Baking is an exact science, you can’t just throw things in on the off chance that it’ll work like you do when you’re cooking. If you aren’t precise, you’ll end up with a rock hard brick instead of a delicious cupcake. But don’t worry, you don’t need years of training to become a master baker. There are a bunch of common mistakes that most amateur bakers make and getting out of those bad habits can easily elevate your baking to a new level.
Weigh Your Ingredients
This tip shouldn’t be on the list because the everybody should follow the recipe, that’s just common sense. However, a lot of people seem to think that the recipe is just a guideline and if it asks for 100 grams of butter, you can just cut off a chunk that looks about right and throw it in, then they wonder why they aren’t getting good results. The quantities in a recipe have been worked out very specifically to create just the right balance of ingredients. If you start using rough amounts, all of those small mistakes add up and ruin your recipe.
Broaden Your Horizons
After a bit of practice, you might be able to bake a couple of simple cakes pretty well. You can always carry on with the same stuff but you won’t learn any new techniques that can take your baking to a new level. The best way to improve is to push yourself and try out new recipes. Visit the Sunny website for loads of great baking recipes and challenges that you can use to branch out and learn new baking skills.
Don’t Substitute The First Time
The best way to come up with new recipes and experiment with flavours is to take base recipes and make substitutions of your own. However, you should always avoid this the first time you make a recipe. Before you substitute things, you need to see what the final product looks like. That way, you can work out which ingredients are vital and which can be substituted without causing too many problems. Don’t walk before you can run.
Room Temperature For A Reason
Often, you’ll see a recipe that calls for certain ingredients to be at room temperature. I’ve ignored that instruction many times and the results were never as good. I always thought that it didn’t matter that much and if I used butter from the fridge instead of room temperature, it would just take a little more time to mix in. That’s not the case at all and when the recipe asks for eggs or butter to be at room temperature, there’s a specific reason for it. The way that the ingredients react in the oven is dependant on their temperature to start with, and that has a huge effect on the end result.
As a general rule, you should always follow the recipe exactly, even if you don’t quite understand why it’s asking you to do certain things. Every instruction is there for a reason. Experimenting and building on recipes is good as well, just master the basic method first.
*This is a collaborative post.
This is part of the reason why I do not enjoy baking nearly as much as cooking. I am not an exacting person but helping my son learn to bake had taught me to slow down and follow the instructions.
I would love to start baking more at home – it’s hard to find the time but these are great tips. Sarah #FabFridayPost
I’m saving this list for later, very good tips! Now that I have got a new kitchen scale, measuring will be a lot easier. #fabfridaypost
Pastry is about being exact. I remember my sister telling me she doesn’t need scales when I asked for them at Christmas. I shook my head. #FabFridayPosts
Love this! I have always been good at baking and enjoyed it, so I never understand when people say, “Oh, I can’t bake.” In my mind I’m thinking, “Soooo you can’t follow directions?” lol I am very “stick to the exact directions” when it comes to baking, so I think that’s part of the reason why I enjoy it so much more than cooking. If baking is an exact science, cooking is an art that I do not have patience for! ha ha
It’s so surprising how many people don’t get things to room temperature! I had to explain to my husband why it’s so important and his baking has changed drastically!
#FabFridayPost
These are some great tips. I’ve learned a lot with trial and error, but taking the time to make those measurements exact really does help a recipe!
~Jess
#FabFridayPost
I’m a Sod for trying to cut corners -the instuctions are there for a reason – must try harder so my bakes dont flop
Lots of good tips
Someone really should tell my husband this, he just throws the ingredients together and out comes the lightest and tastiest sponge ever, its infuriating
I tried the room temperature trick today – made such a difference to my cake! Tasted so much lighter AND rose more!
Great post! Baking is something I want to practice more in 2018
Great tips as always! I need all the help I can get when it comes to any culinary efforts! #FabFridayPost
Hi, thanks for sharing these helpful tips, always stick to the measurements or it can be a disaster #fabfridaypost
We watch a lot of the baking shows on TV — Zumba, GBBO, etc… all fun, but we rarely try any. Thanks for the tips. The kids Gramps is coming over today in hopes of making macarons! I’ll let you know how it goes! #FabFridayPost xoxo