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Back to Basics: These Are the 4 Recipes Every Baker Needs

Sometimes, it's good to be basic!

Why do people say "basic" like it's a bad thing?

Everything we call "basic" got that way by being so popular everyone loves it. Take white walls, for instance. They're pretty basic, but would you rent an apartment with hot pink walls? (Actually, we probably would — we have a BIG thing for pink. 💕 But most people would take one look at that hot pink apartment, and be like "Thank you, next.") White walls are the perfect neutral backdrop for your decor, just like how vanilla cake is the perfect backdrop for all your fillings and decorations. 🎂

Our favorite basic recipes offer endless ways to remix them into something not-so-basic. And whether you're just beginning your baking journey or are already a pro, these recipes will help you practice essential techniques. So, let's all get back to basics.

Here are the four basic recipes every baker needs.

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Yo's Sugar Cookie Dough

If you're looking for something sweet and simple, Yo's Sugar Cookie Recipe is the basic bake for you. Cookies are our favorite quick recipes because you can go from pouring ingredients into your mixing bowl to pulling cookies out of the oven in under 30 minutes. And on days when you want to play with your food for longer, sugar cookies are a blank slate for dipping and decorating.

For the simplest design, shape your dough into a log and slice off round cookies. Or take your cookie cues from Yo, and make sugar cookie French fries 🍟: Roll out your dough, and cut it into the shape of fries. Instead of ketchup, use a dipping sauce like maple caramel 🍁 or chocolate. 🍫

To get a little more decorative, breakout your cutest cookie cutters. (We like these Under the Sea Cookie Cutters and these Lemonade Stand Cookie Cutters for our summer sweets!) Pro tip: To help your cookies keep their shape, stick them in the freezer for 10 minutes before you bake. Cold butter is the key to clean lines. 🧈

Once your cookies cool, you can decorate with royal icing. For truly regal cookie decorations, 👑 learn to use royal icing like a pro. In our Bake You Happy live tutorials, an expert cookier will help you create stunning iced sugar cookies — no matter your skill level.

Yo's Classic Cheesecake

Much like our grasp of the Italian language, this cheesecake recipe is basic … in the best way possible. It has everything you want out of a classic cheesecake — a silky smooth texture from the mascarpone cheese, and just a little tanginess from the cream cheese and sour cream.

You can pair it with a graham cracker crust or chocolate crumb crust. Then, bake it in a pan with a removable bottom (like the tart pan from our Mega Cake Pan bundle).

Once the cheesecake cools to creamy perfection, serve it up with your favorite toppings. Fresh fruit, crushed cookies, candy, chocolate sauce, caramel, or this berry coulis will all add a lil' somethin' somethin' — but even on its own, this recipe is basically the best thing ever.

Butter Cake

This Butter Cake Recipe is so simple — it only has four ingredients, and you probably have them all in your kitchen right now. You just need flour, sugar, eggs, and — surprise, surprise — butter! 🧈 Even though it's short on ingredients, this cake is big on flavor … buttery flavor. And there's a reason we describe food as "buttery and delicious": Butter. Is. Delicious.

Serve this cake plain with afternoon coffee or tea, or make it the base of a seasonal shortcake. 🍰 Slice up your favorite fruit, pile it on top of your butter cake, and top it with whipped cream. If you want to keep it classic, go with a strawberry shortcake (yet another example of a basic recipe that's beyond delicious!). Or, go tropical with mango or grilled pineapple, or celebrate the summer with peaches or mixed berries.

Whatever toppings you choose, butter makes everything better. 😋

Yo's Ultimate Vanilla Cake

And now, for the ultimate basic recipe, the basic mix to rule all basic mixes, the cake de la cake, we proudly present … (drumroll 🥁) … vanilla! Vanilla is the most classic of all the classic flavors, but coming up with a good vanilla cake recipe is harder than it sounds.

Vanilla usually serves as a base for fancy fillings and toppings, so you need a cake recipe that's fluffy and delicious, but sturdy enough to support multiple layers. Over the years, Yo's has layered her Ultimate Vanilla Cake Recipe with everything from silky sauces and fresh fruits to cookies and candy. You can get this recipe for free as part of Yo's Basics of Baking Program — where you'll also learn other basic skills and recipes you need to become a master caker.

🍪 🍰 BASIC BAKES ARE THE BEST PLACE TO START 🍰 🍪

Going back to basics is one of the best ways to improve as a baker. And if you're just starting your baking journey, there's no better place to begin than at the beginning.

Create a strong (and oh-so tasty) foundation for your bakes by learning basic techniques for free. Sign up for Yo's Basics of Baking Program to get free lessons on all her basic recipes. These cakes and icings prove that being basic is definitely a good thing.

Yo's Sugar Cookie Dough

Yo's Classic Cheesecake

Butter Cake

Yo's Ultimate Vanilla Cake

🍪 🍰 BASIC BAKES ARE THE BEST PLACE TO START 🍰 🍪

Congratulations!