BAKING TUTORIALS
10 baking tips for beginners to get the best baking results
If you are a beginner baker looking to begin or even improve baking skills for a happier baking journey then in this post, I will provide baking tips that will guide you to use the right equipment & tools and teach you to develop habits that will transform your mindset & jump-start your baking journey no matter what your goal is.
AUTHOR : KHUSHALI PATEL
Are you wondering how you will make desserts that you are incredibly proud of just like the professionals?
The thing is that the large amount of information available on how to improve and become a better baker is overwhelming especially if you are a beginner baker. It may make you wonder how you can begin your journey in a way that gives you the best results and joy at the same time.
But one thing I have to point out is that no matter who it is, every single baker starts their journey from where you are currently. Even I have been in your shoes where I was so overwhelmed and confused about what to do to become a better baker.
With that being said, I will be sharing the very baking tips that helped me to go from a beginner baker to a professional baker. Some that I learnt through my experience working as a baker in the food industry and some that I learnt on my own, through my confusion and struggles.
These tips will not only help you become a better baker one step at a time but will also help you develop habits that will make the baking process easier. This will in turn help you understand baking faster in the long run.
So, let’s get right into it.
Baking Tip #1 – Weigh your ingredients
Always weigh your ingredients rather than measuring them with measuring cups and spoons.
You might be wondering why not use measuring cups & spoons to simplify baking.
Baking is a science where everything from start to finish depends solely on accuracy.
Yes, measuring cups and spoons may be a bit easier but it does not guarantee or provide accuracy which goes completely against what the skill relies on.
Weighing scales, on the other hand, may seem intimidating to use or even purchase. But they are very easy to use and they provide accuracy no matter what.
And the best part about it is that you can easily weigh multiple ingredients without having to go back and forth to the sink like you would have to while using measuring cups and spoons.
So, I highly recommend investing in weighing scales as they reduce the risk of a baking failure almost completely. This is why I have written an in-depth post on weighing scales where I guide you on how to use this life-changing equipment and also maintain them for a long time.
Baking Tip #2 – Understand your oven before baking
There are different types of ovens available in the market and certain guidelines to follow for each type. But there are times when although you follow those guidelines, the oven ends up causing a major baking failure.
To avoid such a situation, I highly recommend you first understand your oven.
Although having the right oven for your baking needs is important; understanding how your oven functions and, using it accordingly can help you save your time, money and resources. It will also make your baking journey even more enjoyable.
Spend quality time understanding the different ovens available, how heat is transferred in each, the types of modes available in your oven and how they function can help you determine how you can get the best results possible.
Test bake batches of cookies and see which mode gives you the best result. Try baking on all the racks available in your oven as you will understand how heat is transferred in the oven cavity. This is one way of understanding your oven.
Yes, it may confuse you, so I have written an in-depth post to help you understand your oven or purchase an oven in case you do not have one already.
Baking Tip #3 – Always use an oven thermometer and a timer
Oftentimes even if you set your oven to a certain temperature, the oven cavity might be at a different temperature altogether. This can lead to major baking failures like burnt cookies and cakes that have sunk in.
Ovens also have hot spots. Hotspots are areas within the oven cavity where the temperature is much higher and if a baked goodie is placed in this area, it bakes faster.
Using an oven thermometer helps avoid failures as you will come to know the temperature of the oven cavity and where the oven hot spots are.
When it comes to using a timer, avoid relying solely on the in-built oven timers. This is because some ovens have a dial where you don’t know the accurate timing. Secondly, sometimes it might just malfunction.
At such times it’s always better to have an additional timer to avoid baking failures.
Baking Tip #4 – Experiment and understand how weather impacts important baking ingredients like butter
Baking is a science and many factors influence the final baking results. Weather and temperature are two of those factors that have a major impact on various ingredients but mostly on butter.
When you begin baking something, the very first ingredient you use is butter, be it a cake or a cookie. But if the butter is not at the right temperature, it can lead to a major baking disaster.
For instance, when very soft butter or greasy butter is used to make cookies, the cookies will overspread while baking and eventually burn at the bottom or edges. When it comes to a cake, butter that is too soft is unable to trap the air bubbles that are created while creaming, leading to a sunk-in or dense cake.
So how do you know when the butter is at the right temperature?
To understand this, I highly recommend you conduct an experiment.
How to bring your butter to the right temperature?
Bring out a stick of butter in its packaging, a notebook and a thermometer if you have one.
This can also be conducted without a thermometer.
Set it out on your kitchen counter but away from the sun. Now every 10 minutes check the temperature of the butter.
When it reaches anywhere between 18°C-21°C, remove the packaging and poke the butter with your finger. You will notice that there is a bit of resistance but the butter holds its shape easily without making your ginger greasy. This usually happens when it’s still a little cool.
But depending on the weather, the time your butter takes to reach that temperature varies.
What do I mean by that?
We all live in different places around the world where the temperature can be anywhere between hot and cold. And on top of that, the weather changes almost every day. So, if you live s0mewhere, where the temperature is hot (like me!) you might just need 30 minutes or lesser to bring your butter to the right texture. But if you live somewhere that’s cold, you might have to leave it out for an hour or more! So, this shows that the term room temperature is misleading.
