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Baking Tips For Beginners - Bake Like A Pro

23 October 2023

In recent years, the popularity of baked treats has surged dramatically, owing much to the interest stirred by The Great British Bake Off and the surge of homemade sourdough and banana bread during lockdowns.

As a result, the hunger for fresh and innovative baking methods and recipes has reached new heights. With an increasing number of enthusiasts seeking to master the art of baking, this article offers invaluable baking tips for cakes and essential baking hacks for beginners, providing an ideal starting point for anyone interested in embarking on baking as a hobby.

So let’s dive into our top tips to help you bake like a professional!

Invest in the Right Baking Tools

You can’t cut corners when it comes to great baking. You’ll need the right baking pans and trays. If you’re following a particular recipe, look closely to see if any specific tools are recommended before you start.

Opt for specialist items instead of simply “making do”. For example, a whisk is many times better than a wooden spoon for breaking down lumps and aerating batter in cake recipes. An electric whisk will produce the best results when making your own whipped cream.

B&M Top Tip: Make sure you have the right-sized trays, dishes or pans to hold the quantity of mix you have made. This is vital to ensure even heating throughout.

Always Have Ingredients Prepped

Many recipes require fairly lengthy prep. For example, bread yeast needs some time to activate - then, when it’s mixed into dough, it needs to prove for several hours.

Make sure you plan ahead for your bakes, or they’re unlikely to work the way you want them to.

Measure Measure Measure

Stick to the precise measurements given in a recipe, as they are designed to work together chemically to create the perfect finish. 

For example, adding more white or brown sugar won’t just make something sweeter - it may cause the baking times to increase, leaving you with an under-cooked cake.

B&M Top Tip: Avoid substituting. If a recipe calls for baking soda, use it - don’t swap in baking powder or self raising flour, as all of the other calculations you see before you will have been made based on this particular raising agent.

Use Room Temperature Ingredients

Room temperature (around 21 degrees Celsius) is your best friend. A cake should be left to cool to room temperature before being iced. Yolks in room temperature eggs break more easily for an even mix.

Unless a recipe suggests otherwise, all ingredients should be combined at room temperature for best results. 

These basic tips should provide a great starting point for anyone who wants to reach a professional standard of baking.

If you want to build up a little confidence first, there are plenty of great pre-made batters and mixes to choose from!

Check out B&M’s superb range of Baking Ingredients to stock up for less before your next baking session.

Baking for Beginners FAQs

 

Have you just produced a pro-standard bake or a breathtakingly beautiful cake? Share pictures and tips with the B&M Community via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram!


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