Scaling Cake Recipes

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Each cake recipe in this chapter makes a two- to four-layer 6-inch round cake. I wrote the recipes for this size because I find it to be the perfect standard cake. If you’re not making an ornate tiered cake, the following recipes can be served simply for any occasion. In order to make a different size or a tiered cake, you’ll need to scale the recipes to make more or less batter. Vegan and gluten-free cakes tend to be more fragile than standard cakes; for this reason, I don’t recommend making cakes larger than 12 inches in diameter. In addition, I’ve found that multiplying ingredients more than four times the original recipe will result in an unbalanced cake. If a larger amount is desired, make two separate batches.

Whether you need to increase or decrease a recipe, the conversions for adjusting recipes work the same way. Simply multiply or divide all the ingredients following the guidelines opposite. To make one-half a recipe, multiply the ingredients by ½/0.5 (or divide them by 2). Using the metric system is easier because there is no need to convert tablespoons to cups or ounces to pounds. Have I told you lately how much I love the metric system?

Baking times will vary depending on how thick and large the cake layer is. Good indicators of doneness are when the edges are golden, the cake feels springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

The recipes for fondant and icings in this chapter make enough to fill and ice or cover a 6-inch cake. For larger cakes, you will also need to scale the fondant and icing recipes as you would for the batter.