So, I highly recommend you conduct this experiment and see what works for you.
Baking Tip #5 – Understand the recipe rather than just reading it
Yes, you might have heard that always read the recipe before actually baking. But is it correct?
Just blindly reading a recipe is not helpful at all. Although, you will know what ingredients you need, you will never know why and when they are used.
So, I always recommend you understand the recipe. See which ingredient goes in during which step of the process. Check which ingredients can be weighed together (this also ensures that you don’t have to wash too many utensils at the end).
Read it twice or thrice to understand it and not just for the sake of reading it. Take down notes if you have to. And eventually, with experience, you will know and understand common baking techniques quicker.
Baking Tip #6 – Prepare your baking workstation
In relation to the previous tip, once you read and understand the recipe, the next step forward is to prepare your baking workstation.
Get your ingredients out of the pantry, remove and set out the necessary equipment, baking pans and tools. After which you can begin weighing your ingredients.
Once the ingredients are weighed, set them aside in the order you need them. Prepare your pans, preheat your oven and then begin preparing your baking dish.
By just making this one change of weighing your ingredients beforehand rather than weighing as you go, you can reduce the confusion and time you spend. Not only that you can observe and understand how baking works.
Baking Tip #7 – Rely on parchment paper always
Using this one tool can be a complete game-changer for you.
If you are unsure of what parchment paper is then read this post right here where I have explained the difference between parchment paper and butter paper with tips on how to use them.
Especially for cake making, parchment paper can make a lot of difference.
Yes, the traditional method of greasing your pans is effective, but for beginners, it can be a little tricky and not to mention messy. Most importantly, sometimes no matter how well you grease your pan, the cake just doesn’t demould perfectly.
This is where parchment paper comes in.
When you line your pan with parchment paper, the risk of the cake getting stuck to the pan is eliminated and you have a perfect looking cake. And the best part about parchment paper is that it can be reused.
I have written an extensive guide on how to line your baking pans like a pro which you can download by subscribing to my email list down below.
Want to take the first step towards developing an intentional habit that jump-starts your baking experience
?
Download the *free* guide on how to line your baking pans like a pro by subscribing to my email list.
P.S. you will also get access to my Facebook group where I will share exclusive content only with you.
Baking Tip #8 – Avoid substituting or replacing ingredients in a recipe
Baking is not like cooking.
While cooking you have the freedom of substituting ingredients without any negative effects.
But for baking, this is not the case. Baking is a science and each ingredient has a function of its own. Think of it as a science experiment. Anyone who creates baking recipes knows this.
Each ingredient is added for a specific reason and the process is always the same. An ingredient, if forgotten, can’t be added at any time during the process. Once mixed in, it can’t be added again later on in the process either.
So, every time you want to bake something and you don’t have a specific ingredient or you just do not want to use that specific ingredient, you are experimenting by yourself. This does not mean that the recipe is wrong. Experiments can fail and sometimes they do work out too. So, you have to accept such a risk.
This is the very reason I encourage you to not substitute or skip an ingredient in a recipe because you will be experimenting on your own.
Baking Tip #9 – Learn to store & organize your baking ingredients correctly
When you store and organize your baking ingredients, baking tools and equipment correctly, you not only find it easy to search for something but it also reduces the amount of time you spend in the kitchen.
The best part is that by just developing this simple habit, you can never run out of ingredients especially when you are excited to bake something. Not only that, you reduce the risk of using or storing expired ingredients which minimizes health hazards.
If you would like to learn how to organize your baking ingredients, read the post linked down below
Baking Tip #10 – Understand that having a large number of baking tools does not mean higher chances of success
These days, there are different types of equipment and tools available in the market, like an egg separator and whatnot. But do these make your baking easier or help you become a better baker?
No not really.
Instead of focusing on buying too many baking tools in the hope of having better baking results, buy the necessary tools. Buy the tools that make a difference like a weighing scale, good quality ovens, spatulas etc.
Yes, they might take a bit more time to get used to, but over time with practice, your speed will increase making you a better and confident baker.
Baking Tip #11 – Be patient & trust your journey
Everyone’s journey is different. And some days baking can be easier than the rest. But it can become an enjoyable journey if you are patient and you trust where you are going. Find what you enjoy and do that rather than following the crowd, because that will make your learning process easier.
Not only that, be easy on yourself. Sometimes baking can be hard and it requires a lot of patience, but when you go easy on yourself, each baking experience no matter how good or bad is always enjoyable.
Developing or changing a certain habit takes time. For this reason, follow each tip one at a time for a consistent result, and most importantly, enjoy your journey always!
Let me know which tips helped you the most in the comments box below!
Hi! I'm Khushali Patel, a cookie-loving professional pastry chef, recipe developer and content creator whose aim is to guide you to find more happiness in your baking journey every step of the way.
Join my email list and get ✨instant✨ access to the laughing butter community where I will share exclusive content with you that I do not share anywhere else.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
Begin your baking journey that is full of support and happy vibes ☀︎
Join my email list and get ✨instant✨ access to the laughing butter community where I will share exclusive content with you that I do not share anywhere else.