I have recently taken up baking as a hobby. While I am no professional, I have picked up some general things to look out for in order to make the best cake possible!

1. Double triple check your ingredients! Some recipes have a specific type of butter or milk. These distinctions are there for a reason and should be followed!
2. Leave plenty of time. Even if the recipe says prep is ten minutes, if you haven’t baked often it will most likely take longer. If you’re making a cake for an event, don’t assume you can get it done in an hour!
4. Measure carefully! Measurements are some of the most important parts of baking! Too much or too little of something can ruin a cake so double check your measurements before you put it in the bowl!
6. Use different measuring cups for solids and liquids! Cups for solids have no lines inside while cups for liquids have the lines on them. It’s easier to pour a liquid to match a line than doing the same with a solid.
8. You will mess up a cake! Everyone has a time where they mess up a recipe or just misunderstood the directions. Even if you have a dud, that’s okay! While you may be frustrated, even the most talented of bakers have had duds before. I personally tried to make a cheesecake and when I baked it in a waterbath, the water leaked into the cake! However, I learned from that mistake and tried again which resulted in a good cheesecake!  
10. Have fun! Baking is all about making a sweet treat for yourself and you shouldnt be miserable doing it! If you feel stressed because you don’t know what to do, calm down and read the recipe again! Play some fun music while you bake!