3 Layer Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Set oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease three 9-inch round cake pans (if desired line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper).
• In a bowl combine the buttermilk with baking soda; let stand while preparing the next steps.
• In a large bowl cream sugar with butter, oil and shortening until well combined (no sugar granules should remain).
• Add in egg yolks, almond extract and vanilla; beat until well combined.
• Add in the buttermilk mixture alternately with the flour into the creamed mixture.
• In a large glass or stainless steel mixing bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Fold 1/3 of the whites into the creamed batter until blended, then fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.
• Divide the batter between the three pans.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cakes test done.
• Cool in pans for 15 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.

Steps:

• Make the cake: Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Brush three 9-inch-round cake pans with vegetable oil and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, about 10 minutes. Let cool, then pulse in a food processor until very finely chopped.
• Combine the pecans, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and granulated sugar in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, lemon zest, eggs and 1/2 cup marmalade. Stir in the carrots, then fold the carrot mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Divide among the prepared pans and spread evenly (it won't look like a lot of batter, but the cakes will rise in the oven). Put 2 pans on the upper oven rack and the third pan on the lower rack. Bake until the cakes bounce back when touched and a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, switching the position of the pans halfway through. Transfer the pans to racks until cool enough to handle, then invert the cakes onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment.
• Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl with a mixer until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt until smooth.
• Put 1 cake layer on a platter. Spread with 1 tablespoon marmalade, then spread about 3/4 cup frosting over the marmalade. Top with another cake layer, marmalade and frosting. Spread the final cake layer with a thin layer of frosting. (This is the crumb coat; it doesn't have to be perfect.) Refrigerate 1 hour, then cover with the remaining frosting. Swirl some marmalade into the top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Photograph by Con Poulos

Steps:

• For the sour cream cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 6-inch cake pans with cooking spray.
• Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Reserve.
• Combine the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Slowly add the vanilla, milk and sour cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually mix in the flour.
• Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• For the cream cheese icing: Beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon juice in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Spread icing on each layer, stack layers and cover with icing.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. In another bowl, beat together sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt on low speed. Continue beating while adding butter until mixture is crumbly. Add half of milk mixture; beat on medium-high until fluffy, 1 minute. Add remaining milk mixture and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
• In another large bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons cocoa into chocolate. Stir in 1 1/2 cups batter. Spoon into prepared pan, smoothing top with a small offset spatula. Whisk remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa into another 1 1/2 cups batter in bowl; spoon over dark-chocolate layer and smooth top. Spoon in remaining batter; smooth top.
• Bake until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour, 30 minutes (if top is browning too quickly, tent with foil). Let cool in pan 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely, about 2 hours.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Cut wax paper to fit the bottom of (3) 9 x 1 1/2-inch round pans. Spray the pans with cooking spray, place the wax paper in the pans and spray the paper.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, mixing well.
• Measure the 1-1/4 cups of milk in a 2 cup measuring cup then add enough vegetable oil to bring the liquid up to 1-1/3 cups. (I did the math and figured out it is 1-1/4 cups milk + 4 teaspoons vegetable oil).
• Add the milk/vegetable oil mixture, butter and vanilla to the flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium to medium-high speed for 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
• Add the eggs and continue beating an additional 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center of cake comes out clean, or until cake springs back when touched lightly in the center.
• Cool cakes on wire racks for 15 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely.
• Frost as desired.

Steps:

• 1st layer.
• Mix chopped pecans, flour, and softened butter.
• Put in 9x13 inch pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, take out and cool.
• 2nd layer.
• Whip and spread cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1 cup plus two tablespoons cool whip.
• Spread on cool crust and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
• 3rd layer.
• Mix chocolate pudding with milk. Beat for 2 minutes.
• Refrigerate 10 minutes.
• Spread on top of other layers.
• Top with cool whip, and sprinkle with nuts on top.

Steps:

• Layer 1: Make this part 4 to 24 hours ahead: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
• Cut in margarine until texture feels like corn meal.
• Combine wet ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Then add all at once to the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to make a soft dough.
• Using fingers, gently pat dough into the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan.
• Layer 2: Combine all ingredients.
• Beat until creamy with mixer on high.
• Spread over dough in the pan.
• Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool completely and cover.
• Refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.
• Layer 3: 3 hours or less before serving:.
• Arrange berries on top of cake.
• Stir jelly to soften, then brush jelly over berries.
• Garnish with blueberries or toasted almond slices. (Toast almond slices in a fry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly until browned a bit.).

Steps:

• Layer 1: Heat oven to 375. In a bowl mix (by hand) 1 1/2 cups of flour, 3/4 cups of chopped pecans (the rest will be used later) and 3/4 cups of soft margarine. Pat the mixture into a nongreased 13x9 pan. Bake for 15 minutes and then let cool.
• Layer 2: In a bowl mix with a hand mixer the 1 cup cool whip, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 8oz package of cream cheese until fluffy. Spread on the 1st layer.
• Layer 3: In a bowl mix with a hand mixer the 2 small boxes of instant pudding and 3 cups of cold milk. Spread on the 2nd layer.
• Top with left over cool whip and leftover pecans.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 9-inch cake pans.
• Combine flour, canola oil, white sugar, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar, baking soda, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Mix until evenly distributed, 2 to 5 minutes. Pour batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, about 30 minutes.
• Combine sweetened condensed milk, dark brown sugar, butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Stir constantly until frosting is thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool, about 5 minutes.
• Remove cooled cakes from pans. Spread frosting onto the cooled cake layers. Stack layers; frost top and sides.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Beat 6 egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy; set yolks aside. Gradually beat in sugar until mixture holds soft peaks. Beat in flour gradually, then beat in milk, reserved egg yolks, melted butter, 4 teaspoons vanilla extract, and baking powder, beating in each ingredient thoroughly before adding the next. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
• Bake in preheated oven until cake is browned and crusty on top, no more than 30 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for about 10 minutes before gently removing cake to finish cooling.
• Whisk sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and half-and-half in a bowl. Pour half the 3-milk mixture into a pan deeper and longer than the cake. Lay the cake into the milk mixture. Use a fork to score deep lines into the top of the cake and pour remaining 3-milk mixture over cake, allowing the mixture to soak in.
• Beat cream cheese with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a bowl with electric mixer until soft and fluffy; gradually beat in cream until frosting is thick and spreadable. Spread over the cake.