So many "customizable" recipes ask you to rely on intuition — and more than a little bit of extra math: Try this nut instead of this one, but chop it into smaller pieces and don't overdo it. Take out some of the flour and add cocoa powder instead. Add lemon juice, but don't forget to cut back on the buttermilk.

We're not saying you can't handle that (you can, smarties!), but it breaks the magic spell for us. How many ingredients can you swap before a mix-and-match recipe just becomes a new recipe entirely?

So when we set out to create our Do-it-All Cake Batter, we wanted to nail a truly build-upon-able base. We wanted you to be able add flavors and textures without worrying about taking anything away. We got creative with mix-ins, layering, and even a couple super-easy glazes — and we think this tact resulted in some pretty fun cakes, if we do say so ourselves.

Get the detailed recipe for Do-it-All Cake Batter (and all its wonderful iterations) here, but here's an eye-popping taste of what will be waiting for you when the oven timer goes off. We hope it inspires you to dream up your own versions too — let us know if you create something really delicious. 😊

Bonus: Cook this cake (err, cakes!) along with us on the Food Network Kitchen app! Culinary producer Ali Clarke will walk you through the steps and demonstrate just how clever this cake is.