Well, not to worry: there are plenty of baking recipes that are suited for the beginner baker. In fact, in this article, we’ll give you five! Starting with these can help you become more confident—in no time, you’ll be confidently whipping up all kinds of delicious treats.

Put on your apron, preheat the oven, and let’s get baking!

Things To Remember Before Baking

Okay, wait. Before you make your easy first bakes, one of the things you need to do is read these basic rules of baking. Next, try as much as possible to absorb these common baking terms so that you won’t get lost while reading recipes.

Oh, and make sure you have the following: 

Essential Baking Tools

No matter what recipes for beginners you’re going to try, you’re going to need these tools: 

• Mixing Bowls: You’ll need a good set of these in various sizes for combining your ingredients. 
• Measuring Cups and Spoons: Baking is a precise art, so accurate measurements are key.
• Whisk and Spatula: These will help you mix your ingredients smoothly.
• Baking Sheets and Muffin Tins: Required for projects like cookies and muffins.
• Loaf Pan: You’ll use these for banana bread and other quick breads.
• Cooling Rack: This is where your hot, fresh-from-the-oven goodies will rest and cool before you sink your teeth into them.
• Parchment Paper: This prevents your baked goods from sticking to the pan. You’re going to be happy you placed them—that’s a guarantee!

No idea where to get these tools? Check out Buji.Ph or The TBA Shop!

Basic Baking Ingredients

And no matter what easy baking recipe you plan to make, you’ll thank yourself after you stock your pantry with these important ingredients:

• Flour
• Sugar (both white and brown)—check out the sugar of Penco for some of the best you’ll ever use 
• Baking powder and baking soda
• Salt
• Eggs—they’re great for breakfast and other things, too!
• Butter or margarine, but be prepared for changes in taste and volume
• Vanilla extract
• Chocolate chips or cocoa powder

Now, on to the easy stuff to bake for beginners!

Five Easiest Things To Bake For Beginners

Here are some incredibly easy and foolproof bakes that will help you build your skills. You can use recipes from the Internet (there are plenty for these items), but for the best quality, we encourage you to sign up at The Bailiwick Academy and try out our courses!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

There’s a reason why chocolate chip cookies are timeless and popular. Not only do these cookies taste great, but they’re also one of those easy things to bake! That makes them perfect for trying out as a beginner baker.

To make them, you’ll just need the basic baking ingredients mentioned above, plus chocolate chips. And making them will help you hone baking techniques—you’ll learn how to cream butter and sugar together, mix dry and wet ingredients, and portion dough onto a baking sheet. 

Thankfully, there won’t be complicated steps involved. Just shape the cookies and let your oven do the rest. And before long, you’ll be enjoying crunchy or chewy chocolate chip cookies, depending on the recipe you used. Wouldn’t you love that?

For surefire delicious cookies, check out our Gourmet Cookies or Best Ever Cookies class.

Fudgy Brownies

For those with an irresistible chocolate craving, brownies are your best choice of dessert recipes. Not only are they straightforward to do and very delicious, they also offer a chance to learn key baking techniques. You’ll learn how to melt chocolate, mix it with other ingredients, pour the batter into a pan, and bake.

It also helps that after the process, you only have to do minimal cleanup! Oh, and brownies are extremely versatile and customizable. Feel free to enhance them with your choice of extras, like nuts, chocolate chips, or marshmallows, to truly make them your own. 

Need ideas for different brownie variants? Try our Fudge Brownie Extravaganza class.

Banana Bread

Banana bread is a very forgiving dessert recipe—it’s very hard to get wrong. That makes it a great option for beginner bakers. All you need are your pantry staples plus overripe bananas, and you’ll be able to create a moist and flavorful loaf that the whole family will enjoy.

You’ll also get to master mixing wet and dry ingredients separately before putting them together. This is an essential bakery skill.

Muffins

If you’re looking for a simple cake recipe, go for muffins! They’re small, versatile, and give you an avenue to experiment with all kinds of flavors: chocolate, cinnamon sugar, orange zest, salted caramel, you name it! Muffins can accommodate it all.

Plus, you’ll get to practice portioning batter evenly and watching for doneness.

Check out one of our newest class releases, Glorious Cafe-Style Chunky Muffins Master Class, for surefire muffin goodness.

Pancakes

If asked what’s the easiest thing to bake for beginners, pancakes is also a possible answer because it’s one of the easy recipes you can start with. Yes, it’s not a traditional baked good, but making soft and chewy pancakes is an excellent entry point into the world of baking. You’ll get to practice mixing batter (not dough) and controlling a heat source, skills that are required when you get further in your baking journey.

