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Make Cakes lighter and fluffier with cake flour

Although cake flour may look slightly similar to all purpose flour, cake flour is very different. If you were to pinch a bit of the cake flour in one hand and all purpose flour in the other, you would notice that the texture of cake flour is much finer. It is lighter and fluffier than all purpose flour. Cake flour is milled from soft winter wheat, has less gluten (or protein) than regular flour. This flour will help produce a delicate, finely textured cake.

As with all recipes, always remember to use the ingredients listed in your recipe. This recipe calls for cake flour, which is quite a bit different from other types of flours. You would not want to substitute regular flour for the cake flour in this recipe or any other.

Primer on measuring ingredients: Solids and liquids are measured quite differently. View and print a list of correct measuring tools needed for this recipe.

Special Tips:

• Keep dry oven mitts close by and a wire cooling rack ready for the pan to cool on.
• Clean as you go - have a sink with warm, soapy water ready for bowls and utensils as they are used.
• Assign someone to check floor for debris - keep your area safe and clean. Download and print Home Baking Association's Kitchen Safety Checklist

This recipe produces three layers of white cake. If you have more than one eager baker, you can decorate each layer on separate plates, creating three unique little 9-inch cakes. After all, decorating can be as much fun as baking! Try using different frosting flavors, colored sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, crushed canides, and/or use little squeeze-tube decorating gel in your favorite colors!

You can also stack the layers, with jam in between, then frost with your favorite frosting.

1-2-3-4 Cake

Ingredients
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
3 cups cake flour
3 teaspoons Clabber Girl Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions:

1. Read the recipe top to bottom first-adults and children together. Explain to children all steps and methods in advance. Discuss and answer any questions.
2. Have all the ingredients and utensils out and ready to go. Let children help prepare.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Grease and flour three 9-inch round baking pans.
5. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until mixture is light and fluffy; set aside.
6. In a medium mixing bowl, sift cake flour with Clabber Baking Powder and salt; set aside.
7. Add eggs one at a time to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with milk. beating after each addition until smooth. Add flavorings and beat until combined.
8. Pour batter evenly into prepared cake pans.

Place pans in oven. Arrange pans to allow heat to circulate freely around them. Never place cake pans directly above or below each other or have pans touching.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes.

To test for doneness, lightly touch center of cake with fingertip or use cake tester. If center springs back, cake is done. The top should be evenly browned, with sides starting to pull away from the pan. Overbaking causes a dry, toughened cake.

When done, remove cakes from oven and place on cooling racks. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and finish cooling on racks.

Frost as desired when cake is cool.

Visit the Home Baking Association for more Family Fun recipes and information!