Did you know that baking has therapeutic effects?
You could have started baking for various reasons. It could have begun as a hobby, for your loved ones, or out of passion. In any case, baking is an art that has therapeutic effects.
Baking is an activity that yields many benefits. The most significant ones would be good food, a sense of gratification, and stress relief. A study published in 2015 states that adults engaged in cooking showed a better sense of mental well-being.
As a beginner in baking, you mustn’t overwhelm yourself with various baking instructions. Learn every nuance of baking at your own pace. You must enjoy every part of the baking process.
Tools required for baking
As a beginner, you need to possess specific tools to start baking. Here’s a list of tools that are essential for baking. They are measuring spoons, cups, silicone spatula, rolling pin, parchment paper, cake tin, loaf tin, cooking cutters, and cooling rack.
You will need measuring spoons and measuring cups to measure the right quantity of ingredients for your recipe. The silicone spatula acts as the point of contact between you and the batter. It helps in folding the ingredients till they combine well.
The rolling pin helps in rolling the dough for recipes like cookies. A parchment paper helps prevent your cake from sticking to the cake tin.
The cake tin is the vessel that holds the cake batter. An eight-inch cake tin is ideal for beginners. You can use the loaf tin for baking bread.
The cookie cutters help in shaping your cookie dough. The cooling rack helps you to cool your baked goods.
The Icy Tales team talked to Carly Hill, Operations Manager at Virtual Holiday Party, about using specialized baking tools and gadgets to enhance your baking experience. Here is what she said:
“Using specialized baking tools and gadgets, such as silicone baking mats, wooden spatula sets, or embossed rolling pins, can greatly enhance the baking experience. Silicone baking mats provide a non-stick surface that eliminates the need for greasing pans and makes for easy cleanup.
Wooden spatula sets are ideal for mixing ingredients without scratching non-stick surfaces, while also being more durable than plastic utensils. Embossed rolling pins add intricate designs to the dough, elevating the presentation of baked goods.
For an uncommon example, using a pastry crimper tool adds decorative edges to pies and pastries, giving them a professional look. Overall, these specialized tools not only make baking easier but also more enjoyable by allowing for precision in techniques and creating visually appealing treats.”
We interviewed Alex Cornici, SEO Manager at Awesome Hibachi, on this. Here is an excerpt from the interview:
“Baking, to me, was more of a need rather than a hobby. The kind of tools I had were really basic: different-colored spatulas, a flimsy baking sheet, and a rolling pin which I hadn’t replaced since childhood.
Though my cookies and cakes were edible, they still did not look like the craft of other people and lacked the necessary consistency. However, the process was generally characterized by a lot of frustration, more so when my tools did not meet their requirements.
My baking experience, however, completely changed after I was gifted a set of baking tools—beautifully curated, if I may add. The first time I used a silicone baking mat, I was floored by the even browning of my cookies, and how very easily they slid right off—no sticking in sight.
An offset spatula turned frosting a cake from a battle into an effortless task. And an embossed rolling pin transformed my cookie dough into intricate works of art.
It was with these tools that I was able to arm my confidence and ambition. I actively sought out more challenging recipes, and the thought of delicate pastry or perfectly shaped cookies no longer intimidated me.
Baking became a thing of not just following the steps in a recipe, but more of hunting for my style. The positive feedback I was getting, letting me know how good and consistent everything looked, fueled even more my enthusiasm.”
Essential ingredients for every baked good
There are some basic ingredients used in almost every baked good. It would be good to refill them now and then to ease your baking journey. The essential ingredients are as follows:
Flour is an essential ingredient for baking. It is the binding agent in every recipe. Ingredients like baking powder, baking soda, and yeast act as raising agents.
Sugar which constitutes sweetness to your baked good, is another essential ingredient. You can substitute it with natural sweeteners too. Their usage depends upon the recipe.
Fats like butter and oil are essential for baking. Protein-rich eggs are another important ingredient that enhances your baked good. Extracts like vanilla and spices like cinnamon help add flavor to your baked goods. You will also require milk to bind all the other ingredients.
Baking recipes
Here are some easy baking recipes that would be ideal for every beginner.
