Baking is easier than you think! Just a few basic kitchen lessons at an early age will inspire plenty of simple and entertaining adventures in the kitchen. Each ingredient has it’s own super powers and needs to work together to create this vanilla cake, perfect for every occasion. Understanding what these ingredients do and how much to add will help kids create and experiment with their own recipes. Discover the mad science of baking.

Ingredients Checklist

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour.

3. Whisk dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. Combine wet ingredients: milk and vanilla.

5. Mix butter, oil and sugar. Add eggs and egg whites.

6. Mix all ingredients by alternating dry and wet mixtures. Keeping the wet and dry components separate is a secret to avoiding a mushy lump.

7. Pour batter in pan and bake for about 30 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely.

8. Spread with your favorite frosting and toppings.