How to Make a Moist Cake Every Time You Bake for Sweet Results (2024)

There's nothing like enjoying a big slice of homemade chocolate cake on your birthday (or any day, for that matter). But have you wondered how to make a moist cake that's supremely delicious every time? First, you need to measure, mix, and bake it just right. Fortunately, that's easier than it sounds. A dry cake is usually the result of one of the following pitfalls: using the wrong ingredients, making mistakes while measuring or mixing the batter, or baking the cake too long or at too high a temperature. Once you understand which common cake-baking blunders to avoid, you'll know how to bake a moist cake every time.

How to Make a Moist Cake

There are many steps in the cake-baking process where things can go awry. Follow these three simple guidelines for how to make a moist cake.

1. Use Ingredients Called For and Measure Carefully

What are the critical steps for how to make a moist cake? Precision, for one. Baking requires using exactly the ingredients called for. For example, some cakes use milk, buttermilk (or an acceptable substitute), or sour cream for liquid. These ingredients are not interchangeable. The same goes for oil, butter, or shortening; use exactly what's called for. When butter is listed, be sure to use real butter and not a substitute; substitutes contain water, which will not give the same tender crumb as the fat from the butter.

What about baking soda and baking powder? Nope, they aren't interchangeable either. Following the ingredient list to the letter is the key to making a moist cake. Measuring your ingredients correctly is a key step in how to make a moist cake. For example, too much flour can cause a dry cake.

Buy It: OXO Angled Liquid Measuring Cup, 2-cup ($11, Target)

2. Follow Exact Mixing Steps

Another secret to how to make a moist cake is to follow the exact steps in the recipe (we know, it sounds like a no-brainer). That means following all beating times given and using the utensil called for. Some cakes are beaten with a hand or stand mixer, while some are stirred with a wooden spoon. For a moist cake, follow the recipe to the letter!

3. Avoid Overbaking

Baking a cake for too long or at too high a temperature can also cause a dry cake. Follow these baking steps for how to make a moist cake.

• Preheat your oven for at least 10 minutes, and use an oven thermometer ($7, Target) to make sure that the oven reaches the proper temperature.
• If you're using dark cake pans, reduce the oven temperature called for in your recipe by 25°F.
• Start checking cake doneness after the recipe's stated minimum baking time.

How to Make a Moist Cake from a Boxed Mix

All the secrets to how to make a moist cake mentioned above also apply to boxed cake mixes. Following those tips should result in a tender, moist cake from a box. Our Test Kitchen put some other tricks to the test and found one more tip to make your boxed two-layer cake mix turn out incredibly moist. Add ½ cup of mayo (yes, mayo!) to the batter when mixing. The mayo doesn't replace anything; it's only an addition. And don't worry: The flavor wasn't impacted by this small amount being added; it just gave the cake noticeable moistness. The only difference we found is the volume of batter in the pans was a little less high and fluffy.

Alternatively, some recipes (like this butterscotch marble cake recipe) call for adding pudding to a boxed cake mix to make it even richer and moister.

How to Make a Moist Cake: Poke Cake

There are moist cakes, and then there are poke cakes (some of the moistest cakes ever!). Sometimes called poke hole cake, a poke cake has holes poked in it after baking, usually with the handle of a wooden spoon or skewer. Then, a liquid is poured over the baked cake to soak into the holes. Follow our step-by-step directions for making poke cake, and then experiment with your choice of fillings like caramel, melted peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk, pudding, or pureed fruit.

Try These Amazing Classic Cake Recipes

You can't go wrong with these perennial favorites!

• Red Velvet Cake
• Best-Loved Carrot Cake
• Classic Coconut Cake with Frosting
• Double Chocolate Cake
• Dulce de Leche Cake