1. Chocolate cake using cake mix
This is the most beginner-friendly recipe. It can be easily prepared with the help of a store-bought cake mix.
To make this recipe, you will need 1 packet of chocolate cake mix, 3 eggs, 80 ml of vegetable oil, 270 ml of water, 1/2 cup of cream, and 1/2 cup of dark chocolate.
Preparation
Crack the eggs in a bowl and whisk well. Add the vegetable oil, 40 ml of water, and cake mix to the egg mixture. Mix these ingredients well. Then add the remaining water (40 ml) to the batter. Whisk till the ingredients combine well.
Pour the cake batter onto a cake tin lined with parchment paper. Preheat the oven and bake the cake at 180C for 45 minutes. Once it’s baked, place it on a cooling rack and allow it to cool.
Heat the cream for a few minutes, and add the grated dark chocolate to make the chocolate glaze. Mix the two ingredients till they blend into a glossy liquid.
Finally, pour the chocolate glaze on the cake and level it using a silicone spatula. Your delicious chocolate cake is now ready!
Whipped cream frosting
The chocolate glaze can be replaced by frosting. One such easy frosting can be made using whipped cream.
To make this recipe, you will require 1 1/2 cups of chilled whipped cream, 1/3 cup of powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons of corn starch, and a few drops of vanilla extract.
Take the whipped cream into a bowl and beat it well. Add the sugar, corn starch, and vanilla extract one at a time and continue beating till it becomes frothy and smooth. The whipped cream frosting is now ready to be spread onto your cake.
Cream cheese frosting
If you like a tangy flavor, you can also try cream cheese frosting for your cake. You will require 8 ounces of cream cheese, 1 stick of unsalted butter, 1 cup of powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Soften the cream cheese using a spatula and add the butter. Beat the two ingredients till they blend well. Then, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and continue beating till it becomes smooth. The cream cheese frosting is now ready to be spread onto your cake.
2. Banana bread
This is a delicious and simple recipe perfect for beginners.
You will need 3 ripe bananas, 3/4 cup of sugar, 1 egg, 1/3 cup of melted butter, 1/3 cup of milk, 1 cup of refined flour, and 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
Preparation
Mash the bananas in a bowl till they become a fine paste. Add the egg, sugar, butter, and milk to it. Mix all the ingredients well.
Using a sieve, add the flour and baking soda. Mix all the ingredients till they combine well.
Pour the batter onto a greased loaf tin. You can add some chopped nuts to the batter for a nutty flavor.
Preheat the oven and bake the cake at 350F for 40 minutes. Once it’s baked, allow the bread to cool and then remove it from the tin. The banana bread is now ready to be sliced!
3. Pumpkin bread
This is another amazing bread recipe using pumpkin.
To make this recipe, you will need 1 cup of refined flour, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin spice, 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 2 eggs, 7 ounces of pumpkin puree.
Preparation
In a bowl, put the refined flour and add baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice to it. Mix the dry ingredients well.
In a separate bowl, put the sugar and add vegetable oil and eggs to it. Whisk all the wet ingredients till they combine well.
Add the pumpkin puree to the wet ingredients and mix well. Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient mixture and mix well.
Preheat the oven and bake the bread at 350F for 45 minutes. Pour the bread batter onto a greased loaf tin. The pumpkin bread is now ready to be sliced!
4. Chocolate chip cookies
This is an all-time favorite recipe for kids and cookie-lovers of all ages. It is easy to bake as well.
This recipe requires 1½ cup of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, 1 egg, 1 cup of chocolate chips, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Preparation
In a bowl, put the melted butter and add both brown sugar and white sugar to it. Beat the ingredients till they reach a creamy consistency. Crack an egg into the mixture and beat it again.
Put the refined flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl, and give it a good stir. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredient mixture. Mix them till they combine well.
Add the chocolate chips to the bowl and fold the dough using a silicone spatula. Take a small portion of the dough and shape it into a ball. Repeat this step for the rest of the dough.
Place these cookie dough balls on a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Transfer the tray to the refrigerator and let it sit for 30 minutes.
