Need a hobby? Give baking a go!

As part of the wellbeing project this year, we want to talk about all things that make us happy. A big thing that makes me happy is baking! I absolutely love it, it's a way to switch my mind off from the world and make yummy treats. If you're bored during lockdown, baking could be a great way to pass the time!

I'm not good at baking!

Pfft, you are, you just don't know it yet. And you don't have to be an expert or amazing. You just have to enjoy it. I create things that are truly horrible looking or don't have the best taste, but you live and you learn!

I don't have the equipment!

You have the basics, right? You don't need a fancy KitchenAid or a million spatulas. Use what you have, see the list of essentials below.

Where do I find recipes?

Easy and simple recipes I often find from BBC Good Food, for example I made their jam roly poly one last week. It didn't look like the photo but it tasted great! I also like Jane's Patisserie for slightly more advanced recipes, but she also has some really simple ones too.

What do I need?

For your equipment, you'll only need a few basics:
- Electric hand mixer. You can get these for super cheap from places like Asda. It just makes the job a bit easier sometimes. Or you can stick with a spoon and give your arms a workout!
- A couple different sized mixing bowls. Big, medium, small will do nicely.
- A spatula, wooden spoon and a whisk. If you don't have a whisk a fork will do!
- A cupcake tray, if cupcakes are your thing. Or a cake tin (8" would be good to start with). A slightly deep rectangular tray would be good for things like brownies too
- Rolling pin, but you could use a straight glass/bottle instead
- Wire cooling rack. This just makes it faster for your treats to cool, but you can cool them in the tins/on a plate if you don't have one, you just need more patience
- Parchment paper to make it easy to remove treats from the tins. You do not want to be scraping a cake out with a fork let me tell ya
- Set of digital scales. Please do not use cups or spoons to measure as they are so inaccurate! Get a cheap set of scales from your local supermarket that measures grams and ml and you'll be grand.
- Big, medium and small sieves. You must sieve your dry ingredients to ensure a smooth cake!

And that's all you need to start baking! As for the basic ingredients...

- Plain flour and self-raising flour
- Baking powder and bicarb of soda
- Caster sugar (or granulated, either one)
- Stork / other marg
- Butter (the ones that come in the foil packs) for things like buttercream
- Eggs (medium will do even if the recipe specifies large)
- Icing sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Vanilla flavouring

That's all the basics! You can add things like salt, different spices, flavourings, brown sugars etc. depending on the recipe. But for getting started, these are your staples.

Top tips for baking!

1) When making a cake, the egg weighing method produces the best, fluffiest cakes. This is where you weigh the eggs in their shells and then use that weight of flour, sugar and butter to match. Game-changer for me!

2) Stork produces a fluffier cake than using proper butter

3) Always beat the butter and sugar for at least 10 minutes before adding any other cake ingredients. This is where the hand mixer comes in! It ensures a light, fluffy cake.

4) Add the eggs one-by-one in a cake mix and don't add the next one until the previous one is fully incorporated. Just ensures an even spread of ingredients

5) Always sieve your dry ingredients! Especially icing sugar

6) Slowly add the dry ingredients and fold them in until just combined to avoid overmixing

7) For even layers in a cake, weigh how much mix you're putting in the tin to ensure each layer will be the same.

8) When making cookies, chill the dough in the fridge for half an hour before rolling/baking to prevent too much spreadage

9) Don't open the oven door before the time is up!

10) With cakes, low and slow is the way to go. Turn the temperature down to 150C and bake for as long as it needs. This prevents a "volcano cake" with a big dome. Patience is key

11) Use a skewer to test if cakes/cupcakes are done

12) Use room temperature ingredients, it helps get a good bake

13) With brownies, let them cool completely before cutting. If you can resist temptation for long enough, put them in the fridge overnight before cutting

These are some of the tips and tricks I've picked up since I started baking many years ago. People have their own ways of doing things but if I had known things like this long ago, it would have saved a lot of frustration!

So... whatcha gonna bake first?!

I really wanna try and make a sweet potato pie, never tried it before and it looks nice

Omg so many good baking tips!

I don't know what to make, but I've been craving brownies so watch this space Doubt I'd have the patience to chill before cutting though...

Love baking! but i hate eating my own bakes does anyone else feel the same? i lose my appetite after making them

And AMAAAAZZING TIPS!!!! THANKS haven't even heard of most of them!
this is all getting me excited, i wanna bake today

Give it a go!! Post a pic so we can drool over it

Lol anyone who has that much patience is a saint

Yes! I taste a bit to make sure it is okay but after that, no thanks

Do it!!

I am here to bless you all with this brownie I made in the summer lockdown

I want brownies now

But you suggested it, so.... are you a saint?

I am here to bless you all with this brownie I made in the summer lockdown

Oh HELLO

I’ll share some with you next time I make some

This is a coffee and walnut cake I made for my Mums birthday today. I baked it during a 30 minute gap between classes and iced it sat on my bedroom floor whilst in a chemistry lesson.

That's actuallyy so impressive WOW
And it looks great, would never have guessed you made it so quickly, I can only wish to reach that level

This is a coffee and walnut cake I made for my Mums birthday today. I baked it during a 30 minute gap between classes and iced it sat on my bedroom floor whilst in a chemistry lesson.

Aww thanks. I can’t say I’m on that high level, but you will reach it one day!!