Just like having the right ingredients will ensure you get a great tasting cake, having the right tools helps to ensure you end up with a great looking cake too! There are so many fun tools and gadgets you could spend your money on, but you don’t need all of them to get started.

Let’s first focus on the “essentials” and then, we’ll take a look at the “nice to haves.”

Essential Cake Decorating Tools

Turntable

To kick off our list of essential cake decorating tools is the turntable. This was one of the biggest game changers for my decorating. There are a lot of turntables on the market, so depending on how much you’re decorating cakes will help determine what type of turntable you should get. If you’re only making a birthday cake every once in a while, I think you’ll be fine with something less expensive like THIS Ateco plastic one. It’s the same one we use in my cake classes at Orson Gygi.  For the annual birthday cakes, this is my favorite go to!

If you’re making cakes pretty frequently, I think it’s worth investing in a cast iron turntable like THIS Ateco one. It’s two separate pieces, so the top spins really nicely. The base is a heavy cast iron, so it doesn’t move around or wobble. I went through a lot of plastic ones the first year or so I started my blog and then finally decided I needed something more durable. I’ve had this Ateco one for about four years now. If it ever starts to stick, I just grease it with WD40. Check out my post HERE for tips on how to move your cake from the turntable to a cake stand.

Cake Scraper

Another tool I think is a must-have is a cake scraper. A cake scraper is a tool I use to smooth out the sides of my cake. Over the years I’ve tried a lot of variations (i.e. heights, materials, thicknesses, etc.) of scrapers. They are not all created equal. For many years I settled on, and truly liked, THIS Ateco one. What I found to be the superior qualities of this scraper were the weight and thickness. However, it wasn’t quite tall enough for my bigger cakes and I didn’t like that it had textures on all sides. So last year I decided to design my own scrapers, in addition to spatulas, acrylic disks, and a few other things we’ll talk about later. As I designed my scraper set, I made sure it was just as thin and light as the Ateco one I had liked for so many years. I also added a handle and separated the textures so you have three scrapers in the set.  It’s a must-have for occasions like birthday cakes, wedding cakes, and more!

One of my favorite things to hear from customers that have bought and used the tools is how surprised they are with how lightweight they are and the major difference the tools made in their decorating!

How to Use the Cake Scraper

Check out these videos for extra tips on how to hold and use the cake scraper:

• Instagram Reel Tutorial
• Instagram LIVE
• Smooth Sides
• Assembly Demo

Icing Spatulas

To go along with the scrapers and turntable, I think everyone needs a good set of icing spatulas – one straight and one offset. I like to use the straight spatula for the sides of the cake and the offset spatula for the center and top of the cake. As I created my own set of spatulas, getting the right blade length was super important to me. Some blades are too short, which makes it difficult to frost the sides of your cakes. And then some blades are too long, which makes it difficult to control the spatula.

Acrylic Disk

Another tool that will change your world is the acrylic disk. You’ll use the disk to help you get sharp edges and straight sides. I’ve created a full tutorial on how to use the disks HERE.

Check out THIS tutorial on IG

or THIS one

and THIS one

Quality Cake Pans

One more essential to invest in to step up your cake game are quality cake pans. I recommend Fat Daddio Pans. Fat Daddio specializes in anodizing their pans – which basically means they’ve created a pan that evenly distributes heat really, really well. What does that mean for you? It means you’ll get a more even bake in your cakes.

The Nice to Haves

Ok, so now that you have the essential cake-decorating tools, let’s talk about the “nice to haves.” These are items that you can live without, but are definitely nice to have!

Cake Leveler

A cake leveler does exactly what the name implies – levels cakes. Each side has numbers on it so that you can line up the wire to create a perfectly leveled cake. I have THIS one by Wilton. 

Cake Lifter

Ever wonder how I move my cakes from the turntable to the pretty cake stand? It’s as simple as one tool! The cake lifter. I also designed my own version of this tool to match the collection. I love the color so much, this actually sits on my counter against the wall behind my trivet near the stove. 

This cake lifter is actually quite heavy and will support your cakes nicely. Just make sure you don’t rely solely on the lifter. You’ll still need to place your hand under the lifter a bit to support the cake. Stacking birthday cakes will become a piece of cake

Cake Boards

I’d also suggest getting cake boards, something you can find at your local craft store like Joann’s, Michaels or Hobby Lobby. They come pre-cut and having one under your cake will help you easily slide your cake lifter under the cake to move it. 