Then, bake the cookie dough at 350F for about 10 minutes. Once it’s baked and cooled, enjoy the chocolate chip cookies with your loved ones.
5. Oatmeal cookies
This is a nutritious cookie recipe using oats.
To make this recipe, you will need 1 cup of oat flour, 1 cup of rolled oats, 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/3 cup of coconut oil, 1/2 cup of sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk, and 1/4 cup of chopped nuts.
Preparation
In a bowl, put the oat flour, and add rolled oats, baking powder, salt, and sugar to it. Mix the ingredients well.
Add vanilla extract, coconut oil, milk, and chopped nuts to the dry ingredient mixture and mix all the ingredients till they combine well.
Take a small portion of the dough and shape it into a ball. Repeat this step for the rest of the dough.
Place these cookie dough balls on a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Flatten them using your fingers.
Preheat the oven to 350F and bake the cookies for about 20 minutes. Once baked and cooled, the oatmeal cookies are ready to be munched!
6. Peanut butter cookies
This is another simple cookie recipe that is highly nutritious and delicious. You will need 1 cup of creamy peanut butter, ½ cup of sugar, and 1 egg to make this recipe.
Preparation
In a bowl, put peanut butter and add sugar and egg to it. Mix all three ingredients till they combine well.
Take a small portion of the dough and shape it into a ball. Repeat this step for the rest of the dough.
Place these cookie dough balls on a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Flatten them using a fork.
Then, bake the cookie dough at 350F for about 10 minutes. Once it’s baked and cooled, your nutritious peanut butter cookies are ready.
7. Apple pie
This is an exciting recipe for beginners.
To make the pie dough, you will need 2½ cups of refined flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1½ sticks of butter (cut in cubes), and 6 tablespoons of ice water.
To make the filling, you will need 2½ pounds of sliced apples, ¾ cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of refined flour, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg, ½ lemon, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of sugar and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Preparation
In a bowl, put the refined flour and add salt, butter, and ice water to it. Mix all the ingredients till they combine well.
Transfer the dough onto a surface and knead it with the help of your hands. Then, wrap the dough using a cling wrap and refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour.
In a separate bowl, put the sliced apples and add sugar, refined flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon to it. Mix all the ingredients and refrigerate them.
Transfer the pie dough onto a surface and cut it into two portions. Sprinkle some flour on the two portions and roll them into round shapes.
Roll one portion of the pie dough around the rolling pin and unroll it on top of a bowl. Place the filling on top of it.
Then, place the other portion of the dough on top of the filling and seal the edges. Apply the egg mixture and sprinkle some sugar on the sealed dough.
Use a knife and make four slits in the center of the pie. Bake it for 60 minutes at 375F. Once it’s baked, place a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the pie and enjoy the dessert!
8. Spaghetti pie
This is another delicious pie recipe for beginners.
To make this recipe, you will need 6 ounces of cooked spaghetti noodles, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/3 cup of chopped onion, 1/4 cup of mushroom, 1/4 cup of green pepper, 1 cup of sour cream, 1 pound of Italian sausage, 6 ounces of tomato paste, 1 cup of water, and 1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese.
Pre-preparation
To make the green pepper mushroom mix, saute the green pepper, mushroom, and onion in butter. Once the ingredients soften, stop sauteing and keep them aside.
To make the meat sauce, cook the meat till it turns brown. Add the tomato paste and water to it. Cook it on low flame for 10 minutes. The meat sauce is ready.
Preparation
Put the cooked spaghetti noodles in a bowl and add the eggs and parmesan to it. Mix all the ingredients well. Transfer them to another bowl and spread the noodles evenly.
In a separate bowl, put the sour cream and add the green pepper mushroom mix to it. Combine all the ingredients well.
Now, add the sour cream mixture to the noodles. Spread it as an even layer. You also have to add the meat sauce layer to the sour cream layer.
Then, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top and bake the pie at 350F for 25 minutes. Once it’s baked, your delicious spaghetti pie is ready to be served!
9. Cheese scones
This recipe is easy to make and a time saver too!
You will need 175g of refined flour, 25g of butter, 75g of hard cheese, 1 egg (beaten), 100 ml of milk, 1/2 teaspoon of mustard powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper to make this recipe.
