Step 1
Since we don't heavily grease the pans, lining the cake pans with wax paper will ensure that your cake will not stick to the pan. Coat the inside bottoms of the pans with cooking spray, and then line them with wax paper. Coat the wax paper with cooking spray, and dust with flour.

Step 2
Although we don't call for sifting all-purpose flour, it's still a good idea to stir your flour to make sure there aren't any lumps. And measure flour accurately. Lightly spoon it into a dry measuring cup, and level it with a knife. Don't scoop or pack the flour into the cup—you'll likely get too much, and the cake will be dry.

Step 3
When you beat the shortening (or butter or margarine) and sugar together (a technique called creaming) for a low-fat cake, the mixture will not look creamy and fluffy as in a traditional cake recipe. Instead, the consistency will be more like damp sand—fine-textured, but not cohesive. This is because less fat is used.

Step 4
We've opted for whole eggs (as opposed to whites or substitutes) because the fat from the yolks makes the cake moist and tender. Add them one at a time to the batter, beating each one thoroughly before adding the next.

Step 5
Add the flour mixture alternately with the liquid, as you would with any cake. Beat just until each component is incorporated. Overbeating at this stage can produce a tough cake.

Step 6
When icing the cake, first brush away any loose crumbs with a pastry brush or your hands. Then tear off four strips of wax paper, each 3 inches wide. Place them in a square on the cake plate. Place the cake layers on top of the strips. Ice the cake (a metal spatula is best), and remove the wax paper strips ? you'll be left with a clean cake plate.