Baking Tips!

id="recipetitle"class="fn">Baking Tips!

Baking can be anxiety inducing for many people. I believe there are a few causes for this, but they can be easily remedied with some simple tips. 

I think the most common reason for baking fear is traumatic past experiences. When baking goes horribly wrong, especially in your first few attempts, it destroys your confidence and takes all enjoyment out of the art. Negative self-talk ensues - “I burnt these cookies, I suck at life!!!”, “my soufflé fell, it’s no wonder I’m going to die alone!!!”

Tip #1 - Recognize your weaknesses. If you're at the point at which you've made a few different types of recipes, take note of which ones have been the most successful and which are consistently let downs. Do you constantly over-mix your muffin batter? Over-bake cookies? Shit the bed at separating eggs? Own these weaknesses, and don’t make these types of recipes. Set yourself up for success by making things you feel confident about.

My “baking” weakness is Jello. I can’t make it to save my life. It either doesn't set, or has a weird rubbery skin on the bottom. It’s fairly upsetting, especially because I can’t make Jello shots.

Tip #2 – Never make a Martha Stewart recipe (or pretentious equivalent). I believe that the best recipes are the simplest recipes. Always look for recipes with basic, every-day ingredients. No one cares that your cupcake has rose water in it. And if you’re worried about your baking recipients judging you on how exotic your ingredients are then you need new friends. Vanilla beans? Hells no.

If the recipe you are considering has more than 6 steps and takes three days to assemble you need to get yourself as far away from that recipe as possible.

I once needed a recipe for a simple white cupcake, and because this was before the days of Pinterest I had some difficulty finding one. I settled on a Martha Stewert recipe. Let me tell you it was by far the worst cupcake I have ever had in my life. It was dry, and honestly tasted like a cookie in cupcake form. Included is a picture of said cupcake. Aesthetically pleasing for Easter. Texture: appalling. This proves my point that complicated does not equal better.

Tip #3 – Backup ingredients. Chances are you are going to need to hit the grocery store for at least one or two ingredients required for your selected recipe. My advice is to always make sure that you have enough for a redo, should the first attempt fail. This one is most important if you are making a dessert for company. If you’re just baking for the sake of baking and you encounter an epic fail, well at least you’re saving yourself the guilt of eating it. Knowing that you can screw up actually reduces the probability that you will, simply by its stress reducing properties. No, I can’t back that up with a calculation.


Tip #4 – Attention to detail. Baking is not like cooking… well mostly. Recipe alterations should only be attempted by skilled professionals. If you do not fall into this category then for heaven’s sake follow the recipe EXACTLY. Measurements, and steps should be strictly adhered to, and timers should always be set for the minimum time in the range that is provided. DO NOT OVER-BAKE.  This is not poultry; no one is going to die from a soft cookie.


Tip #5 – Never make a recipe that elaborates on a boxed mix. I really believe that using mixes does not save any time and the quality just never measures up to fully homemade. The only addition I approve of is pudding. There are some great cookie recipes that use pudding and it really works well. (see Grinch Cookies). I think the main reason people use mixes is because they don’t realize how easy scratch can be.

Oh store bought frosting… A basic buttercream takes about 2 minutes to make and three ingredients. There is just no excuse.

Tip #6 – Use real ingredients whenever possible. Please for the love of God, don’t put any crap in your baking. The whole point of making something homemade is that it isn't PROCESSED. That means no margarine, cool whip, artificial extracts etc. Sometimes you can’t avoid it depending on the recipe but wherever possible, try to put real food in your baking.

However, to contradict this tip, I’m a huge fan of bottled lemon and lime juice. I use real lemon and lime for things like frosting and glazes where the flavor is meant to be the star. But if it’s being baked in the dessert, I’m OK with bottled. As soon as I see “the juice of 27 limes” I say “f*%$ that”.


After putting this list together I really discovered that I play by my own rules. That being said, this is highly suggestive and you can take these tips or leave them as you please. However, not to toot my own horn but evidence suggests I’m doing something right.