How To Start Baking As A Hobby: 11 Steps (Updated)

Last Updated on July 20, 2024 by Lori Walker

Baking’s a blast and super satisfying! The pandemic saw loads of people dipping their toes into baking and cooking. **Experiment with new recipes** and savor every moment!

According to a survey from Statista in 2022, almost 40% of US respondents still have this hobby, along with cooking, as their top choice.

So, how to start baking as a hobby? Here’s our quick beginner’s guide. 

11 Steps To Start Baking As A Hobby (Beginner’s Guide)

1. Start With Basic Baking Equipment

As a beginner, you may be wondering about the cost of buying the tools and utensils needed. But in reality, you don’t have to spend so much money at once.

Of course, high-quality ovens are expensive, but you won’t have to spend too much after having that. You can start with basic tools like a mixing bowl, wooden spoon, whisk, measuring cups or spoons, and cake pans.

Find out if it is okay to use a baking pan on the stove here.

2. Prepare All The Ingredients 

The next thing to do after preparing the tools is to start gathering all the ingredients mentioned in the recipe. Baking always demands accuracy, and missing a single ingredient will create a failed product.

Carefully read your recipe and ensure that you have sufficient quantities for wet and dry ingredients. You don’t want to miss an ingredient after starting the mixing process.

Find out if you can bake goodies using I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter here.

3. Always Weigh The Ingredients 

It is more accurate to weigh ingredients such as sugar, salt, baking powder, and flour than use cups or other volume measurements.

“Measure baking powder precisely, as too much can create a bitter or dry result, or cause the cake to rise up and fall back down, making an unsightly dip in the surface.”

– Mary Berry, Chef and Food Writer

Inaccuracy in baking often leads to a dense or small cake with a cracked top.

4. Start With Simple Recipes

As a beginner, starting with simple recipes is the best option. You may want to be creative immediately, but you must familiarize yourself with the tools and ingredients first to understand the basics of baking. 

For instance, baking cookies are simple, delicious, and versatile, making them a famous holiday food [1]. You can also choose simple recipes like Banana Muffins, Red Velvet Cupcakes, or Fudgy Brownies.

Find out whether the cupcakes should be flat or dome-shaped here.

5. Learn the Art of Cracking Eggs

Although egg is one of the wet ingredients, you will have to crack it in a separate bowl. It will help you determine if the egg is fresh and has no spots. 

Mixing a spoilt egg into a prepared cake batter will ruin the entire batch. It can also prevent eggshells from adding to the mix. 

6. Separate the Wet and Dry Ingredients

Separate the wet and dry ingredients needed in your recipe. Mix wet ingredients like water, milk, butter or oil, yogurt, sour cream, or vanilla extract in one bowl. 

In another container, combine the dry ingredients, such as all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, yeast, or baking powder, until they fully combine. 

This step aims to minimize the formation of gluten strands by cutting down the stirring time of the flour after it becomes wet.

Find out if vanilla and lemon blend together here.

7. Preheat The Oven

Pre-heating allows the oven to reach its peak temperature so you can bake the batter within the specified time. However, some people skip this part and only turn on the oven right before placing the mix.

The problem is that when the oven reaches the right temperature, the raising ability of the yeast and the tension formed during the shaping process has already expired [2].

You might also like to read about the difference between a water bath and a steam bath here.

8. Combine The Ingredients

After ensuring the eggs are fresh, combine them with the wet ingredients in a single bowl. Incorporate a healthy ingredient like a zero-calorie sweetener into your dry mixture. 

Then create a hole in the middle of the dry mix and pour the wet ingredients with eggs. Mix until everything blends well.

Read: 4 Simple Steps To Make Oil-Based Food Coloring

9. Oven Time

You are now almost done with your baking process. At this point, make sure to use some butter or non-stick spray to grease your baking pans before placing the dough.

Baking recipes usually state approximate oven time values due to reasons like temperature and equipment differences. Keep checking your cake batter to avoid overcooking or undercooking it.

Read: How Long Does It Take To Bake Jumbo Cupcakes?

10. Cool It Down

Cooling down the cake or cupcake is an important step that beginners overlook. You can not simply decorate while the cake is still warm because it will mold itself and become lopsided.

Wrap the cake layers with cling film and leave it in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

Read: How Much Time Does It Take For An Oven To Cool Down?

11. Decorate

The last and most fun part is the decorating process. You can get creative and be imaginative in many ways with decorating your baked goods.

After chilling the cake, you can add icing, glaze, or whipped cream and create a drip or naked cake. You can also put sprinkles, fruits, cookie crumbles, and toasted nuts on top for a more exciting presentation.

Find out how you can prevent the sprinkles from bleeding here.

Tips Every Beginner Baker Should Master

• Prepare the right equipment and familiarize yourself with the necessary tools.
• Don’t skip pre-heating the oven as the recipe indicates.
• Prep baking pans, ensuring you grease them before placing them in the oven. If you skip this step, your dough might stick to the pan and ruin its form.
• Take note of using accurate measurements of both wet and dry ingredients.
• Follow the recipe instructions carefully. Although it is tempting to get creative immediately, as a beginner, avoid substituting ingredients or changing their order.
• Don’t rush baking time, and consistently check the food. Leave the baked goods inside the oven for at least five minutes and let them continue to cook using the remaining heat.
• Let it rest and cool completely. Don’t hold back, and be creative with your decoration.

Read: 10 Baking Recipes Using A Great Deal Of Butter

FAQs

Let’s Sum It Up

Baking is a sweet and creative way of expressing yourself through making delicious baked goods. You can do it to make a congratulatory gift to a friend or a sweet treat during a family gathering.

Making your cakes can also help you save money rather than just buying already-made goods.

We hope you have a good baking start!

References:

1. https://www.purewow.com/food/baking-recipes-beginners
2. https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/jan/28/do-i-really-need-to-preheat-the-oven-kitchen-aide