Once you have read the recipe once, read it again. Make sure you have all of the ingredients and set them out. Make sure you have all of the equipment. Make sure it is all clean and in good condition. Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature for the best results.
Cold eggs produce inferior cakes.
They do not volumize as much as warm eggs do. Your batter will not become as uniform as it should if your butter is not soft enough to incorporate into the batter seamlessly. Prepare your cake pan before starting. You can grease your cake pans by generously rubbing with shortening or spraying with a vegetable spray oil. For a crisper crust, you can also use butter to grease the pan.