Here’s Why Your Homemade Cake Is Never Light and Airy
Updated: Jul. 24, 2023
To bake a homemade cake that's light and fluffy, you might have to plan ahead. Here's what to do!
There’s nothing worse than meticulously following a classic cake recipe only to end up with a so-so cake. You did everything right: You weighed the ingredients like the pros do, and you certainly added everything in the right order. So what went wrong? Why doesn’t your homemade cake look more like a restaurant-quality dessert?
It all comes down to how you cream the butter, eggs and sugar. But having “room temperature butter” isn’t the only important factor in the equation.
What is Creaming?
Creaming is the magical step that creates a light and airy homemade cake. It describes the process of incorporating air into your batter, which (in conjunction with baking soda or baking powder) helps the cake leaven and rise.
Your recipe probably starts by beating the room temperature butter and sugar together. It’s really important that the butter is at the correct temperature (if you forgot to pull it out ahead of time, we have a quick-and-easy shortcut). Too cold and you won’t produce enough air bubbles. Too warm and the melted butter won’t bind with the sugar. Somewhere between 68°F and 70°F is just right.
Next, you’ll add the eggs (one at a time) to the creamed butter and sugar. This helps stabilize the buttery mixture, essentially creating an elastic structure that traps all those air bubbles inside. But, if the eggs are cold, the magical creation simply falls flat.
So… What Happens If You Add Cold Eggs?
Okay, so it’s NOT the end of the world if the eggs are cold. Instead of creating a light and fluffy cake, you’ll have an okay cake that lacks a heavenly chew. It’ll still taste good, but it won’t taste great.
You see, when you add cold eggs to your creamed butter, one of two things will happen. The first is pretty obvious when it happens: The eggs separate when they hit the warm, creamed butter. Instead of looking creamy, the mixture will look, well, curdled. You don’t have to throw away the batter because it will fix itself when it cooks, but your cake will probably collapse as it bakes.
The second thing that can happen is much less dramatic: The batter will fail to emulsify. Ideally, the fat from the egg yolks will perfectly bind with the fat in the butter. That’s why you want to add your room temperature eggs one at a time. Again, it won’t ruin the cake, but it will look like a wet mess and it won’t rise beautifully and perfectly when it hits the oven.
To save yourself the trouble, plan ahead and pull out your butter AND eggs ahead of time and let them come to room temperature. It’s safe to leave butter on the counter!
Test Your New Creaming Method
Now that you know how to cream like a pro, it’s time to give it a go. Try whipping up some of Grandma’s best cakes, including pound cake, upside-down cakes, cupcakes and more.
The Best Cakes from Grandma's Kitchen
Citrus trees grow abundantly in California, and I'm always looking for new recipes which use the fruit from the orange and lemon trees in my yard. This is one of my favorites! My mother passed this recipe down to me. —Richard Killeaney, Spring Valley, California
Red Velvet CakeOur red velvet cake recipe is traditionally southern with light, tender, ruby-red cakes held together with a rich vanilla frosting.
Banana Skillet Upside-Down CakeMy grandmother gave me my first cast iron skillet, and I've been cooking and baking with it ever since. Sometimes I add drained maraschino cherries to this banana skillet dessert and serve it with a ice cream. —Terri Merritts, Nashville, Tennessee
7UP Pound CakeThis classic 7UP cake recipe uses the carbonated beverage to bake a tall pound cake with hints of lemon and lime. We also use the soda in the glaze to really drive home its iconic flavor.
