YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Expert Tricks to the Best-Ever Birthday Cake

    By | Shine Food – Thu, Aug 16, 2012 3:54 PM EDT
    Photo by: James Ransom
    The No-Stick Trick
    RELATED: See our favorite chocolate cake recipe.

    Getting started    : Line two round cake pans with parchment paper. Butter and dust them with flour. This may ... more 
    Photo by: James Ransom
    The No-Stick Trick
    RELATED: See our favorite chocolate cake recipe.

    Getting started    : Line two round cake pans with parchment paper. Butter and dust them with flour. This may seem tedious, but it will prevent your cakes from sticking!
    less 
    1 / 8
    Thu, Aug 16, 2012 4:13 PM EDT
    Close
    Previous image
    Next image
    1 - 8 / 8

    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.

    SUPPER CLUB PICK

    FEATURED RECIPE

    • Blackberry Cornmeal Cake
      Blackberry Cornmeal Cake
      Blackberry Cornmeal Cake

      You can substitute an equal amount of fresh blueberries for the blackberries; be sure to rinse and dry them thoroughly before scattering over the batter.

      Yellow cornmeal produces a dessert that has a rich, golden color, but you could use white cornmeal instead.