Hi Reader,

I have enormous respect for people who can casually whip up a layer cake on a Tuesday night.
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I am not one of those people.
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For me, a layer cake is an event. It begins with clearing the kitchen counters as though I'm preparing for surgery. Every ingredient gets lined up with military precision. Butter softens. Eggs come to room temperature. Cake pans are buttered with a level of devotion normally reserved for newborns.
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Then comes the part that humbles everyone.
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Will the layers release cleanly? Will the frosting go on smoothly? Will the whole glorious thing lean just enough to look charmingly homemade, or like it's about to reenact the Tower of Pisa?
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I've learned not to worry too much.
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Some of the most beautiful cakes I've ever made had crooked layers, a fingerprint in the frosting, and one side noticeably lower than the other. Nobody remembers those details once the first slice hits the plate. What they remember is that you spent an afternoon making cake.
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And honestly, in a world where nearly everything can be delivered in thirty minutes or less, that feels wonderfully extravagant.

Bake the Cake. Forget Perfection.

• Get everything out first. Layer cakes go better when nothing has to be measured mid-recipe. Having everything out means the only thing left to do is bake.
• Cool completely before frosting. I know it's torture, but buttercream slides straight off a warm layer. Patience wins every time.
• Weigh your flour if you can. A cup of flour can vary by thirty grams (about one ounce) depending on how you scoop it, and in a layer cake, that's the difference between tender and tough.
• Bake it on a Wednesday. Layer cakes don't need birthdays or anniversaries. So what else is the afternoon for?

WHAT'S INSIDE...

• ​German Chocolate Cake​
• ​Chocolate Cake With Salted Caramel Frosting​
• ​Old-Fashioned Coconut Cake​
• ​Red Velvet Cake​
• ​Pumpkin Cake With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting​
• ​Lady Baltimore Cake​
• ​Chocolate Guinness Cake​
• ​Ultra-Rich Butterscotch Cake​

​German Chocolate Cake​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.91 from 11 votes

German chocolate cake, with its traditional stack of dark chocolate cake layers smothered with caramel frosting and pecan goodness and coconut, invariably impresses. And it's surprisingly easy to make.

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​Chocolate Cake With Salted Caramel Frosting​

This stunning dessert is made with two layers of rich chocolate cake that's filled with salty-sweet caramel buttercream frosting.

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​Old-Fashioned Coconut Cake​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.86 from 34 votes

This traditional coconut layer cake is made up of delicate, moist vanilla cake layers, creamy coconut filling, and a fluffy meringue frosting. On top is a sprinkling of shredded coconut. An excellent cake for any celebration.

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​Red Velvet Cake​

This red velvet cake is the best rendition of the southern classic we've experienced. Buttermilk and cocoa give it the classic flavor, while a lighter mascarpone and cream cheese icing modernize it. It's also simple as can be to make.

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​Pumpkin Cake With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.93 from 38 votes

This pumpkin cake with maple cream cheese frosting is spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. All the essential pumpkin spice flavors tempered with the creamy coolness of cream cheese frosting. One of my most popular cakes.

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​Lady Baltimore Cake​

Lady Baltimore cake, rumored to have originated in Charleston, is a classic American dessert with vanilla cake layers, coconut and Maraschino cherry and oatmeal cookie filling, and swirls of snow white meringue on top. It's no surprise it's still a classic in Charleson, where the sweet creation is often reserved for special occasions. In true Southern fashion, it's quite hospitable.

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​Chocolate Guinness Cake​

This Guinness chocolate cake is rich, fudgy, and perfectly balanced with nutty browned butter cream cheese frosting. The stout deepens the chocolate flavor, making it an easy, egg-free indulgence for any occasion.

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​Ultra-Rich Butterscotch Cake​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 from 10 votes

This amazing butterscotch cake starts with nine layers of tender cake that have been flavored with rum, vanilla, and nutmeg. All of those layers get stacked up with a rich butterscotch icing in between each, and then the whole thing gets covered in more butterscotch. It's sweet and extravagant showstopper.

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