I'd Like To Learn To Bake

@beingwell (3625)
Thailand
June 2, 2011 11:05pm CST
Any tips for beginners like me? I have no background or knowledge about baking. I haven't baked any kind of pastry ever. Anyway, I would love to learn how because it seems to be a fun way to spend leisure time. What's the easiest type of cake to bake? And what do I need to bake them?
2 people like this
12 responses
@jameygc (452)
• United States
3 Jun 11
I love to bake and make all kind of desserts. I also love to eat them. :)My advise is that you can start with one of this cakes like Betty Crocker. You just need to add water or milk, butter and egg. Put on the oven and that's it. Then you can search more elaborated recipes. Good Luck!
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
3 Jun 11
Cool! Problem is, I only have a microwave oven. We're planning of migrating to a different country soon so I don't think buying an oven just for my experimental baking needs is a good idea (for now). Anyway, would my microwave do for the mean time? What do you suggest jamey?
1 person likes this
• Guyana
16 Aug 11
When I am lazy to light my oven I simply put the cake pan in a large pot and place it on a slower fire and it bakes just like in the oven. I have a quick mic recipe. 2 eggs 1 cup self rising flour 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tsp baking powder flavoring you like. mix it all together. You have yourself a cake.
@chiwasaki (4694)
• Philippines
11 Sep 11
I'm sorry I don't have tips because I'm just a beginner like you. What I usually do is watch videos online about making cake. I would love to learn more about baking because it is really fun and enjoying.
1 person likes this
@myfb2009 (8296)
• Malaysia
4 Jun 11
Hi Beingwell, long time no see you here...From my own experience, it is not hard to learn how to bake if you are really interested with it. I learn to bake from my mother. You need to find yourself a very basic baking cake recipe, which is considered as plain cake recipe. It is the easiest cake to bake for me. After a few times hands on training, i am sure you can bake very delicious cake in future, too...
@myfb2009 (8296)
• Malaysia
27 Jun 11
Yeah, you seems nearly forgotten to give me a reply... Have no fear, i will accpet it, since you are one of my friends... So, you have more interest into cooking? I loves both cooking and baking....
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
27 Jun 11
Hi myfb! Oh boy! This discussion is quite old, isn't it? Nonetheless, let me revert to your reply. My mom used to bake when I was a child. But that was ages ago. I don't think me heart's into it like what I feel when I'm cooking.
@emgee595 (335)
• Philippines
8 Sep 11
Hello there! We are so the same... we are so into Baking 101 hehehe. I came across your post because i was making a research about the basics of baking. I was hoping to find tips and easy-do-it-yourself cakes that way I don't have to enroll in baking classes or culinary schools. I simply want to learn the basics so I can bake my own cake. Indeed you are right. Cooking and Baking seems a fun way to spend our leisure time plus it is also a good stress-reliever especially when you smell the aroma of the cakes and of course taste them, too. I am so glad you made this post. I will be reading the responses here and get some points, tips and websites where I can gather more information and recipes about baking. I hope you are now enjoying your "baking adventure." I am also looking forward to my own "baking journey." I hope someday I can also contribute some tips but for now I will simply learn as much as I can and for sure I am going to enjoy this newest quest of mine. Have a good day and happy mylotting! :D
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
8 Sep 11
Hi em! I love eating pastries. That's one of the underlying reasons perhaps why I would love to learn some baking tips. Since the time I made this post, I've already eaten A LOT of cookies and cakes BUT have never even done a single baking. I sure hope you learn some baking techniques because i may already be a lost cause in this matter! Wahhahahaha!
• United States
4 Aug 11
Hi! How is the baking going? What have you done so far? Do you think you might take a course or two?
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
16 Aug 11
Thanks for your advise cricket! I will really need to study this first so I'd know how to proceed.hihihi..
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
5 Aug 11
Nuninuni.. I haven't done a single bit of cooking cricket! I'm having doubts of who will eat my cake or cupcake after I bake them. I'm currently on a diet and my hubby doesn't like cakes. Perhaps now is not the right time. Soon...maybe.
• United States
5 Aug 11
Hi! Hmmm--you're kinda in the same fix I am. Do you belong to any groups or go to church? Ask those in charge if it's all right if you bake something as they may be good testing grounds. For the diet...what do you have to watch? Calories, carbs, sodium? Can you accomodate those by changing some ingredients? See what you can do so you can still have fun but not sabotage yourself at the same time. It may take a little more $ but see what you can do and be prepared. Be well!
