Tips to Help Make Your Baking Go Smoothly

Happy Friday, y’all! According to the National Day Calendar website, February is Bake for Family Fun Month. Many people have memories of baking with their families, and I am one of them. I remember the first time I decided to bake without supervision and the resulting mess. I’m not sure if it was the recipe or me, but it was a rough go. In the many years since that incident, I have learned some things to help make baking go more smoothly. And I want to share my tips to help make your baking go smoothly.

I am the first to admit I want to get to the end product when baking. Who can resist the beautiful pictures in the cookbook or even on the box? Those images are the reason you decided to try the recipe. But I also know that baking takes time and is a labor of love. Some of these tips are common sense, while others may be new.

Now, let’s look at my tips to help make your baking go smoothly.

Tip 1: Read the Recipe

I know you’re rolling your eyes at this, but there have been times I’ve been in the middle of a recipe only to realize I didn’t have an ingredient and had to run to the store. There have also been a few times I didn’t understand the directions. When you’re covered in flour, it is not the time to learn you are over your head. It’s even better if you read the recipe more than once.

Tip 2: Have the Time to Finish without Rushing

This tip goes with reading the recipe. You’re eager to make those cookies, but do you have 2-3 hours to let the dough chill before baking? Believe it or not, chilling cookie dough is a step that shouldn’t be skipped. Do you have the hour to make those brownies you want to eat from scratch and let them cool? I know you want them warm and fudgy, but do you want them to be like lava? Baking can’t be rushed! Give yourself the time to enjoy the process. Shredding apples or zucchini can take a lot longer than you may realize.

Tip 3: Pull All Ingredients Together Before Starting

While this tip seems like a no-brainer, it took me a long time to grasp it, mainly because I don’t have much counter space. After digging in cupboards and drawers with messy hands a few too many times, I’ve started making space for the ingredients. Again, it helps me know I have everything I need before starting.

Tip 4: Gather All Tools Together Before Starting

Again, this should be a no-brainer. But how many times have you had to search for the /4 tsp? Or even worse, the /8 tsp? I tend to pull out the entire set of measuring cups and spoons, so I don’t have to dig for them. Need melted butter? Why not put it in the bowl you’re using to mix your liquids so you can save dishes? Using the mixer? Set it up before you start; insert the beaters before your hands get messy.

Tip 5: Fill Your Sink With Hot Soapy Water

This may seem like a strange tip, but I found it extremely useful, especially during baking marathons. Fill your sink with the hottest water possible and make it soapy. When you finish using a tool, put it in the sink. This clears clutter off your counter and gets the dishes washed much quicker. It is especially helpful when working with sticky ingredients like peanut butter, honey, or syrup. The hot water helps remove the sticky residue more easily than standing there rubbing away with a sponge.

Tip 6: Put Ingredients Away As You Use Them

You don’t have to put them exactly where they belong but move them away from your workspace. This helps give you more room as you go and prevents you from doubling an ingredient you may not want to double. I tend to move the ingredients to the other counter as I use them. Once my baking is in the oven and my hands are clean, I will put things where they belong unless I’m doing a marathon session.

Tip 7: Don’t Alter the Recipe The First Time

Many people blame the recipe when their dish doesn’t turn out right when they make it. Most of the time, they’ve altered the recipe without trying it before making substitutions. Baking isn’t the same as cooking; it is an exact science. Baking relies on chemical reactions; if the ratios aren’t correct, the chemical reactions may not happen. This also applies when doubling a recipe. Not every ingredient needs to be precisely doubled; it may only need a slight increase.

Tip 8: Pay Attention While Baking

I know, it’s a no-brainer. When baking, especially once it’s in the oven, it’s not time to take a nap or watch a movie. I’m not saying you can’t watch a movie while your cake is in the oven, but make sure you’re near the kitchen so you can keep an eye (or nose) on the oven. Oven temperatures are not always a urate. Some ovens may be off a few degrees or many degrees. That means times in the recipe may not be correct.

Tip 9: Have Fun

The most important part of baking is having fun. You’ll have a yummy treat, but there’s no reason not to have fun along the way. When I’m baking, music plays, and there is dancing around. That doesn’t mean I don’t take baking seriously; I do. I like to have fun and may break out in a dancing session.

Those are my nine tips to help your baking go more smoothly. Do you have tips similar to these? Are there any that are different? What are some of your tips?

Are you looking for more food-related content? Check out my other Foodie Fridays posts.