How to Make the Perfect Cake Base

Use Room-Temperature Ingredients

For the best result, make sure your ingredients are fresh and at room temperature before you start baking. Room-temperature eggs are easier to whisk into a light and airy foam, helping to create the structure you want in a soft cake base.

Prepare Your Cake Tin

A springform tin works particularly well for cake bases and is available in many different sizes. Line the bottom with baking paper and cut strips of baking paper to cover the inside edges. A small amount of butter can help the paper stick to the sides of the tin. Alternatively, grease the inside of the tin with butter and dust it with flour, breadcrumbs, semolina, cocoa powder or even desiccated coconut for extra flavour.

You can also divide the batter between several equally sized cake tins instead of baking one tall cake and dividing it afterwards. Make sure to distribute the batter evenly and remember that thinner cake layers will require a shorter baking time.

Whisk Until Light and Airy

One of the most important steps when making a cake base is incorporating enough air into the eggs and sugar. Using the Balloon Whisks with Ankarsrum Assistent Original, start by whisking the eggs and sugar on low speed before increasing the speed. Continue until the mixture becomes pale, thick and fluffy. The incorporated air helps give the cake its light texture and volume. When adding the dry ingredients, work gently. Mix only briefly on the lowest speed and, if necessary, finish by carefully folding the mixture together with a spatula. The goal is to retain as much of the air as possible. Once the batter is in the cake tin, gently tap the tin against the worktop to distribute the batter evenly.

Add Colour or Flavour

A classic cake base is a great starting point for different flavours and colours. If you want to colour your cake base, add the food colouring just before folding in the dry ingredients. Mix carefully to avoid knocking too much air out of the batter. You can also add flavour with ingredients such as vanilla, citrus zest, spices or cocoa.

Baking Your Cake Base

Place the cake in a preheated oven and avoid opening the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking. Opening it too early can cause the cake to collapse. To check whether the cake is ready, insert a cake tester or wooden skewer into the centre. It should come out completely clean and dry. Baking times will vary depending on the size of your cake tin and your oven. The recipes below are developed for a 20–24 cm springform tin. If you use a larger tin, the cake will be thinner and may require less time in the oven.

Let the Cake Cool Completely

Once baked, you can leave the cake to cool completely in the tin. Alternatively, carefully loosen it from the sides while it is still warm, turn it onto a cooling rack and remove the outer part of the springform tin. Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting it into layers. Cooling is important, a warm cake is much more delicate and difficult to divide evenly.

How to Divide a Cake into Even Layers

Make sure the cake has cooled completely and place it on a flat surface. For even layers, you can measure the height of the cake with a ruler before cutting. Use a sharp serrated knife and slowly work your way around the cake. Another option is to use a thin, strong thread, such as nylon thread, to cut through the cake.

Keep Your Cake Layers Moist

If your cake base feels slightly dry, or if you simply want to add another layer of flavour, brush the cake layers with simple syrup. You can also use juice, coffee, liqueur or another flavoured liquid that complements your cake. This is an easy way to add both moisture and flavour before adding your filling.

How to Store a Cake Base

A cake base can be prepared a couple of days before you assemble your cake. Keep the uncut cake well covered at room temperature until you are ready to use it. You can also freeze a baked cake base for at least a couple of months. Freeze it whole rather than cutting it into layers first. In fact, a slightly frozen cake can sometimes be easier to divide neatly into even layers.

Troubleshooting Your Cake Base

Even with a good recipe, cakes don't always behave exactly as expected. Small differences in ingredients, whisking time, oven temperature and cake tin size can all affect the final result.

Why Did My Cake Rise in the Middle?

If your cake develops a dome on top, carefully loosen it from the edges of the tin as soon as it comes out of the oven and turn it upside down onto a cooling rack. The weight of the cake can help flatten the raised centre as it cools.

Another option is to place a sheet of baking paper on top while the cake is still warm and gently press down the raised area. Once the cake has cooled completely, you can also simply trim the top with a serrated knife to create an even surface.

Why Did My Cake Sink?

A cake can sink for several reasons. The batter may have been overmixed, the oven temperature may have been too high or too low, or the cake may not have been completely baked when removed from the oven. Opening the oven door too early can also cause the cake to collapse. Unfortunately, a sunken cake is difficult to restore, but it doesn't have to go to waste. Use the cake for smaller desserts, cake pops or cut out the even sections and use them as additional cake layers.