Let Them Eat Cake . . . . .Part 1 - Just Cake

One of my favorite art forms is making cakes that bring smiles to the everyone and make the taste buds stand up and cheer! Forget those cakes that you pay a fortune for that taste like plastic icing and the cake is dry with no flavor.

Here is a great way to make your everyday box cake mix scream Celebration!

My First Must and Rule of Thumb: A product called "Pan Grease" from CK South. Once you use it, you will never use anything else. Your cakes, cupcakes, muffins, are guaranteed to come out with out any sticking. I use an inexpensive foam brush from the paint department. I store my bush in a zip lock bag, ready to be used again.

Note: If you are making a 2 layer cake, you will want to have your icing completed before the cake is baked. See Part 2 - The Icing on The Cake

Making the Cake:

White Cakes Mixes: Follow the directions on the box, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of almond extract. It is divine. Another great combination is 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of butter flavoring.

Flavored Cake Mixes: (lemon, strawberry, etc): I always start with a box if white cake mix and a half a box of the other flavor of cake mix. (You will have to divide ingredients by half for the second cake mix. You can save the unused portion of dry cake mix by putting the bag with a zip lock container. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon almond.

Chocolate Cake: (milk, German choc late, dark chocolate): Add 1/4 of instant coffee crystals. It brings out the chocolate. Very decadent. (I do not use any extra flavoring)

Red Velvet Cake Mix: There is no since in buying all that red food coloring any more. You can find Red Velvet in a mix. I add a half a box of white cake mix. Your cake will be moist and most delicious. Most Red Velvet Cakes made from scratch are dry and leaves an aftertaste.

Your pan should be filled 3/4 full. Less will not be enough, more will be too much. Left over cake mix is a great way to make little muffins.

After baking you will want your cake to cool. Then take a large serrated knife, bring it straight across the cake level with the pan, slice off top. This portion is referred to as "cake top". (You can put the "cake top" in a plastic bag and throw it into freezer and use for " an emergency desserts".

Some have found success in using a long piece of dental floss, bringing straight across the cake level with the pan. The knife is good for me.

Place your platter, cake stand or "cake board*" on top of cake pan and turn over. If you have used "pan grease" your cake will slide right out.

*Covered cake board:You can find cake boards and dollies at your local cake supply store. They come in different sizes and shapes. This gives a very professional finish to your cake.

For 2 layer cakes, you will want to cut across the top of the cake just like the first layer. You will want a nice layer of icing on your first layer. Then gently the second layer on top of the bottom layer. For those run away crumbs, gently brush them off the cake and platter.

Crumb coat your cake: Take a thin layer of icing and ice your cake all over. This will give you a good surface to begin icing and decorating your cake.

You will find icing directions and how to ice your cake in Part 2 - The Icing on the Cake.