Parchment Paper

I think it’s also really nice to have parchment paper. Using a combination of cooking spray and parchment paper will help your cakes come out of the cake pans really nicely. You can get pre-cut parchment rounds like THESE or trace your pans on parchment paper and cut out each circle. Whichever way you decide to go, just make sure you’re spraying your pans with non-stick spray, placing parchment rounds at the bottom of the pan, and spraying the parchment with non-stick spray as well.

Silicone Piping Bag

A reusable piping bag will come in handy when you’re ready to do some piping designs on the top or sides of your cake. We just had to make one in pink! (Check out my post HERE for the best way to fill it with your buttercream!)

Drip Bottle

And last but not least, the drip bottle! I love this little guy for applying my chocolate drips.

Cake Without the Tools

While all these tools are fun to have and certainly will make decorating your cake a bit easier, not having them shouldn’t be the reason you don’t make a cake from scratch.

You can make all the same delicious cakes in 9″x13″ pans. I recorded an IGTV that you can watch HERE.

Or, if you do a layered birthday cake, you can even decorate it on a plate with a knife like you would with a turntable and spatula.

More Posts You’ll Enjoy

• Everything You Need to Know About Buttercream Frosting 
• Best Cakes for Beginner Bakers
• The Best Way to Fill a Cake with Raspberry Filling
• A Look Inside the Heart of Our Home: Part 2
• How to Use the Cake Safe

The post My Favorite and Most Essential Cake Decorating Tools first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post My Favorite and Most Essential Cake Decorating Tools appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

How to Bake Moist Cakes From Scratch

It’s probably one of the most frequently asked questions in baking. How do I bake moist cakes from scratch?

It seems like it would be simple, right? Follow a recipe and get a moist cake. Unfortunately, it’s not always that easy. Sometimes, we are unaware of how certain substitutions, incorrect measuring, different ovens, how we mix the batter, etc. can affect how our cakes bake.

So today, I thought I’d share with you some things I’ve learned in my baking journey that help to create moist cakes. Hopefully, you learn something that ends up being a game changer to the way you make your cakes so that you always bake moist cakes from scratch from here on out!

Use Real Butter

I’m usually not very picky about what brand of butter you use in a cake. But, using butter, not margarine is hugely important and impactful on the texture of your cake. Did you know margarine has more water content than butter. It’s also made from plant oils, whereas, butter is made from dairy and rich in saturated fats. That fat helps create moisture in our cakes. So when you’re at the store, make sure you reach for butter (I always use unsalted), not margarine.

Measure Flour Correctly

Did you know there’s a right way and a wrong way to measure flour (as well as all dry ingredients)? The most accurate way to measure dry ingredients is with a scale. However, if you don’t have a scale, the next most accurate way to measure flour is as follows:

• Fluff your flour with a spoon.
• Use that spoon to lightly add flour into your measuring cup.
• Carefully and gently level the flour with a knife.

What you don’t want to do is scoop flour with your measuring cup and/or shake the measuring cup to level the amount. When you do either of these, you end up with far more flour in your measuring cup than you’re supposed to have. In fact, I once tested it out to see just how much extra flour you end up with when you scoop and shake. I measured 3 cups of all-purpose flour with the scoop and shake method. I then weighed the amount I measured. It was a full ¼ cup MORE flour than I was supposed to have in my cake batter. That ¼ cup of extra flour will totally change the texture of your cake – most likely causing it to be dry and/or dense.

Add Fat

If you’re often finding that your cakes with only egg whites are coming out dry, it’s likely that you need more fat in the recipe. When we don’t use the yolk, we lose that added fat that helps to create moisture. It’s totally possible to bake moist cakes with just egg whites, but you definitely need to keep your eye on the bake time and likely reduce the temperature (we’ll talk more about that in a minute).

The other trick I like to use with cakes that have only egg whites, is to add sour cream to the recipe. Sour cream is a great fat ingredient that will add moisture to your cake without changing the flavor or color (i.e. if you’re trying to make a white cake). You’ll see that I’ve started adding sour cream to some of my recent recipes, like my Classic Vanilla Cake.

You can add a tablespoon of sour cream for every egg white, or if you’re like me, just throw in a ½ cup, and see how sour cream will be your new best baking friend.

Watch the Bake Time and Temp

I know this may sound obvious to some, but it’s worth going over because it’s an easy fix. If your cakes are coming out dry, it could be that you’re over baking them. Remember, when you insert a toothpick into the center of your cake to check “doneness,” you want the toothpick to come out with a few moist crumbs on it. Your cake layers continue to bake for a few minutes as they cool in the cake pans.

Another alternative to making sure you bake moist cakes from scratch is turning down your oven temperature. While you and I may have the exact same oven, that doesn’t mean they bake the same way. You really have to get to know your oven and be mindful of how long your cakes bake in comparison to a recommended time in a recipe. If you’re watching your cakes bake at a given temperature and time and they’re always coming out dry, I’d suggest reducing your temperature to 325 and baking a few minutes longer. Start with 5 to 7 minutes more and work your way up, if needed, by 2 minute intervals.

Use Light Colored Cake Pans

The color of your pans also makes a difference in how your cakes are baking. If you’re using dark colored pans, you’re likely going to get dark, dry edges because a dark pan heats up quicker as your cake is baking. I always suggest using Fat Daddio pans. This brand specializes in making light colored pans that distribute heat evenly.

Mix on Low Speed

Did you know that over-mixing your cake batter can create a dry, dense cake that doesn’t rise? Sure does! When you start adding your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients, mix on low just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl, and then mix again for another 20 to 30 seconds.

Serve Your Cake at Room Temperature

Yes, I said it and I know it’s controversial

I know many of you like cold cake, and if you do, then keep eating cold cake and enjoy! However, if you’re serving your cake cold, just remember that the texture of the cake layers and buttercream will be different than when you serve cake at room temperature. I think sometimes we associate cold cake with dry cake, when in fact, the cake isn’t actually dry and just needs to be left at room temperature for a little longer.

Store Cake in the Freezer not the Fridge

One of the reasons your cake may end up dry is due to how you store the cake if you’re not serving it right away. Storing your cake in the fridge for a night is definitely ok. Just make sure it’s covered really well (i.e. in a cake carrier or box), so that the air doesn’t dry it out. If you need to store your cake for longer than a night, the freezer is a better option.

You can head HERE to read my blog post about freezing, thawing and transporting your cakes.

Alright, there you have it! Lots of tips for making sure you bake moist cakes from scratch every time!

The post How to Bake Moist Cakes From Scratch first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post How to Bake Moist Cakes From Scratch appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Well, it’s time to fix that!

How to Prevent Your Cake Layers From Sinking

The first time I experienced my cake layers sinking and not rising properly, was when we moved to Utah five years ago. Of course, the altitude here caused some of my issues, but it was the catalyst to a deep dive into why cakes sink at all, high altitude or not.

I learned a lot about how ingredients, ovens, mixing and so much more plays a role in how our cake layers bake. As I’ve used those learnings over the years during my recipe development, I’ve come up with a list of sure-fire ways to make sure you get a good rise out of your cakes – no matter where you live.

Know Your Oven

First things first, get to know your oven. Often times our cakes sink in the middle while baking or after we’ve removed them from the oven because they haven’t baked properly. Here are a few tips for getting to know your oven and for ensuring you bake the layers to the perfect “doneness.”

• Oven Thermometer: Use an oven thermometer to make sure your internal temperature matches what your oven screen is telling you. Even just a few degrees off in one direction can change the way your cake bakes. Adjust your oven accordingly to get the internal oven thermometer to the right temperature.
• Don’t Open the Oven Door Too Much: opening the oven door over and over again, during the baking process, allows cool air to get in the oven and this affects the way the cake bakes. There’s really no need to open the door until about 75% of the bake time has passed. If you need to rotate your pans, this is the time to do it.
• Test Doneness: When you test your cake layers, insert a toothpick in the center of the cake. Your cake is done when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. Testing the cake layers doesn’t need to be done before the last few minutes of the bake time.
• Middle Rack Only: whether your oven is big enough to fit all of your pans on one rack or not, we always want to bake our cake layers on the middle rack with about 1 inch between each pan. If your oven can’t fit all of your cake layers at once, it’s TOTALLY okay to leave some pans on the counter while the other layers bake. Just make sure to cover the pans with plastic wrap while they wait their turn.