@veedee13 (242)
• United States
16 Aug 11
I love to bake cookies,cupcakes,and cakes.I suggest you get those pre-mixed cake thing and start from there.They have instructions in the back so it shouldn't be that hard.i also suggest you watch tutorials online or a baking show on tv
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
16 Aug 11
Thanks for the advise veedee. My hubby doesn't have much of a sweet tooth though. I need to wait for an occasion before I can start baking.hihihi...
• Australia
3 Jun 11
My only tip is until you become comfortable with baking, follow the recipe word, for word...once you get more comfortable with baking, then you can try to experiment a bit & find what works for you.
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
27 Jun 11
Now I am discouraged to back moonchild. I'm thinking my hubby's not into cakes and sweets so who am I baking for. I couldn't finish an entire set of cookies or 1 whole cake, anyway. What's the point..
• Australia
3 Jun 11
My only tip is until you become comfortable with baking, follow the recipe word, for word...once you get more comfortable with baking, then you can try to experiment a bit & find what works for you.
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
3 Jun 11
Right! Thanks moonchild. For now, I'd like to learn some basics first.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
5 Aug 11
Slice of Cake - Cake for you and me
Sorry dear but baking I have not really mastered. Nevertheless at least I tried and have good success with banana cake. I think they are the easiest to bake. But I want to know more than just baking banana cake nevertheless I think I should enroll in a Baking class to be a real success. As for now I can't share any good tip to you but only a slice of cake.
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
16 Aug 11
That's fine salonga. I eat cakes anyway, so at least I can still enjoy them!hahaha! Maybe baking is just not for me...aaahhhhyyy..
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
12 Sep 11
You wrote this several months ago and I did not catch it. Hope you get to see my post here. My oven went out when I still had kids home. We got on the internet as the holidays were approaching and had to save for a new stove with oven. So we went online and found this recipe for cake made in a cup. My kids loved the recipe because they each got their own cup and got to decorate with frosting of their choice and decorations. it became a seasonal favorite. Thought you might like the site we used too http://www.grouprecipes.com/72684/microwave-cake-in-a-coffee-mug.html
• Malaysia
13 Sep 11
I'd also like to learn to bake, but I found it is very difficult and complicated makes me just wanna buy ready made cake or order to bake cake, hahahaha lazy huh but I think it's only for pro in baking cake if mr it will be disaster cake that I bake!
• United States
25 Jun 11
Hi! When I started baking a couple years ago (thanks to Cake Boss), I started with some simple cakes and buttercream and 6" circular pans (three for a standard box cake mix). Most of the supplies can found at either Wal-mart or Michaels. Also, look on the internet and see what you will need to make buttercream and how long it'll take to make it. Take a look on Allrecipes.com and perhaps Facebook (Megan Roundtree who was on The Next Great Baker helped me). Some cakes will only take a few hours and some considerably longer so plan carefully. After a little experimentation (might want to give your friends and family some warning and ask for their imput), I found which flavor buttercreams went well with each cake flavor. Then my husband kindly bought me a kit that had all the tips/ accessories that a beginner would need so I was able to become a little more artistic. I also took a cake decoration class at Michaels so see if there are any cake decoration classes in your area. With each cake, I find myself getting a little better and learned what flavor and decoration went well with another. So, I would say give it some time to develop your skills and set realistic goals for yourself. Perhaps watch the cake shows on TLC, see what you are able to do, and give it a try; simple decorations. Do expect a few bombs as your skills develop and have good back-up plans in place. Hope I didn't ramble too much for you and was able to be of help. I love baking and trying something different with each one. Happily the supplies don't cost an awful lot and you can get going for about $100 (kit, sugar, eggs, etc). Have fun! Sarah
@emgee595 (335)
• Philippines
8 Sep 11
Hi there Cricket! I was browsing for posts about baking and cakes here in mylot and I came across your post. I will be researching about the stuff you've mentioned. Thanks for the helpful tips. I am also a beginner and I haven't baked anything in my life but I really want to learn how and the sooner, the better. I just purchased an oven and now all I need to know is the basics of baking, the tools I need and of course some recipes. Thanks for sharing your tips and some inputs in your post here. I truly appreciate them. I will be checking out those websites and shows you've mentioned.. I think I was inspired to cook and bake because of too much watching of Masterchef shows, Hell's Kitchen and other cooking shows. I don't want to join any competition though. I just simple want to learn how to bake right now. Thanks again for being a great help. Have a good day and happy mylotting! :D