Recipe details Easy · 10 servings
Nutrition Per Serving
estimated
1-2-3-4 Cake
Southern classic, legendary for its easy-to-remember ratios, the 1-2-3-4 Cake gets its name from the quantities of its main ingredients: one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, and four eggs. It includes baking powder, milk, and vanilla, making it a staple for the baker.
Ingredients
- • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- • 2 cups granulated sugar
- • 3 cups all-purpose flour
- • 4 large eggs
- • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- • 1 tablespoon baking powder
- • 1 cup milk
Method
Tap a step to see its ingredients.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Butter and flour two 8-inch metal cake pans or one 9x13-inch pan.
| 2 cups granulated sugar | whisk | mix | pour | bake 350 F 40 min | cool | invert | cool completely | frost |
| 3 cups all-purpose flour | ||||||||
| 1 tablespoon baking powder | ||||||||
| 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted | mix | |||||||
| 4 large eggs | ||||||||
| 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract | ||||||||
| 1 cup milk |
1 whisk 3 ingredients
Whisk the flour, sugar, and baking powder together in a large bowl.
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
2 mix 4 ingredients
Whisk the melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk together in a second bowl.
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
3 mix
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until the flour disappears and the batter is thick like a milkshake.
From: whisk, mix
4 pour
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans or spread it in the prepared sheet pan.
From: mix
5 bake 350 F 40 min
Bake until the cake is golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
From: pour
6 cool
Transfer the cake or cakes to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
From: bake 350 F 40 min
7 invert
Turn the cake or cakes upside down onto a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
From: cool
8 cool completely
Turn the cake or cakes upside down again and let them rest until completely cool to the touch.
From: invert
9 frost
Cover the cooled cake with frosting; for two layers, frost the top of one layer, stack the second layer on top, and cover the assembled cake with frosting.
From: cool completely
- 1
whisk
Whisk the flour, sugar, and baking powder together in a large bowl.
2 cups granulated sugar; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2
mix
Whisk the melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk together in a second bowl.
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted; 4 large eggs; 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract; 1 cup milk
- 3
mix
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until the flour disappears and the batter is thick like a milkshake.
- 4
pour
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans or spread it in the prepared sheet pan.
- 5
bake 350 F 40 min
Bake until the cake is golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
- 6
cool
Transfer the cake or cakes to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
- 7
invert
Turn the cake or cakes upside down onto a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
- 8
cool completely
Turn the cake or cakes upside down again and let them rest until completely cool to the touch.
- 9
frost
Cover the cooled cake with frosting; for two layers, frost the top of one layer, stack the second layer on top, and cover the assembled cake with frosting.
Text instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Butter and flour two 8-inch metal cake pans or one 9x13-inch pan.
Whisk the flour, sugar, and baking powder together in a large bowl.
Whisk the melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk together in a second bowl.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until the flour disappears and the batter is thick like a milkshake.
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans or spread it in the prepared sheet pan.
Bake until the cake is golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
Transfer the cake or cakes to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
Turn the cake or cakes upside down onto a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
Turn the cake or cakes upside down again and let them rest until completely cool to the touch.
Cover the cooled cake with frosting; for two layers, frost the top of one layer, stack the second layer on top, and cover the assembled cake with frosting.
Recipe from Cookbook Hub - www.cookbookhub.org