Top 20 Tips for Baking

By Michelle Knight, Bakery Director at Rouses Markets

1. Always read the recipe from top to bottom before getting started, so you know exactly what to do.

2. Check the pantry and fridge to be sure you have all the ingredients you’ll need — you may have to make a Rouses run.

3. Take your eggs, milk, and butter out of the fridge ahead of time so they reach room temperature before you need them. Some recipes, like pie crust, require very cold butter or other ingredients. Go back to step 1 and check!

4. If your recipe calls for separated eggs, use cold eggs; the yolks and eggs hold their shape better and separate more easily when chilled.

5. Choose the right pan. The size makes a difference when it comes to baking times and temperatures. Pan color also matters; dark-colored pans absorb more heat than light-colored or transparent materials, so your cake may cook more quickly than you expect in dark pans.

6. Prep your pan or mold before you start preparing the recipe.

7. If the recipe calls for you to grease and flour the pan, use a sifter. Dust a handful of flour over the pan, adding more if needed and shaking out any excess.

8. If you make a chocolate cake, instead of using flour to keep the batter from sticking, dust the pan with cocoa powder so it doesn’t have flour streaks.

9. Preheat the oven to the directed temperature for at least 20 minutes.

10. Organize and prep your ingredients before you mix anything.

11. Use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients. Baking is more successful when measurements are precise. Flour could weigh more per cup, for example, if it is unsifted and packed. Using a scale eliminates the guesswork.

12. Sift your dry ingredients together to avoid lumps and evenly distribute the baking soda and salt through the flour.

13. Use a mixing bowl with a non-skid bottom, or wrap a damp kitchen towel around the bottom of a traditional mixing bowl to keep it from sliding on the countertop while you’re mixing.

14. Check the oven temperature with an oven thermometer to precisely measure your oven’s temperature, rather than relying on the oven presets.

15. Bake your cake on the middle rack of the oven. The middle rack allows hot air to circulate evenly around the pan, resulting in even baking.

16. Make sure your oven light bulb is working before you start, so you can check on the baking process without opening the door.

17. Set a timer to go off at the end of the recommended baking period.

18. Use a toothpick, cake tester, or knife blade to see if the cake is done. Insert it into the center of the cake; it should come away clean when you pull it out.

19. A freshly baked cake needs to cool and set in its pan before you attempt to remove it.

20. Remove the cake from the pan before it cools completely. A cool cake will stick.

TOP 20 TIPS FOR BAKINGBy Michelle Knight, Bakery Director at Rouses Markets