Room Temperature Ingredients

The difference between using cold ingredients and room temperature ingredients in your cake batter is HUGE! It’s such a make or break rule, that I created THIS Instagram video for you to show you the difference in my layers after using cold ingredients in one batch and room temperature ingredients in another batch. It’s a must-watch!

Basically, when you allow your wet ingredients (anything coming from the fridge) to get to room temperature before you add them to the cake batter, it allows the dry ingredients to better absorb the wet ingredients. This quality absorption process helps your cakes to rise higher and more evenly.

I typically leave my ingredients on the counter for one to two hours before I start making my cake layers.

Fresh Ingredients

Did you know that baking powder AND baking soda expire? It’s true and I’ve found that not many people know that. Baking powder and baking soda are going to produce the best rise in your cakes if they are less than 6 months old, from the time you buy them. This is when the ingredients are at their absolute freshest and will create the exact reaction in the ingredients we need for our cakes to rise.

My friends over at Orson Gygi did a great comparison of old and new baking soda. You can catch the entire test HERE. It’s amazing the difference these ingredients make when they’re fresh.

Mixing Speed

When you add butter and sugar together, you want to mix them on a medium-high speed to get a light and fluffy texture. As you add the eggs or egg whites in a recipe, again, you’re mixing on a medium-high speed to ensure you dissolve all the sugar granules.

However, once you start adding your dry ingredients (which include the leavening agents), you want to turn your mixer to low speed and mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Your cake layers will sink and have a dense texture if you overmix your cake batter at this point.

I also recommend not doubling a recipe in your mixing bowl if it’s a 5 qt. or 6 qt. bowl. There’s simply not enough room in the bowl for your ingredients to mix evenly and you’ll run the risk of over-mixing if you try to jam too much into your mixing bowl.

Use Quality Pans

I think most people are surprised to find out that the type of pans they use to bake their cakes in makes a huge difference in how the cake layers bake. To ensure an even bake, meaning the cake rises well and doesn’t get too dark around the edges or top, you want a pan that has been anodized well. For a good price point, I think Fat Daddio does this the best. They are experts in cake pans and the cost won’t break your bank. I use THESE pans – both in 6″x2″ and 8″x2″.

Bake Even Strips

I get a lot of questions about bake even strips. I don’t use them. I’ve tried several times and feel like the bake even strips change the way my cake bakes (usually takes a lot longer), and they change the texture of the cake (my chocolate cake turned out like a brownie).

If you’re not already using them, I don’t think there’s any need to if you’re following the guidelines above. However, if you use them and love them, by all means, continue! It’s always good to experiment a little on your own to determine what works best for you.

Happy Baking!

The post How to Prevent Your Cake Layers From Sinking first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post How to Prevent Your Cake Layers From Sinking appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Easy Baking Substitutions

I think this post is long-overdue, but one that couldn’t be more timely! With everyone stocking up on emergency preparedness items, some of our favorite baking ingredients are hard to find on store shelves right now. It’s ok, though! We’re going to do our best to keep baking and work with substitutions, if we have to.

I say, if we have to, because, of course, it’s always best to use the exact ingredients a recipe calls for. However, desperate times, call for desperate measures. If you’re in a pinch, I’d rather you use sub than not bake at all!

Make sure to download and print the PDF above so you always have these ingredient alternatives on hand when you’re baking. And if you need even more substitution ideas, check out this post from Real Simple. You’ll find extra substitutions for other baking items needed for cookies, brownies, etc.

Other Helpful Baking Posts

And to make sure you’re ready and prepped to get baking, check out these posts:

• Ingredients I Always Have on Hand
• Essential Cake Decorating Tools
• How to Schedule Your Cake Making

Some of My Favorite, Easy Cakes

If you’re worried about having hard-to-find ingredients on-hand, consider making some of my easy, classic cakes so you don’t have to reach for any baking substitutions:

• Classic Yellow Cake
• Vanilla Cake
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Because everyone deserves to have cake – no celebration needed!

The post Easy Baking Substitutions first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Easy Baking Substitutions appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Cake Basics: How to Schedule Your Cake Making

Before we get to the different schedules, the first piece of timing advice I want to offer is this: read through your recipe at least a week before you start baking. This way you’ll have plenty of time to buy ingredients, order any special ingredients, and plan how much time to give yourself for the whole process.