Preparation
Using a sieve, put the flour and mustard powder in a bowl. Add butter to it and mix the ingredients using your hands. Then, add about 3/4 of the hard cheese to it and mix all the ingredients well.
In a separate bowl, mix the milk and eggs, and add 3/4 of them to the dry ingredients. Knead the ingredients into a dough using your hands.
Transfer the dough onto a surface and sprinkle some flour on it. Roll the dough to a round shape of 1-inch thickness using a rolling pin.
Cut it into small portions using a cookie cutter. Then, place them on a parchment paper-lined baking tray.
Brush the remaining milk-egg mixture on the scone dough and add the remaining cheese to them.
Preheat the oven to 200C and bake the scones for 15 minutes. Once it’s baked, your delicious cheese scones are ready to be feasted upon!
10. Blueberry muffins
This is an all-time-favorite recipe for kids and can be made in no time!
To make this recipe, you will need 2 cups of refined flour, 1 cup of white sugar, ½ teaspoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 2 eggs, ½ cup of milk, ⅓ cup of vegetable oil, 2 cups of fresh blueberries and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Preparation
In a bowl, put the refined flour and add the sugar, salt, and baking powder to it. Mix the ingredients well.
In a separate bowl, add all the wet ingredients, including oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix them till they combine well.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient mixture and mix them well. Coat the blueberries in some flour and add them to the muffin batter.
Fold all the ingredients using a silicone spatula. Then, pour the batter into the cupcake liners using a spoon. Sprinkle some sugar on top of the batter.
Finally, bake the muffins at 375 F for 25 minutes. Once it’s baked, enjoy the blueberry muffins with your loved ones.
11. Strawberry cobbler
This recipe is another easy-peasy recipe that would work well for beginners.
You will need 3 cups of chopped strawberries, 3/4 cup of sugar, 1 cup of refined flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of milk, 8 tablespoons of melted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Preparation
In a bowl, put the chopped strawberries and add sugar to them. Mix these ingredients well. In a separate bowl, put the refined flour and add baking powder, salt, and sugar to it.
Mix all the ingredients till they combine well. Then, add the wet ingredients, including milk, butter, and vanilla extract. Mix these ingredients well.
Pour the batter into a casserole and add the strawberry mixture to it. Preheat the oven to 375 F and bake the cobbler for 40 minutes. Once it’s baked, the strawberry cobbler is ready to be relished!
12. Spiced apples
This is a fantastic recipe that would be ideal for beginners.
To make this recipe, you will need 2 tablespoons of butter, 4 apples (peeled and sliced), ½ cup of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder, ½ teaspoon of ginger powder, ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg powder, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of corn starch, and ½ teaspoon of salt.
Preparation
In a bowl, put the sliced apples and add lemon and salt to them. In a saucepan, add the butter and saute the apples. Add brown sugar, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, and ginger powder. Mix all the ingredients till they combine well.
Close the pan with a lid and cook it for 5 minutes. You can mix the corn starch in 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the sauteed apple to get a thicker consistency.
The delicious spiced cinnamon apple is now ready to be served.
13. Fudgy brownie
Beginners can easily prepare this delicious chocolate treat.
You will need 8 ounces of chocolate, ¾ cup of melted butter, 1¼ cups of sugar, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, ¾ cup of refined flour, ¼ cup of cocoa powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Preparation
Melt 4 ounces of chocolate in a bowl. In a separate bowl, put the melted butter and add sugar to it. Whisk the ingredients till you get a creamy consistency.
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and melted chocolate to the bowl and mix the ingredients well. Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt to the wet ingredient mixture using a sieve.
Fold the batter using a silicon spatula. Chop the remaining 4 ounces of chocolate and add it to the batter.
Take a square-shaped cake tin lined with parchment paper and pour the brownie batter into it.
Bake it in the oven at 350F for 25 minutes. Once it’s baked, the moist and fudgy brownie is ready to be savored!
Well, there you go, 13 delicious & easy baking recipes for beginners.
Guest Author: Saket Kumar
Last Updated on by Sathi