Basic Rules of Baking for Beginners [Baker’s Dozen Edition]

Are you thinking of taking up baking? Go for it! It’s guaranteed to be both fun and rewarding. But before you pull on your oven gloves, take a look at these thirteen basic rules of baking. Yes, we had to put a reference for the “baker’s dozen”. Did you catch that reference? 

Without further ado, here are our basic rules for baking to ensure a successful baking experience!  

1st of the Basic Rules of Baking: You should have an idea of the taste of what you will be baking.

One of the basic rules in baking is to do your research first before trying out any recipe. And by research, we mean trying out different baked goods to have an idea of what you’re going to make should taste like. After all, if you have never eaten, say, an apple pie, you’ll have no idea how it should taste.

2nd of the Basic Rules of Baking: Make sure you have complete ingredients before baking.

Another of the baking basics is to ensure you have all the ingredients needed for a recipe. So if the recipe is for ​​how to bake simple bread, read through the ingredients list from top to bottom.  Just like you can’t construct a building without a solid foundation, you can’t bake correctly without the proper ingredients. Ensure that everything you need is available and on hand. 

3rd of the Basic Rules of Baking: Follow the recipe.

As someone who is just starting out, it would be better for you to completely follow the recipes. If the recipe calls for brown sugar and egg whites, use those. If the recipe calls for dry ingredients, do not use wet ingredients. When recipes call for the use of warm water? Use warm water! Baking is an exact science; change any small thing, and the output changes completely. Also, make sure to take measurements correctly. We cannot emphasize this enough. Use measuring cups or measuring spoons to make sure you are measuring correctly. But if you want to be really accurate, use a digital weighing scale.  

4th of the Basic Rules of Baking: Make sure you have the right tools.

Let’s say one of the recipes calls for a mixture of ten eggs. You will need a big bowl to ensure those ten eggs fit. However, if you only have a smaller bowl, you will have a hard time achieving the requirement in the recipe. For each formula you want to try or follow, make sure you have the proper equipment. Some like a stand mixer can be replaced by spatulas, but others can’t, like having the proper pan size. Some tools you may need are a baking pan, cake pans, a cooling rack, and a cooking thermometer. It will depend on the recipe you want to achieve.

5th of the Basic Rules of Baking: Make sure you have allocated time for baking. 

This is a crucial baking rule. Keep in mind that baking takes time; it’s not as simple as toasting bread. Even recipes that tell you how to bake simple cakes won’t be instant. For example, recipes require a certain oven temperature, and that doesn’t happen instantly. The cooking time of any recipe generally also ranges from minutes to an hour. Plan ahead so that you won’t have disrupted schedules when you start cooking.

6th of the Basic Rules of Baking: Make sure you are familiar with your oven.

It’s a given: you can’t bake without an oven (although there are alternatives). But you also can’t bake if you don’t know how to use it, especially if it’s a brand new oven. You might end up with a lot of failed baked attempts. Familiarize yourself with your stove before embarking on a major baking project. Yes, we mean from how the oven door opens, to how to read the oven thermometer. And make sure to preheat your oven!

7th of the Basic Rules of Baking: Involve your loved ones in the baking process.

Bond with your family in the kitchen! Baking can be when the entire family can just be together with no distractions and just connect with each other. Whether they are preschoolers or teenagers, your kids can also learn important skills like how to measure correctly. And hey, there’s nothing more practical than learning basic baking, don’t you think so?

8th of the Basic Rules of Baking: Always remember basic proper hygiene.

There’s nothing grosser than the thought of eating a dish made by a chef who doesn’t clean up. Imagine knowing that the cake batter used to make the cake you’re eating came from an unclean pan or dish. That makes you shudder in disgust thinking about it, doesn’t it? Make sure to keep yourself and your equipment food safe at all times!

Basic Baking Rule 9: Keep more than one batch of ingredients and things needed when baking.

Noticed that how we changed the start of our headings? We’re prepared! The same should go for you when it comes to baking. If this is your first time baking, make sure you have more than one set of ingredients. You forgot to place cold eggs in your last batch? Did your parchment paper get burned while in the oven? Didn’t use baking powder or baking soda? If something goes wrong, at least you have a lot of backups. While you’re still learning the rules of baking bread, cookies, and so on, be prepared to have some failures. This leads to the next of the basic rules, which is…

Basic Baking Rule 10: Don’t get frustrated.

We all know the feeling: we want to get all the things we try right the first time. But if you mess up, don’t storm off in a huff and decide to never try again. Remember: to be great at something, you need constant practice. So practice. Practice some more. Keep going until you make awesome tasting cinnamon rolls. Or until you achieve perfect, golden-brown pastries. Just keep going until you do it correctly.

Basic Baking Rule 11: Don’t pressure yourself to make a living out of baking right away.

People try to earn from their hobbies all the time. There is totally nothing wrong with that. But remember, there are many factors in having a successful baking business. One of them is making sure you have drool-worthy bakes first. Focus on achieving perfected baking recipes first. Or taking these baking rules for beginners to heart. Think about other things later.

Basic Baking Rule 12: Avoid distractions while baking.

Another of the basic rules of baking is to keep your attention on what you are working on. Are you checking out your Facebook or Instagram while baking? Don’t! When you are distracted while baking, a lot of things can happen. These include forgetting the recipe, overmixing some things, or even burning your bakes. Be safe, don’t be sorry. Keep focused on what you’re doing.

Basic Baking Rule 13: Enjoy the process and have fun!

Learning new things – such as baking – helps you feel good about yourself. And of course, having sweet and delicious bakes to eat is definitely a good feeling! Enjoy the process of baking, despite the many challenges you might encounter. It’s all just a part of the path to becoming a master baker!

Ready to start? We hope these baking rules become like leavening agents for you: helping you rise! Follow these basic rules of baking and you’ll be on your way to becoming a baking machine in no time! 

Want to check out some baking lessons? Wondering how to learn: baking cakes and other baked goods? Click here to see some of our classes at The Bailiwick Academy!