How often have you seen a recipe begin with the words 'cream the butter' or 'cream the butter with the sugar'? This mixing or beating technique not only combines ingredients to make a uniform mixture, but also incorporates air into this mixture. A whisk, wooden spoon, or electric mixer with paddle attachment can be used. The butter should be at room temperature so it incorporates the sugar sufficiently to produce a smooth and creamy batter that is light and fluffy. Follow your recipe's instructions, as this step can vary in length from seconds to minutes, depending on how much air needs to be incorporated into the batter so it rises properly in the oven.
The air is important because the leavening agent (baking powder or baking soda) expands the air that is in the batter. That is why when I once tried to make chocolate chip cookies by adding all of the ingredients together in the same bowl (instead of creaming the wet ingredients and then adding the dry ingredients) I got flat cookies. No air!
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