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Baking can be difficult, and making mistakes is part of the journey — but learning from those mistakes is what helps you grow and get better.
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So here are 14 common baking mistakes and how to solve for them.
1. You use a dark baking pan and don't adjust the oven temperature.
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Think of your baking pans like tee shirts in the summer — the darker the color, the more heat they will absorb. Darker pans are great for things like roasted veggies (AKA things you want to brown), but not so much for delicate baked goods. For most recipes, a good rule of thumb is to decrease your baking temperature by 25°F when using dark pans. This will make sure the outside of your baked goods won't get too brown.
2. You use the wrong size eggs in your recipes.
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There are several sizes of eggs ranging from medium to jumbo, and they're all pretty different. For baking, most recipes call for large eggs, and using the wrong size egg can mess up the ratio of your baked goods. In general, if your recipe doesn't specify what size egg to use, use large eggs. Learn more about the different sizes of eggs here.
3. You use dry and wet measuring cups interchangeably.
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Wet and dry measuring cups don't measure things the same, and although the difference might be small, it can make a big difference in baking. Wet measuring cups should be used for things like oil, water, and anything else that's a liquid (including molasses, honey, and corn syrup) — and dry ones should be used for everything else (like flour and sugar).
Get a set of dry measuring cups for $7.99 and wet for $14.99.
4. You don't make sure your bowl is completely dry before melting chocolate in it.
5. You keep opening your oven to check on your baked goods.
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Opening the oven door while baking might be tempting, but it can really mess up certain baked goods. Some sponge cakes, for example, are more prone to collapsing — so if you open the door, the sudden drop in temperature could cause your cake to sink.
6. You don't let your eggs and butter come to room temperature when the recipe calls for it — or you microwave your butter at the last minute.
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If your recipe calls for room temperature butter or eggs, it's for a reason. Room temp butter creams and mixes with other ingredients easier — and room temp eggs whip easier (among other reasons). And unless your microwave has a soften function, don't stick your butter in it. It'll heat it from the inside-out and cause the butter to melt in the center. Instead, just stick your eggs and butter on the counter for 30 minutes before baking.
See how to quickly bring eggs to room temperature here, and how to quickly soften butter without melting it here.
7. You don't invest in an oven thermometer to check if your oven temperature is accurate.
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Even though you set your oven to 350°F, it might not actually be heated to that temp — in fact, it might be so far off that it messes up your baked goods. To figure out if your oven is accurate, invest in an oven thermometer ($7.45 on Amazon) and hang it on the grates. It'll show you the exact temperature of your oven so you don't have to worry.
8. You try to frost your cake while it's still warm.
Listen, a warm cake + frosting don't mix. Even if your cake is just the slightest bit warm, it can still turn your fluffy frosting into a melted mess — so be patient and wait until it's completely cool to the touch.
See how to properly frost a cake here.
9. You cut into your breads and cakes before they're completely cool.
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When you slice into a hot baked good, it steams — and steam is a sign that something's losing moisture. If you cut into baked goods while they're still hot, not only will it tear easier (for cakes), but you'll be "releasing the steam all at once" and dry it out — so just be patient and let 'em come to room temp before slicing.
10. You use baking powder instead of baking soda — or you don't check to see if they're expired.
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Baking soda and baking powder aren't the same thing. Baking soda needs an acid (like lemon juice) to start working — and baking powder already contains an acid. Apart from making sure you use the right one, it's important to check the expiration dates on them. Both can loose their leavening power over time and cause your cake to come out flat. You can read more about the difference between the two here.
11. You don't cream your butter and sugar together for long enough.
Creaming butter and sugar together isn't just about combining them, it's about adding air. A quick mixing isn't enough, and some recipes call for up to fix minutes of creaming — so don't rush it. If a recipe calls for creaming butter and sugar together until "light and fluffy," give it enough time until the color actually lightens — this is how you know air has been sufficiently incorporated. See how to do it here.
12. You don't sift your ingredients when the recipe calls for it.
For most recipes, sifting is not necessary — but if a recipe specifically calls for you to do it, it's probably for a good reason. Lighter cakes benefit from sifted flour because it doesn't weight the batter down and keeps the cake airy. If you skip this step, some cakes can end up dense and flat.
Check out how to sift flour without a sifter here.
13. You double a recipe instead of making it two times.
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Most of the time, recipes can be doubled without a problem — but some recipes (usually cakes) don't work so well when scaled up or down. One option is to manually recalculate the amount of baking powder or soda to use (because it's not always as simple as doubling it), but this can get confusing. To be safe, simply make your recipe in two batches instead of doubling it. It might be more work, but it'll make sure it comes out perfect.
14. You try to make recipes that call for a stand mixer/hand mixer without one and don't realize how hard it is.
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Sure, you can technically make anything without a mixer — but it's not always easy. Betty Crocker actually suggests beating batter for 150 strokes per minute by hand to supplement for an electric mixer, so it takes some serious arm muscle. If you attempt to make meringues by hand, just be prepared to whip for a looooong time.
Get an electric hand mixer on Amazon for $24.00.
Let's get baking!
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