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Starting on the journey to becoming a parent means acquiring a bunch of new skills, but it seems that we can all feel that we want to be homely and caring a bit more than we are. So, what better way to do this than by learning how to bake! But if you are a total beginner, what does it really take? 

Start With an Easy Recipe

In essence, baking is about being able to follow a recipe. But it’s about making sure that you gradually build up your skill. And one of the best ways to do it is to pick a recipe that only has a handful of ingredients. You could always go for muffins but this silky smooth Italian meringue buttercream recipe can also add a bit of extra flavour to the muffins. 

Ensuring You Have the Ingredients (and Checking Again!)

It’s amazing how many people dive into baking without double-checking the recipe and making sure they have all the ingredients. The best thing for anybody to do on their baking journey is to make sure you have absolutely everything. This means you will have the desired end result, and you won’t lose your confidence. At this point, you should avoid substituting any ingredients, for example, if you are trying to bake gluten-free or use an egg-free recipe.

Understanding Your Oven

This is more important than you think. Not every oven is created equally, but it’s also crucial to know what works best in certain parts of your oven. For example, baking cakes will work with the lower rod or the middle rack, but if you’re making pizza or bread, you can use the top and the bottom. However, your oven may bake absolutely fine wherever you place the item. But this goes back to the recipe: if it tells you to allow the oven to preheat, preheat it! Always follow the recipe to the letter. 

Knowing When Your Cake Is Done

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to keep opening the oven door. But if you are approaching the end of the baking time, this is where you can do the toothpick test. If the toothpick comes out wet, you need to allow the cake another ten minutes. Or if a couple of moist crumbs stick to it, you will need to take the cake out right away.

Let Your Cake Cool Down

You may be proud of your efforts, and you want to get to decorating right away, but when you take the cake out of the oven, you’ve got to let it cool for at least 20 minutes. Because if you slice the cake while it is still warm, the cake will crumble, and if you decide to decorate, this could result in a puddly mess. Always wait for it to cool completely.

A lot of people don’t have the patience for baking, but if you are determined to be that parent who wants the house to smell of baked goods all the time, start simple and it will be an amazing journey!

** This was a contributed post.

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