweet frosting. As the traditional layer cake recipe goes, you add the tangy buttermilk to make it fluffy, while the light spice of the cinnamon is a perfect complement to cream cheese frosting. Today you’ll learn all the tips and tricks that I’ve picked up from the bakery so you can create your own Red Velvet Layer Cake at home!
Get the recipe here Red Velvet Cake Recipe – XOKatieRosario.com
7. Foolproof Vanilla Cake
Funfetti birthday cake is a moist vanilla cake studded with rainbow sprinkles, so it looks like confetti, hence Funfetti! It’s a celebration in every bite. This foolproof funfetti birthday cake is a fun and festive cake that instantly transports you back to your childhood. What makes this funfetti birthday cake foolproof is combining vanilla cake mix and pound cake. Using ready-made store-bought vanilla cake mix in the box and making a scratch-made pound cake, it’s the perfect blend of foolproof and homemade.
Get the recipe here Foolproof Vanilla Cake Recipe – XOKatieRosario.com
You May Also Enjoy:
- 10 Scratch Made Frostings for Beginner Bakers
- How to Decorate Your First Cake (free course)
- Cake Decorating for Beginners (masterclass)
I’m so excited to see all your cake creations. Please feel free to email me here at xokatierosario@gmail.com with any questions you may have; I’ll be happy to help!
Happy Baking!
Hey, if you liked these tutorials, you really should check out Cake Decorating for Beginners, my signature masterclass. I coach you on everything I teach on these cake tutorials on a deeper level so that you can uplevel your baking and decorating skills. We 10x it to get the results you want most impressive cakes that your friends and family will love. Like any new skill, it’s essential to learn from the ground up to build a foundation so that you can take on any cake challenge. It is an investment your future self will thank you for. So check it out at XOKatieRosario.com/cake-masterclass. I will see you there!
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