Some of my cakes only have a couple of elements to them. Take my Classic Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream, for example. This cake has two elements: cake layers and buttercream. It’s a great cake to make when you only have one or two days to bake. My Ultimate S’mores Cake, on the other hand, has SIX different elements. That’s a great one to spread out over the course of a week. And trust me, that one is worth every minute of your time!

If You Have a Week

Let’s start with a week of prep time! A full week is a good amount of time to give yourself if you’re making a cake with a lot of elements, as I mentioned above.

• Day 1: Review the recipe and do your grocery shopping.
• Day 2: Bake the cake layers.
  • Once the cake layers are cooled to room temperature, wrap each layer in plastic wrap and freeze. The layers will be good for a week like this. If you want to freeze the layers for longer, wrap a second time in tin foil and place in a zip lock bag.
  • One hour before you’re ready to start stacking and decorating your cake, remove your cake layers from the freezer.
• Day 3: Make one of the fillings.
  • Fillings are usually best stored in an airtight container on the counter or in the fridge.
• Day 4: Make additional fillings, if any.
• Day 5: Make the buttercream.
  • To store the buttercream, place the buttercream in an airtight container and refrigerate.
  • To use the premade frosting, remove from the refrigerator a few hours before you want to decorate. Let the frosting get back to room temperature and re-beat the buttercream to soften it.
• Day 6: Assemble the cake.
  • I typically like to assemble the cake a few hours before I want to serve it and will then store it in a cake box or on a cake stand with a lid. Room temperature is okay for most cakes, for 2 to 3 hours. Some cakes, like my Ricotta Olive Oil Cake, are best stored in the fridge and served slightly chilled.
  • If you don’t plan to serve the cake on the day you assemble the cake, you can refrigerate it overnight in an airtight container.
• Day 7: Serve the cake.
  • On the day you’re ready to serve your masterpiece, you’ll want to bring the cake back to room temperature if it’s been frozen or in the refrigerator. Refer to the final section in this post about freezing and thawing your cakes.

If You Have Three to Four Days

If you’re a little tighter on time, but still have a few days to prep, here’s how I suggest laying out the baking process:

• Day 1: Review the recipe one more time, do your grocery shopping and bake your cake layers.
• Day 2: Make your fillings.
• Day 3: Make the frosting. If you only have three days, you’ll want to assemble this day too.
• Day 4: If you have an extra day, assemble the cake on day 4 a few hours before you plan to serve it.

If You Have Two Days

Now let’s say you just have two days to get everything together, here’s how I would plan out the process:

• Day 1: Shop for ingredients in the morning. By lunchtime, plan on making the cake layers. If you have fillings to make, try to get those done in the afternoon or evening when the kids go to bed.
• Day 2: On day 2, when you plan to serve the cake, you’ll want to make the frosting and assemble the cake. You can make the frosting in the morning and let it sit at room temperature for a few hours (covered well), and then re-beat it for a few minutes right before you start to assemble the cake.

If You Have One Day

If you only have one day to make a cake, pick something simple. To me, something simple is a cake that only has two elements to it: cake layers and buttercream.

• Morning: Shop for ingredients and then make your cake layers. Even though you’ll be putting the cake together in a few hours, you still want to let your cake cool to room temperature, wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it for an hour. You’ll have a much easier time decorating your cake if your cake layers are chilled.
• Afternoon: While your cake layers are chilling, make your buttercream. A few hours before you serve your cake, start the assembly process. I would give yourself about an hour for stacking and decorating your cake.
• Evening: EAT!

Making Cakes Ahead of Time

Another option is to make the entire cake ahead of time and freeze it. I like to do this if I have a cake deadline in the near future but don’t have the availability to make the cake near the time I actually need to deliver it or serve it.

I wrote an entire blog post about How to Freeze, Thaw and Transport You Cakes. You can read the entire post for all the details, but here’s the reader’s digest version:

• After you’ve frosted your cake completely, freeze the cake for about 30 to 60 minutes to set the outer coat of frosting.
• Once the frosting is set, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap.
• The night before you want to serve your cake, move it to the refrigerator (still wrapped).
• The next morning, move the cake to room temperature. You can leave the plastic wrap on for the first hour or two. You’ll then remove the plastic wrap and keep the cake in an airtight container like a cake box or cake carrier.
• If you have any condensation appear on the cake, just gently pat it dry with a paper towel.

