Use your favorite boxed cake mix to make a stunningly perfect layer cake using cake strips for even layers. This is an excellent way to bake a homemade birthday cake for your family.
PREP TIME 15 minutesminutes
COOK TIME 30 minutesminutes
TOTAL TIME 45 minutesminutes
YIELD 12servings
Ingredients
1boxed cake mix in your favorite flavorprepared according to package instructions
2tbspsoftened butter
1tablespoonall purpose flour
Prepared frosting or 2 cans of canned frosting
Optional: Sprinkles and assorted cake decorations
Instructions
How to Prepare the Cake Pans
Soak 2 fabric cake strips in cold water while you prepare the cake pans and cake batter.
Trace the round cake pans on a large piece of parchment paper with a pencil. Cut the parchment rounds just on the inside of the line so the circle is barely smaller than the cake pan itself. This ensures it will lay flat on the bottom of the pan.
Rub 1 tablespoon of softened butter all around the inside of each cake pan. Cover the bottom and sides completely. Lay one parchment circle on the bottom of each pan and use the excess butter from your fingers to rub it into place and coat the top of the parchment with butter. Wash and dry your hands.
Sprinkle the flour into one cake pan. Over the sink, jiggle the pan so that the flour coats the entire bottom and sides of the pan. Lay the second cake pan in the sink and tap the excess flour from the first pan into the second pan. Coat the second pan with the flour and tap any excess flour out into the sink.
Prepare the Cake Batter
Prepare the cake mix according to the box instructions. Set aside.
By now, the cake strips should be ready. Wring them out over the sink so they are not overly saturated with water. Wrap one cake strip around each prepared cake pan and secure tightly. The cake strip should fit snuggly around your cake pan.
Pour the cake batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
Bake the cake according to the package instructions. You will not need extra time with the cake strips, they will just help your layers to bake smoothly.
Decorate the Cake
Let the cake layers cool before turning out onto a cake plate for decorating.
Carefully run a butter knife around the inside of the cake pan to loosen the cake from the pan.
Place your cake plate over the cake pan, pinch it together and flip the cake layer out onto the plate. Frost as desired.
Flip the second layer over onto a clean plate or cooling rack and carefully transfer it on top of the first frosted layer. Finish frosting and decorating as desired.
Recipe Notes
This baking method will work for any layer cake recipe you want to bake, homemade or boxed mix.