Expert Tricks to the Best-Ever Birthday Cake

Every week on Food52.com, we share tips and tricks that make navigating our kitchens easier and more fun. This week, we asked a pro baker for her tips on the best ever birthday cake.

Have you ever considered buying a pre-made layer cake and pretending you made it? Or maybe you've just written off making them altogether, explaining that you're just "not a baker."

We've seen this behavior before, and we're here to tell you that you can do better. And that layer cakes are easier than you think. We asked our friend Dana Loia, owner of Dana's Bakery, to give us a step-by-step tutorial. Now you can have your (perfect) layer cake and eat it, too.

1 - 8 of 8
PrevNext
  1. Smooth it Out
  2. The No-Stick Trick
  3. Chill Your Cakes -- Really!
  4. Safety First
  5. A Clean Filling
  6. Save the Best for Last
  7. No More Crumbs
  8. Hide the Evidence

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1 - 8 of 8
PrevNext
  1. Smooth it Out
  2. The No-Stick Trick
  3. Chill Your Cakes -- Really!
  4. Safety First
  5. A Clean Filling
  6. Save the Best for Last
  7. No More Crumbs
  8. Hide the Evidence