Alright! You’re all set to plan out your next cake! What’s it going to be?

Some Recipes You’ll Love

• Unforgettable Gingerbread Cookie Cake with Boiled Milk Frosting and Cookies
• Buttercream Rainbow Tutorial
• Light and Fluffy Coconut Lemon Raspberry Cake
• Best Cakes for Beginner Bakers
• The Best Ever Cookies and Cream Cake with Oreo Buttercream

The post Cake Basics: How to Schedule Your Cake Making first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Cake Basics: How to Schedule Your Cake Making appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

To start us off, I’m sharing The Essential Cake Ingredients I Always Have on Hand. These are the main ingredients in some of my favorite, go-to, easy cake recipes. So no matter the day or the time, you’re ready to whip up a homemade cake with less stress and more confidence.

The Essential Cake Ingredients I Always Have on Hand

When It All Started

What feels like a lifetime ago, I used to do focus group moderating for media companies. Basically, I interviewed people about their viewing behaviors, day-to-day behaviors with media, thoughts on new television shows, thoughts on talent, etc.

One of the projects I worked on was for Martha Stewart Omnimedia. I was in Minnesota doing interviews to learn more about the Martha Stewart consumer. In one discussion, a woman told me she always had ingredients for chocolate chip cookies on hand. Always! So no matter what day it was, or what time it was, she could whip up a batch of her favorite cookies for any occasion, or no occasion at all.

I loved that idea and went home to immediately implement it in my own life. Since then, you can always find dark chocolate chips, flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, eggs, and unsalted butter in my house.

Cookies to Cakes

Not too long after that, I started doing this with cake ingredients. I picked two of my favorite easy recipes (yellow cake and chocolate cake) and started to ensure I always had the basic ingredients on hand to make either of them at any given moment.

The best part of this is that these ingredients cross over to other cakes, like my vanilla cake and my classic white cake. And with the addition of just a few more ingredients here and there, you have everything to make so many more cakes.

So here it is! My list of ingredients I always have on hand:

Dry Ingredients: Flours

• All-purpose flour: as you may have noticed by now, some of my cakes have all-purpose flour and some have cake flour. I have an entire POST about the differences between the two, and while I think you should always have both around, you can get by with just all-purpose flour since that’s the more popular, less expensive option. Remember, you can turn AP flour into cake flour with a little cornstarch. I get my all-purpose flour from Costco. It’s the Lehi Mills unbleached brand.
• Cake flour: I do also really like having cake flour around too. Cake flour is a lighter flour, with a lower protein content than other flours, mostly used in white and yellow cakes. Make sure to read the post I referenced above to learn how to make your own cake flour if necessary. If you want to buy cake flour, I like the Softasilk brand.

Dry Ingredients: Cocoa Powder

• Cocoa powder: cocoa powder is a good one to have on hand because you can not only use it in cakes, but also cookies and brownies as well. I love the Cacao Barry Extra Brute Cocoa Powder, but if you’re looking for a less expensive option, Hershey’s Special Dark is awesome too!

Dry Ingredients: Leavening Agents

• Baking powder: baking powder is a key leavening agent and something you can’t skip in a recipe. The thing to know about baking powder is that it expires! Don’t use anything over 6 months old, from the day you buy it. I always get smaller containers of baking powder, like THIS ONE. I don’t ever buy baking powder (or baking soda) from Costco. You won’t go through it quickly enough.
• Baking soda: same goes for baking soda. Keep it small and keep it fresh.
• Salt: I think this might be the easiest one for everyone to keep on hand at all times. We need only a little of it here and there and the shelf life is about 5 years.

Dry Ingredients: Sugars

• Sugar: granulated sugar is another must-have at all times because it is used in every recipe. This is an ingredient I get at Costco in the 5 lbs. bags. I don’t buy the bigger 25 lbs. bags because I don’t have room to store it.
• Powdered sugar: I use powdered sugar in every single one of my buttercream recipes, so it’s another ingredient I get from Costco. Again, I’m only getting this one in the 5 lbs. bags. I noticed the larger 25 lbs. bags have more clumps in them and are harder to sift for some reason. I like the C&H brand.

