Advice
For a perfect cake, make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature before mixing them. Cold eggs or butter can cause the batter to curdle and become dense. Softened butter should be pliable, but not melted: gently press it with your finger and it should leave a slight indentation.
When measuring flour, avoid packing it down, as this can make the cake dry and heavy. Instead, pour the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife. For greater accuracy, consider weighing the flour: 1 1/2 cups is approximately 180 grams.
Be careful not to overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added. This encourages gluten formation, which can make the cake tough. Stir until the flour is incorporated and a few small lumps remain. These will dissolve during baking, leaving a soft, moist crumb.
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