It also helps that pancakes are a surefire crowd-pleaser!

Our Easy Recipe Recommendation: Brownies

Among the five beginner-friendly baking projects we’ve suggested, we highly recommend starting with brownies. Learning to bake a perfectly moist and fudgy brownie is an achievable goal for any novice baker and serves as a great introduction to the wider world of baking. Plus, they’re made of chocolate—and that means more people will appreciate them!

And you know what’s awesome? Here at The Bailiwick Academy, we have a fantastic learning resource to guide you on this chocolaty endeavor. Renowned baker and educator Chef Jimbo de Panadero offers a comprehensive brownie baking tutorial perfect for beginners.

Why this class? Well, with over 20 years of experience in the baking industry working with top food brands, Chef Jimbo brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this class. That means that in this class, you won’t just learn how to make brownies; you’ll also gain practical knowledge of baking techniques, including preparing the pan, mixing ingredients, portioning batter, and determining when your brownies are perfectly done.

The result? You’ll confidently whip up a batch of easy chocolate brownies that will impress not just yourself but also your friends, family, or neighbors. Nothing quite matches the satisfaction of successfully baking from scratch—that’s a guarantee!

Want to start your baking journey on a high note with this brownie baking class? Sign up here today—all for FREE!

Additional Baking Tips

While you’re in the middle of making some of the easiest things to bake, here are some essential tips that beginners should keep in mind:

• Measure accurately: Baking is a science, and accurate measurements are crucial for success. Use measuring cups and spoons to ensure your ingredients are proportioned correctly.
• Follow instructions for room temperature: When a recipe calls for ingredients at room temperature, make sure to let them sit out for a while. Room-temperature ingredients blend better and create smoother textures.
• Preheat your oven: Always preheat your oven as directed in the recipe. This ensures even baking and consistent results.
• Don’t overmix: Overmixing may give you tough baked goods. Mix only until everything is incorporated.
• Keep an eye on what you’re baking: Different ovens may vary in temperature, so it’s essential to monitor your baked goods as they cook. Even if you’re familiar with your oven already, do this anyway.
• Don’t forget to use parchment paper: We mentioned this above, and we’ll mention it again. This is an essential step. It also makes cleanup a breeze!
• Patience is key in baking: Allow your baked goods to cool before digging in to achieve the best texture and flavor.

Final Thoughts

Getting started with baking might feel tough, but it’s all part of the fun. With these five easy recipes, you’ll learn the basics, and soon, you’ll feel like you have a baking addiction—and that’s a good thing!

Don’t worry about making mistakes, either. That’s how everyone learns along the way. Before long, you’ll be signing up for a baking daily newsletter and using cake recipes to make a strawberry shortcake or carrot cake, even while just using an air fryer. 

Yes—the possibilities are endless as long as you keep going! 

So what are you waiting for? Fill your home with the great smell of homemade treats—get to baking!

Oh, and again, if you’re still considering what’s the easiest thing to bake for beginners, don’t forget to sign up for Chef Jimbo’s free brownies class. Sign up here today!

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

The post What’s The Easiest Thing To Bake For Beginners? appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

And yes, these keto dessert options are sugar-free and still delicious. Pick up any of them, and you can be sure you’re still following doctor’s orders!

What exactly is keto?

But before anything else, what exactly is keto? To be more specific, the term “keto” refers to a ketogenic diet. According to Healthline, it’s a low-carb, high-fat diet that offers many health benefits. 

Undergoing this diet has many health benefits, so many people choose to switch to this lifestyle. One of the benefits is weight loss. Going keto may also help protect you against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and even Alzheimer’s disease.

So, a little disclaimer before we continue: we’re not doctors or nutritionists. We’re just sharing with you what we know. If you want to try a ketogenic diet, consult your physician.

Anyway, when you do this diet, your goal is to achieve ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state where your body uses fats instead of carbs for fuel. To reach ketosis, limit your carbohydrate intake to a certain amount and fill up on fats instead. 

What does going on a ketogenic diet mean for the food you can eat?

Well, to put things simply, all the meal plans you will make? None of them will involve any carbohydrates or sugar whatsoever. That means you’ll say goodbye to silvanas, brownies or cookies, Spanish bread, and more.  

If you love sweets and carbs, that last sentence probably made you shudder with displeasure. But as we mentioned, there are various keto dessert foods that you can eat instead. They taste sweet but are practically 0 carb sweets. 

What are examples of different keto dessert foods?