Wet Ingredients: Refrigerated

• Eggs: I go through a lot of eggs, so this is another Costco item for me. I always get large or extra large eggs. If you’re using a lot of egg whites in recipes, you can also get the egg whites in cartons too.
• Buttermilk: buttermilk isn’t sold at my Costco, so I buy it from my local grocery store. I use this in nearly every recipe. If you don’t want to get buttermilk or don’t have it on hand, here are a couple options for creating a substitute:
  • Half part milk and half part plain greek yogurt (my favorite sub)
  • 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice (make sure to let it sit for 10 minutes)
• Unsalted butter: since butter can get expensive, I also go to Costco for this one. I like their Kirkland brand unsalted butter.
• Sour cream: sour cream is a great ingredient to add to cakes to create moisture, especially if it’s a cake with a lot of egg whites. Keep this one on hand for my yellow cake!

Wet Ingredients: Shelf

• Vegetable oil: this is an inexpensive ingredient that I don’t mind using a non-brand version of. Again, it goes into most of my cakes, so it’s a good one to have around.
• Vanilla extract: I know vanilla prices have gone way up, and it’s hard to swallow those steep prices for the real deal, so it’s ok to use an imitation brand. I actually use both real and imitation. You won’t really pick up on the pure flavor of vanilla in your cakes, so I say use imitation in the baked goods and save the pure vanilla extract for your frostings.

I think getting used to having these ingredients stocked in your refrigerator or pantry will make your baking life so much easier! Follow me on Instagram @cakebycourtney for more helpful tips and recipes on all things cake!

Other Helpful Tips You’ll Enjoy

• Essential Cake Decorating Tools
• How to Add Sprinkles to the Side of Your Cake
• How to Make the Best White Chocolate Ganache for Drip Cake
• How to Make the Best Buttercream Frosting

The post The Essential Cake Ingredients I Always Have on Hand first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post The Essential Cake Ingredients I Always Have on Hand appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

As many of you already know, I just launched my new online cake course! I’m so excited about how many of you have already signed up and even more thrilled that so many of you have already watched the class (more than once!) and are taking your cake making game to the next level.

Feeling Nostalgic

I made my first cake from scratch for Westin’s 1st birthday 10 years ago this December. I had a recipe from Bon Appetit and followed it word for word. It tasted delicious, but man, nothing about it looked like the pictures in the magazine. My layers were not level, my sides definitely weren’t straight and just forget about having that smooth, beautiful frosting. Despite all that, however, my family and friends loved it and I was so proud of what I had accomplished.

Oh how this cake gives me a good laugh for so many reasons! I mean, can we talk about that cake topper?! Ha! But I also look at this cake with so much love and appreciation because it was the cake that changed me life.

For those of you who are still on the fence about the class or are just hearing about it now, I thought I’d give you all the deets.

What to Expect

No matter where you are in your cake baking journey, I know there can be stumbling blocks along the way. Whether it’s baking moist cake layers, stacking a level cake or smoothing out your sides, it can sometimes be hard to figure it all out without any direction.

But that’s why I’m here! I’m here to help you along your cake making journey. I’m here to give you all the tips and tricks I’ve learned over the last ten years of teaching myself how to bake from scratch. I’ve already made all the mistakes so that you don’t have to and I’ve put all of my learnings into my cake course to make your cake making experience the best experience possible. My cake course will take you from having all of the questions to knowing all the answers. I’m all about, if I can do it, so can you!

In my course we’ll go over everything you need to know to master cake baking!

• What you need to know before baking cake
• How to bake the best tasting and best looking cake layers
• Why good cake pans matter
• How to make the best buttercream
• The cake decorating tools I can’t live without
• How to stack and crumb coat your cake: building the foundation for straight sides
• How to use the acrylic disk: mastering the art of straight, smooth sides
• How to make the perfect drip
• Finishing touches: how to get sharp edges, apply the drip and pipe swirls

My cake course is available HERE and is ready for you to dive in! The best part, it’s yours to watch over and over again. That’s right, it’s not a one and done kind of thing. You’ll have access to watch the class at your leisure, in full or chapter by chapter, and return to it whenever you need a refresher.

It also makes a great Christmas gift! You’ll easily be able to send your special someone the login info.

If you have any other questions, let me know in the comments below. In the meantime, click HERE to take your cake baking game to the next level.

Can’t wait to get in the kitchen with you!

The post The Cake by Courtney Online Cake Course first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post The Cake by Courtney Online Cake Course appeared first on Cake by Courtney.