原文：The first step in baking a cake is to preheat the oven to the specified temperature. Next, gather all the necessary ingredients and equipment. Lastly, follow the recipe instructions to mix the ingredients and bake the cake for the recommended time.

重新描述：Before starting to bake a cake, it's essential to ensure that the oven is preheated to the designated temperature. Then, gather all the ingredients and equipment needed for the recipe. Finally, follow the instructions provided for mixing the ingredients and baking the cake for the suggested duration.