Proper Measuring of the ingredients is crucial to any cake recipe. Use the spoon-and-level method for flour to avoid adding too much flour (extra flour in a recipe can dry out the cake). 2. Don't Overmix the batter. Mix just enough to combine the flour into the batter. Overmixing activates the gluten, making the cake tough. 3. Check your oven temperature. Baking at higher than recommended heat will cause the cake to dry out. 4. Don't overbake the cake. Start checking the cake for doneness a few minutes before the recipe suggests. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs