{"id":34807,"date":"2023-08-29T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-29T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/08\/29\/one-perfect-cake-unlimited-ways-to-customize-it\/"},"modified":"2023-08-29T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T12:00:00","slug":"one-perfect-cake-unlimited-ways-to-customize-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/08\/29\/one-perfect-cake-unlimited-ways-to-customize-it\/","title":{"rendered":"One Perfect Cake, Unlimited Ways to Customize It"},"content":{"rendered":"


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I love an everyday cake<\/a>. Not necessarily a cake<\/a> that you eat every single day\u2014just one that you could<\/em>, and one that doesn\u2019t require much fanfare or intense grocery shopping. One that you can whip up with ease, even on a Tuesday; one that you\u2019d be proud to take to a dinner party; one that is low-key enough to eat for breakfast (yes, I said breakfast<\/a>), yet special enough to present as a housewarming gift. An all-purpose, crowd-pleasing cake that never fails.<\/p>\n

I have a favorite recipe for one such cake<\/a>. It\u2019s my go-to: moist, just sweet enough, and with a great crumb, plus it whips up quickly. Most importantly, though, it\u2019s the ultimate base for any flavor combination or general dessert<\/a> experimentation\u2014the perfect foundation for all of your topping, swirl, and add-in dreams. I\u2019ll show you the basics (and then let you loose):<\/p>\n

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\"Your<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>
\n Your blank cake canvases (vanilla on the left, chocolate on the right).<\/span><\/p>\n

Photo by Julia Gartland<\/span>
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First, sift the dry ingredients (all the usual suspects) together in a bowl. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy<\/a>\u2014and don\u2019t skimp on this step! It helps to aerate all the ingredients and establish a nice crumb. You want the mixture to be pale and light. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Next, add in the buttermilk and the dry ingredients, alternating between the two, starting and ending with the dry. If you haven\u2019t started to feel like a mad kitchen scientist yet, just wait\u2014the experimentation is coming.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d recommend first following the recipe<\/a> as is, because the cake is just that dang good. But if you want to play around with it\u2014by tweaking its flavor, its add-ins, or its toppings\u2014we\u2019ve got a handy guide for how to make it happen.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\"Vanilla<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>
\n Vanilla or chocolate? Probably smart to try a bite of both. <\/span><\/p>\n

Photo by Julia Gartland<\/span>
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Think of the original cake recipe as a template, one that you can play around with to make it your own. In our test kitchen, we baked up the basic cake first, then replaced 1\/2 cup of the flour with cocoa powder and folded in 1 cup of chopped bittersweet chocolate to make a chocolate version.<\/p>\n

Some more flavor and add-in ideas:<\/strong><\/p>\n