What’s on this keto dessert list? To be honest, if we wrote everything down, it would take us DAYS. So what we’ll do instead is mention just a few keto desserts we find delicious. 

So, something to consider is that most of them will be made with almond flour or coconut flour. Artificial sweeteners or monk fruit give that sweet taste. They will taste a bit different from the usual taste of our favorite desserts but are still delish keto desserts. 

(For a list of keto-friendly ingredients, check out this article from Good Housekeeping.)

In short, you don’t have to say goodbye to your favorite treats. You just have to find desserts that are keto-friendly.

1. Keto snack or desset – Cheesecake fat bombs

What the heck are fat bombs, you ask? Well, they’re dense balls that are full of fat-rich ingredients, like coconut oil and avocado. They can make you feel full at once and satisfy your sweet cravings. 

So anyway, these cheesecake fat bombs taste like a peanut butter cheesecake and make a great snack. Make sure you keep them on hand for any sudden sweet cravings. You can also enjoy them for breakfast (cause why not?) or as snacks.

2. Almond flour keto chocolate cake

This is one of the usual keto desserts you can buy. Who says you can’t enjoy chocolate cake while you’re on keto? You won’t have to forego eating this classic dessert. Just substitute regular flour for almond flour, and you’re good to go!

3. Keto foods – Brownies

Does eating brownies give you comfort? Well, even if you switch to a keto diet, you can still enjoy them! Carb-free brownies are possible. We bet you won’t even notice the difference in taste!

4. Filipino Keto dessert – Bibingka

Did this surprise you? Yes, you can still eat one of the most delicious kakanins ever! You can breathe a sigh of relief, especially since December is coming up. It would be a sad Christmas if you couldn’t eat bibingka. Let’s hope more keto Filipino desserts come out.

5. Ice cream

Yes, there is such a thing as keto ice cream! You won’t have to worry about your cool, sweet cravings being left unfulfilled. Different flavors are possible as well.

6. Mug cake – a keto dessert for one

A mug cake is literally a cake inside a mug. Mug cakes are popular as dessert foods because they’re good enough for one serving. If you’re the only one who is going to eat a cake, you won’t want to make a whole cake, right? 

So anyway, a keto mug cake is possible, and with different flavors too! 

7. Keto dessert – keto pie

If you want to eat a pie instead of a cake, you can! Just make sure that your pie crust is made with low-carb ingredients. Also, the toppings can be chocolate or fruits. To keep with the low-carb theme, make sure to find out which fruits are keto-compliant. Avocado is an example of a fruit you can eat while on a keto diet.

8. Egg custard

Keto egg custard? Why not? This baked dessert is smooth, thick, and creamy and tastes just like the usual custard.

9. Carrot cake

A carrot cake is another classic dessert. And yay, celebrate, because you won’t have to stop eating this either! A good keto carrot cake is one that is so moist and delicious, no one will know it’s made from keto ingredients.

10. Matcha keto cake

If you like unusual desserts, matcha is for you! It’s already non-overly sweet, then when made with a keto-friendly recipe… Well, let’s just say it’s perfect. You might have to stop yourself from eating too much!

Make your own keto dessert foods with The Bailiwick Academy!

If you’re a cheesecake lover, you might be sad that we didn’t mention cheesecake at all in the list above. Well, there’s a reason for that: we saved the best of the keto dessert foods for last. 

We have a new class: Keto Cheesecakes! 

Our newest instructor, Ms. Chiqui Dingcong, will be teaching this class. She’s the best person to teach it because she herself is currently living the ketogenic lifestyle. 

Take this class, and you’ll no longer have to buy keto cheesecake; you’ll be making your own versions! Make rich, creamy, decadent cheesecake goodness with cheesecake recipes that are sugar and carb-free!

You’ll learn to make Keto Burnt Basque Cheesecake, Keto Chocolate Cheesecake, and Keto Strawberry Cheesecake. A bonus recipe of Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies will be included in this class. 

Of course, not only can you eat these keto treats, but these recipes are also great for a business. With more people shifting to a healthier lifestyle, you can be sure that there’s a market for keto-friendly desserts. 

Get your business to appear when people Google “best keto sweets to buy.” Enroll now at The Bailiwick Academy!

The post Keto Dessert Foods to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth! appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

But wait… are brownies cookies or cakes?

Yup, we knew you’d be asking that. (Or not.) Let’s get this question out of the way. So surprisingly, according to DifferenceBetween.net, brownies are actually bar cookies. Yes, even if they look like mini-cakes. So if you think about it, it’s actually funny that brookies exist. Isn’t that just a repetition or repackaging of the same thing? The same with the question “Can you make brownies into cookies?” But we digress.

