Sandra This Paula Deen 1-2-3-4 Cake is a moist and buttery recipe, which is made with self-rising flour and whole milk. It’s a classic, foolproof recipe, ready in about 55 minutes, plus cooling time.
Paula Deen 1-2-3-4 Cake Ingredients
- 2 sticks Butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups sifted self-rising flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How To Make Paula Deen 1-2-3-4 Cake
- Prep Oven and Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Generously grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the room-temperature butter until it is fluffy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes, until the mixture is very light and airy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure each is fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Alternate Wet and Dry: With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and the milk alternately to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix only until each addition is just combined.
- Level and Bake: Divide the batter equally among the three prepared pans. To level the batter and release air bubbles, hold each pan 3 or 4 inches above the counter and drop it flat several times.
- Bake and Cool: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 to 10 minutes before inverting them onto cooling racks to cool completely. Once cooled, frost with your favorite frosting.
Recipe Tips
- How to get flat, even cake layers? The recipe includes a great old-fashioned trick: after leveling the batter in the pans, drop each pan flat onto the counter several times. This releases air bubbles and helps the cakes bake up more evenly, preventing a large dome.
- Why use self-rising flour? Self-rising flour is a staple in Southern baking. It’s a convenient product that already has baking powder and salt mixed into it in the correct proportions, which helps to ensure a consistent and reliable rise every time.
- Can I make this ahead of time? Yes. This is a perfect base cake for making in advance. You can bake the cake layers, let them cool completely, wrap them well in plastic wrap, and store them at room temperature for a day or freeze them for up to a month before frosting.
- How do you get a light and fluffy cake? The most important step is to cream the butter and sugar for the full 6 to 8 minutes. This process whips a significant amount of air into the batter, which is the secret to a light, tender crumb. Using room temperature ingredients is also crucial.
What To Serve With 1-2-3-4 Cake
This is a classic yellow butter cake that is the perfect, sturdy base for a variety of rich frostings. It is fantastic with:
- A classic American Buttercream
- A rich Chocolate Frosting
- The traditional Southern-style Caramel Frosting
- A simple cream cheese frosting
How To Store 1-2-3-4 Cake
- Room Temperature: A frosted butter-based cake is best stored in a cake carrier at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate: If your cake has a cream cheese frosting, or if your kitchen is very warm, it should be stored in the refrigerator. For the best flavor and texture, let it sit at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before serving.
1-2-3-4 Cake Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1 slice (1/16th of cake)
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 70g
- Protein: 6g
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Sugar: 45g
Nutrition information is estimated for an unfrosted slice and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
It’s a classic American yellow cake that gets its name from its simple, foundational ingredient ratio: 1 cup of butter, 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour, and 4 eggs. This made the recipe easy to remember before modern cookbooks were common.
A dense cake is usually the result of not creaming the butter and sugar for long enough, or from using cold ingredients. Make sure your butter, eggs, and milk are all at room temperature, and beat the butter and sugar until it’s very light and fluffy. Overmixing after the flour is added can also make a cake tough.
Yes. To substitute, use 3 cups of all-purpose flour and whisk in 4 ½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¾ teaspoon of salt before you begin.
Try More Recipes:
Paula Deen 1-2-3-4 Cake Recipe
Description
A classic, old-fashioned Southern butter cake with a moist, tender crumb, made with a simple and memorable “1-2-3-4” ingredient ratio that makes it foolproof.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar for 6-8 minutes until very light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
- On low speed, alternately add the self-rising flour and the milk to the batter, beginning and ending with flour.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Drop the pans flat on the counter a few times to level the batter.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the layers completely before frosting with your favorite frosting.
Notes
- The most important tip for a light, fluffy cake is to cream the butter and sugar for the full 6-8 minutes; this is the secret to a perfect texture.
- You must let the cake layers cool completely before frosting them, otherwise the frosting will melt and slide off.
- For the best results and a smooth batter, ensure your butter, eggs, and milk are all at room temperature before you begin.
- This recipe uses self-rising flour. Do not substitute with all-purpose flour without also adding baking powder and salt.
