Baking is a lot of fun, but it can get tricky fast.
Even if you’re experienced, you might face some challenges. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to make the entire process a whole lot easier and quicker.
Here are 35 baking hacks that you can use to make baking an even bigger success!
Let’s get cooking!
#1 Get Eggshells Out Easily
Sometimes, a stray eggshell piece will end up in your bowl with the rest of the egg. This can seem impossible to resolve. A simple trick is to get your finger wet and then put it right beside the eggshell. This causes the shell to move closer to your finger so you can catch it more easily.
#2 Make Your Own Powdered Sugar
Do you sometimes forget to buy every ingredient for a recipe? No problem! You can make powdered sugar (we know that’s the ingredient you forgot)! Simply put regular granulated sugar in the blender. Once it has a powdered consistency, you’re good to use it.
#3 Use a Cookie Cutter to Decorate a Cake
It can be hard to decorate a cake perfectly. Why not use a cookie cutter as a stencil? Simply place a cookie cutter on top of the cake. Then, add sprinkles or icing right inside the cookie cutter. Easy!
#4 Line Your Brownie Dish
Brownie pans aren’t easy to clean out. To simplify the cleaning process, just line the pan with parchment paper. Then, use butter or non-stick spray on the paper. You get brownies without the mess!
#5 Keep Your Hands Wet When Making Sticky Foods
Some types of bread, fudge, and other foods can get very sticky. This makes them hard to work with. To make it easier and less messy, make sure your hands are wet. It will help to reduce the stickiness.
#6 Make a Cake Taste Homemade
Not everyone has time to make a cake from scratch. You can make a box cake taste more like homemade, though. Simply add in an extra egg. Then, use butter instead of vegetable oil. Voila!
#7 Find a Food Coloring Chart
Creating the right color can take time. Using a food coloring chart can guide you in the right direction. No more eyeballing it and hoping for the best!
#8 Keep a Marshmallow with Your Brown Sugar
Toss a marshmallow into your container of brown sugar. This helps to keep the brown sugar extra soft and fresh. A slice of bread can also work!
#9 Turn Oats into Gluten-Free Flour
Gluten-free flour isn’t a cost-effective alternative in some cases. However, you can actually make gluten-free flour at home. Just blend the oats in the blender until they have the consistency of flour. You just saved several dollars!
#10 Use Butter and Shortening in Pie Crust
Most pie crust recipes only call for either butter or shortening. It’s better to use both! The butter keeps the pie crust flavorful while the shortening will help to make it perfectly flaky.
#11 Use a Syringe to Decorate Cookies and Cakes
Fill up a clean syringe with icing and decorate those tasty treats! A syringe provides the precision you need for detailed designs. It’s often easier to hold too.
#12 Check If Your Eggs are Fresh
All you need to do is place an egg in a bowl of water. If the egg sinks, it’s still good. If it floats, it shouldn’t be used. Now you won’t have to wonder about those eggs that have been sitting in the back of the fridge.
Nobody is saying that cake is healthy, but you can make them a little bit healthier! Swap the oil in a cake recipe for applesauce. Use the same measurement for your apple sauce or oil.
#14 Soften Hard Brown Sugar
Has your brown sugar gotten hard or stale? Place it in a bowl, cover it with a wet paper towel, and put it in the microwave for 20 seconds.
In order to get the most juice out of your lemons, you need to warm them up. Put a lemon in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. You will have an easier time getting lots of juice out for your recipe.
#16 Use Cooking Spray on Your Measuring Cups
Some substances, like peanut butter, honey, and molasses, easily stick to measuring cups. To make cleanup easier, spray the measuring cups with cooking spray ahead of time. Clean up will be a breeze.
#17 Slice Your Cake Clean
To create nice, clean cake slices, you just need to do one thing. Run your knife under warm water. The knife should be warmed up for every slice of cake.
#18 Make Marshmallow Icing
When your cookies have five or so minutes left in the oven, place a large marshmallow on top of each of them. This will allow the marshmallow to melt, leaving you with a unique frosting. To switch things up, try using colored marshmallows!
#19 Keep a Slice of Bread with Your Cookies
To keep your cookies fresh, store them in a container with a slice of bread. This helps to keep them nice and soft. This is also a good use for the heel of the bread if you don’t know what to do with it!
#20 Use Jell-O as Food Coloring
Did you run out of food coloring? Jell-O frosting is a great alternative! Just mix a package of Jell-O, 2/3 cup of sugar, ½ cup of boiling water, one egg white, and one teaspoon of vanilla.
Some recipes call for room temperature eggs, but it’s hard to remember to take them out of the fridge on time. To fix this, place the eggs in a bowl of hot water. Let them sit for about five or ten minutes.
#22 Use a Wine Bottle Instead of a Rolling Pin
Maybe you can’t find your rolling pin. Or perhaps you never bought one. Well, you can easily use a wine bottle as a rolling pin while baking! That’s one problem solved!
#23 Fluff Up Your Pancakes
To create fluffier pancakes, just add a splash of seltzer water to the mix. This helps to make your pancakes more cloud-like. It’s an easy way to prevent flat pancakes!
#24 Soften Butter Perfectly
Most recipes call for softened butter. To soften it, put it in the microwave on power level two. Heat it for 10 seconds. Flip it and heat for another five more seconds. You’ll have perfectly softened butter.
#25 Use Aluminum Foil to Create a Small Pan
Don’t have the right-sized pan? Create your own small pan with a large pan and some aluminum foil. Simply create a short wall of foil to contain the dough.
#26 Plan for the Party Guests
When you’re making a cake for a party, use a chart to plan ahead. Based on the number of guests coming, you can make a smaller or larger cake. This will help so that you don’t run out or bake too much!
#27 Experiment with Pretty Pie Crusts
You don’t need fancy tools to create a pretty pie crust. Experiment with different utensils, like spoons and forks. This will add a unique design to your pie crust!
#28 Make Your Own Brown Sugar
If you’ve run out of brown sugar, there’s an easy way to make it yourself. Simply combine molasses and sugar. Mix it until it reaches the consistency of brown sugar.
#29 Shorten Your Brownie Baking Time
Brownies take such a long time to bake! You can shorten this by setting the oven to a higher temperature. Just take the brownies out earlier. This also creates fudgy brownies.
#30 Get Smooth and Even Cake Icing
Often, professional bakers will use an icing smoother. A cheaper alternative is a paint scraper. You can usually pick one up for only a couple of dollars at a hardware store.
#31 Bake Bread with a Bowl of Water
When you put your bread in the oven to bake, place a bowl of water on the lower rack. This creates a thick, browned crust. It will look just like artisan bread.
People are often suggesting alternatives to white sugar. These may work, but white sugar is always your best bet for the perfect sweet creation. Stick to white sugar if no one has dietary restrictions!
#33 Fully Grease Your Baking Sheets
Don’t skimp on the cooking spray or butter. It’s necessary. Make sure you’re getting every corner for optimal results.
#34 Make Cookies Out of Cake
If you have a box of cake available, you can use it to make some tasty cookies! All you need to do is combine the dry cake mix with two eggs and half a cup of oil. Then, bake them like you would normal cookies.
Looking for the best way to store a cake? Stick it in the microwave. This will keep it at room temperature and away from any dust or germs.
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Source: OneGoodThing
Baking is a lot of fun, but it can get tricky fast.
Even if you’re experienced, you might face some challenges. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to make the entire process a whole lot easier and quicker.
Here are 35 baking hacks that you can use to make baking an even bigger success!
Let’s get cooking!