So does this mean this cookies vs brownies debate is useless since brownies are technically cookies? Well, no! Even if a brownie is technically a cookie, there are still many differences when it comes to making each one. Recipes are different, tastes are different, and so on. For example, Chef Joey Prats has unique recipes for both brownies and cookies. Let’s jump into those differences now!

Quick disclaimer too: Before anything else, we’d also like to say that we’re just going to look at the popular flavors of both. We’re just going to talk about chocolate chip cookies and chocolate brownies. Sorry, no butter cookies or other flavors in this discussion. Besides, chocolate flavor is the first thing you associate with them, right? 

The case for Team Cookie

What’s the snack kids prepare for Santa Claus during Christmas? That’s right, milk and cookies! That alone should push the case for Team Cookie to win, right? LOL. And why wouldn’t Santa want to eat some chewy chocolate cookies after a long night’s work? Just typing this now is getting us thinking about it!

Other people like cookies too because they’re more flexible in terms of texture. A cookie can be crispy and crunchy or soft and chewy, and no one would complain. Do a brownie that’s too soft or too crunchy, and people wouldn’t be happy. And if you’re a milk lover, you’d definitely love dunking cookies in your milk. Oh, and who makes ice cream sandwiches with brownies? No one we know!

The Case for Team Brownie

Other people appreciate a good brownie better because of its texture and consistency. And of course, we have yet to see anyone turn down fudgy brownies! When it comes to brownies, you can definitely stuff it with more flavor, since It’s more three-dimensional than a cookie. And since it’s more three-dimensional, it also feels more filling than regular cookies! You will feel more satisfied eating just one brownie compared to one cookie.

Brownies also feel a bit more special. If you think about it, there’s no real brownie that can be bought in grocery stores. Cookies do. You can also imagine that you’re getting a bunch of mini-cakes instead of one big cake. Furthermore, you can store more brownies thanks to their shape. And brownies are great with coffee!

Brownies vs. cookies: which is easier to make?

Say you’re going to an event where you have to bring your own food. So it got you thinking: “Should I make cookies or brownies? Are cookies or brownies easier to make?” Well, the general process is the same, right? Just whip up the mixture, put parchment paper on the pan, pour mixture on the pan, place in the oven. Done, right? Well, not exactly.

Considerations for cookies involve shaping them, making sure they’re separate on the pan, and so on. If you don’t separate them properly, you’ll end up with not-so-attractive shapes. Brownies are easier to make because you can cut them up after they cool down. You just have to make sure you’re cutting shapes evenly.  This should answer the question “Are brownies or cookies easier to make?”, right?

Brownies vs cookies: what’s the healthier choice?

When it comes to being healthier, which is better, brownies or cookies? Do brownies or cookies have more calories? Well, you can check out the table made here by Bertha Mae’s Brownie Co. Overall, brownies carry more calories! 

So are brownies or cookies healthier? Well, we definitely know the answer to the question “Are brownies healthier than cookies?” is a no. But we also can’t really say that cookies are any healthier than brownies. After all, both contain sugar. And while they’re delicious, overindulging in either is not recommended.

Which will survive transportation better?

When it comes to brownies vs chocolate chip cookies, let’s also consider what’s easier to transport. Say you have no choice and you have to have your goods transported via motorcycle. It’s not the best choice, because a lot of riders aren’t careful. You have to think about what will happen to either your cookies or brownies while in transit. If they’re in boxes, brownies might have a better chance of surviving intact. With cookies though, if they’re the soft, chewy kind, you might end up with chocolate chips scattered all over. Worse, your cookies might be halved already. Cookies might survive better in other types of packaging or being transported in cars. Brownies are generally tougher. They might be a better choice if you need to bring your baked goods anywhere.

Conclusion

So, brownies vs. cookies. Which one wins? Well, at the end of the day, there’s no real answer to what’s better, brownies or cookies. We can’t even answer the question, “Are brownies or cookies more popular?” We’re definitely leaning toward one of them, but we won’t say which one! Both are definitely delicious and delightful to eat.

Thankfully, here at The Bailiwick Academy, we have plenty of recipes for both brownies and cookies. There’s no need to choose! Sign up for free and get started on your first recipe now. 

P.S. If you STILL can’t decide on what to make first, try our free brownies class by Chef Jimbo Panadero!

The post Brownies vs Cookies: The Snack-off! appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.