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out. Pour some batter into one cake pan. Pour some batter into a second pan. Place them side by side on the counter and see if the contents are equal. If not, make adjustments.

2. You can count your way to perfection. I have found this method works, too. As you pour batter into one pan, count one, two, three, four . . . stopping when think you’ve reached halfway. Then pour batter into the second pan and see if you can count just as far and in the same cadence. If not, make adjustments, adding more batter to the second pan.

3. For a third and more scientific method, you can “cup it out.” This means measuring the same amount of batter into each pan. It will be somewhere just shy of two cups per pan.

4. And for the most precise, the proven method, one you should use if you want perfectly even layers, you should weigh the layers. Place one empty cake pan on a kitchen scale, then add about half of the batter. Place an identical pan on the scale, add the remaining batter. If the measurements are not equal, make adjustments by adding a little batter to one or the other pan. The process is the same for three layers.

Irresistible Icebox Cakes

Turn your favorite cake into an icebox cake. Bake the layers of your choice then fill and frost them with the shaved Chocolate Frosting on page 137 or the whipped cream frosting on page 123.

CHOCOLATE RUM ICEBOX CAKE

serves:

12 to 16

prep:

40 minutes

bake:

28 to 32 minutes

cool:

25 minutes, plus 20 minutes for refrigerating the cake

HERE IS ANOTHER refrigerator cake—a chocolate cake sandwiching chocolate-and-rum-flavored whipped cream and then topped with a satiny chocolate glaze that blankets the entire cake, making it irresistible. This cake is dinner or birthday party perfect because it is a do-ahead, chilled and ready when you are. And it feeds a lot!

For the cake

Vegetable oil spray, for misting the pans

Flour, for dusting the pans

1 package (18.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix with pudding

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

¾ cup water

½ cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the chocolate rum filling

2 cups heavy (whipping) cream

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons rum (see Notes), plus 2 teaspoons of rum for brushing the cake layers (optional)

For the chocolate icing

3 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter

6 tablespoons milk or heavy (whipping) cream

4 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1. Make the cake: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly mist two 9-inch round cake pans with the vegetable oil spray, then dust them with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set the pans aside. Place a large mixing bowl and a set of mixer beaters in the refrigerator to chill.

2. Place the cake mix, sour cream, water, oil, eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are moistened, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed. The batter should look well combined. Divide the cake batter evenly between the 2 prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.

3. Bake the cake layers until the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a finger, 28 to 32 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make the chocolate rum filling: Remove the bowl and beaters from the refrigerator. Pour the 2 cups of cream into the bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form, 1½ to 2 minutes. Stir the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder together and add them to the beaten cream. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, 1 minute longer. Fold in the 2 teaspoons of rum. Place