The simplest kind of cake consists of...

The simplest kind of cake consists of cake flour, a fat, sugar, enough liquid to make a batter, whole egg to bind it, baking powder to make it rise and flavoring. This category includes white, chocolate, spice, gingerbread and pound cakes, as well as those studded with raisins and nuts.

Making cakes begins with selecting and preparing the baking pans. Size is important: too large a pan, and the cake may not rise properly and is likely to brown unevenly; too small, and the texture may be coarse or the batter could overflow before it sets.

Medium-weight shiny metal pans deflect some of the oven heat and produce a thin, evenly browned crust. For heavier, darker crusts, choose darker glass or enamel pans that absorb and hold more heat. When using the latter, reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees.

Greasing and flouring the pans will prevent cakes from sticking. As an added precaution, pans may be lined with wax paper or cooking parchment. Pans with nonstick coating do not need to be greased, but a bottom liner will prevent too solid a crust from forming.