Why You Really Need A Kitchen Scale For The Perfect Layered Cake

Let's face it, baking can be incredibly frustrating. It's an actual science, which makes it quite easy to mess up. There isn't a large margin of error when you're making a fresh loaf of bread or a cake from scratch. That being said, so long as you follow the rules, you'll be fine. Layer cake requires a knowledgeable hand, but with the right tools you can make it happen.

Round up those ingredients, grab your cake pans, and most importantly, make sure you have a kitchen scale. It makes the entire process easier and more reliable since the scale will help you evenly divide the batter for each layer, which can be difficult to eyeball. Weighing out portions of batter will help each layer be perfectly uniform for your masterpiece. Of course, even layers aren't the only thing to worry about. You also want to make sure each layer comes out flat instead of round. Once the cake is all done and you're ready to serve up your perfect sweet treat, here are the best ways to cut it.

If you're thinking, "Okay, I got the scale, but how the heck do I actually use it to measure the batter?" It's quite simple. The first tip is to be patient because this may take a bit more time than you want it to. Just keep in mind that the reward will be a delicious layer cake.

First, zero out your scale. Then, weigh your mixing bowl in grams so you know what it weighs before the batter is in there. Once your batter is well mixed but before you pour it into the pans, pop it on the scale in the mixing bowl. Then subtract the original weight of the bowl, and there you have it: the weight of the batter in grams. Once you have that weight, divide that number by the number of pans (aka layers) you plan to make. Now you know how much batter should go into each pan. 

You probably guessed it, but now each individual pan goes on the scale so you can slowly pour in the batter to measure out the exact number of grams in each layer. You may need to add a scoop or subtract a scoop of batter here and there to make sure each pan has the exact amount of batter it needs. You should end up with beautiful, even layers of cake to put on top of each other with your frosting of choice. Don't worry, we've already done the hard work of ranking every type of frosting by difficulty.