Carrot CakeMy family's best carrot cake recipe dates back to my great-grandmother! We bake up a few of these carrot cakes for special occasions to make sure there's enough to go around. You'll love the texture this pretty, moist treat gets from pineapple, coconut and, of course, carrots! —Debbie Terenzini-Wilkerson, Lusby, Maryland
Dream Cupcakes My grandchildren absolutely love these cream-filled cupcakes, and I hope the chocolaty treats become a favorite in your home as well. —Dorothy Bahlmann, Clarksville, Iowa
Spicy Applesauce CakeThis picnic-perfect cake travels and slices very well. With chocolate chips, walnuts and raisins, it's a real crowd pleaser. —Marian Platt, Sequim, Washington
Aunt Murna's Jam CakeI remember Aunt Murna telling me that she created her jam cake recipe as a young girl. She made improvements over the years, such as soaking the raisins in crushed pineapple. This cake is a favorite at our annual family reunions. —Mrs. Eddie Robinson, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Zucchini CupcakesI asked my grandmother for this recipe after trying these irresistible spice cupcakes at her home. I love their creamy caramel frosting. They're such a scrumptious dessert, you actually forget you're eating your vegetables, too! —Virginia Lapierre, Greensboro Bend, Vermont
Gran's Apple CakeMy grandmother occasionally brought over this wonderful cake warm from the oven. The spicy apple flavor combined with the sweet cream cheese frosting made this recipe one that we treasured. Even though I've lightened it up, it's still a family favorite. —Lauris Conrad, Turlock, California
Shortcake with Fresh Rhubarb SauceEvery spring when her rhubarb was ready, my mother-in-law chopped it up for this moist cake. If your rhubarb is too tart for the sauce, just add in some strawberries. —Rena McCalment, Sharpsville, Indiana
Cranberry Pecan Upside-Down CakeAt our house, cranberries are a favorite. I made this dessert for the first time in the 1990s. It started out as a pineapple upside down cake—I just changed a few things around! It keeps and travels well, so it’s perfect for taking to church dinners. And we love to share it with our son and grandchildren. —Doris Heath, Franklin, North Carolina
Mamaw Emily’s Strawberry CakeMy husband loved his mamaw's strawberry cake recipe. He thought no one could duplicate it. I made it, and it’s just as scrumptious as he remembers. —Jennifer Bruce, Manitou, Kentucky
Apricot Upside-Down CakeMy Aunt Anne, who is a great cook, gave me a taste of this golden upside-down cake and I couldn't believe how delicious it was. Apricots give it an elegant twist from traditional pineapple versions. —Ruth Ann Stelfox, Raymond, Alberta
German Apple Cake (Apfelkuchen)Embrace nostalgic flavors and homey feelings with German apple cake—an old-fashioned dessert that's so delicious, we keep making it today.
Carrot FruitcakeEven those who don't care for fruitcake love this special holiday dessert. It's a fun way to dress up that old favorite, carrot cake. Try it—your friends and family will agree. —Ann Parden, Chunchula, Alabama
Chocolate CakeYears ago, I drove 4-1/2 hours to a cake contest, holding my entry on my lap the whole way. But it paid off. One bite and you'll see why this velvety beauty was named the best chocolate cake recipe and won first prize. —Sandra Johnson, Tioga, Pennsylvania
Buttermilk Pound CakeThis buttermilk pound cake has a superior texture that is equally moist, tender and light. The recipe is your new go-to for serving with fruit or tea, or on its own as a snack.
Maple Carrot CupcakesI come from a line of family cooks and have liked to cook and bake since I was young. Mother and Grandmom were always in the kitchen cooking up something delicious. These carrot cupcakes were Grandmom's specialty, and we always have them at family gatherings. —Lisa Ann Panzino DiNunzio, Vineland, New Jersey
Blackberry-Orange CakeMy grandmother made luscious fruit pies and cobblers using blackberries from her garden. I decided to follow her lead and create a blackberry cake that's always lovely with a summer meal. —Lisa M. Varner, El Paso, Texas
Black Forest CakeMake a homemade Black Forest cake with chocolate cake, cherry filling and whipped cream. Its impressive, colorful layers make it a great dessert for showing off to guests.
Cherry Cola CakeCherry cola and marshmallows make a zippy chocolate dessert that is scrumptious topped with vanilla ice cream. — Cheri Mason, Harmony, North Carolina
Citrus Berry ShortcakeHere's a quick and easy classic with a soft shortcake layer. Sometimes, I'll sprinkle blueberries over the top for an especially colorful finish. —Meryl Herr, Grand Rapids, Michigan
GingerbreadMy grandmother first used this recipe for gingerbread more than 100 years ago. I remember that the kitchen smelled like heaven when Grandmother baked her gingerbread. The only thing better was when she took it out of the oven and served it with a generous topping of fresh whipped cream! —Ellouise Halstead, Union Grove, Wisconsin
Lemon CupcakesUsher in spring with this lemon cupcake recipe. It's a recipe from my mother that I spiced up a bit. —Bertina Nicholas-Johnson, Waynesboro, Virginia
Moist Chocolate CakeThis moist chocolate cake recipe with coffee reminds me of my grandmother because it was one of her specialties. I bake it often for family parties, and it always brings back fond memories. The cake is light and airy with a delicious chocolate taste. This recipe is a keeper! —Patricia Kreitz, Richland, Pennsylvania
Originally Published: October 22, 2018
