Your 11 common baking mistakes and how to cure them

"11 common baking mistakes and how to cure them"

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As you all know, baking is a wonderful and gratifying process, a beloved culinary art form that many people like, especially because it promises delicious sweets and comforting fragrances. But have you ever tried baking something? If yes, then you might know that baking is an exact science, and like all sciences, it requires accuracy and exactness. And even amid the excitement of producing delicious treats, there's a less glamorous aspect to baking: accidents happen. These errors, which can range from sunken centers to charred edges, can cause a wave of dissatisfaction and disappointment, transforming what was supposed to be a pleasurable experience into a culinary challenge. It means you have to remember that even the smallest mistake (which you might think will go unnoticed) will ruin your entire hard work, and the outcome will create a wave of disappointment. 
But don’t need to worry; it doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner baker or a seasoned pro. We always make mistakes because we are human beings. So don’t get discouraged if what you’re trying to do doesn’t turn out the way you were expecting. 
Behind every mess and failure, there are specific reasons why some things don’t work out when baking. So don’t lose hope and try again tomorrow, because even a professional and seasoned pro makes mistakes all the time. But with the right knowledge, you can avoid such common baking blinders and settle them without panicking. 
 
So in this blog post, I am going to cover the 11 most common and stressful baking blunders that you should avoid and also give you easy cures for typical baking mistakes.  

Common Baking blunders & how to cure them

1. Baking at the wrong temperature: 

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One of the biggest baking mistakes is baking at the wrong temperature. Honestly, how many of you do that? I'll preheat my oven a little later. This is the biggest mistake we make while baking. 
It is common knowledge that wrong or inconsistent oven temperatures could result in a variety of temperature problems. Cakes that are overheated or undercooked can occur when baking is irregular as a result of ovens with too much heat or those that have little to no heat. Also, the absurd heating of an oven could affect the balance of delicate components and cause changes in texture and rise in baked goods. Sometimes we preheat our oven and follow the instructions, but still, we get unevenly baked cakes, sometimes overbaked. This happens because even if you preheat your oven, there is a high chance that your oven temperature is not as accurate as the dial might indicate. This happens because every oven will heat differently and sometimes unevenly. 
 

THE CURE: There are several ways to fix and cure your oven temperature. Aside from preheating the oven, buy an oven thermometer, one per oven. You will be amazed to see the difference! Moreover, when we are baking something, especially for home bakers, we have the habit of peeking in and checking on our dish while it is in the oven several times just to confirm everything is alright. But we need to understand that opening the oven again and again will escape hot air and disturb the oven temperature. As a consequence, it will destroy your food and your baked goods can’t reach their full potential. 

So, before preheating your oven or installing an oven thermometer, you need to stop peeking in the oven again and again, when your baked goods are in the oven,                                  

2. Not weighing the components

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Are you peeping at your ingredients? Are you measuring your ingredients accurately? Because a small mistake has a very big impact on how your baked goods turn out. So be sure that you are measuring your ingredients correctly. I usually observe highly qualified and experienced bakers who weigh every ingredient and make sure that they are measuring the right amount of each component. So it is a sign for you. If you are not measuring your ingredients, then surely you are doing something wrong, because most ingredient measurements should be precise to get proper chemical reactions. Inaccurate ingredient measuring is one common mistake we often make, and even small measurement errors, such as using too much flour, too little sugar, or incorrectly measuring leavening ingredients like yeast or baking powder, can have a big impact on your final results and how your baked goods turn out.

The cure: Make it a habit to measure each ingredient. Don’t assume the quantity or weight of the ingredients you’ll need. For measurement, use a digital scale to weigh out all your ingredients and use the exact quantity given or prescribed in the recipe. Buy a set of measuring cups, beakers, and spoons for exact measurement. You can also use a weighing scale for precise measurements! 

3. You open the oven frequently

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As I said earlier, opening your oven will often affect your baked goods. Every time you open your oven and peek in, the hot air will escape and lower the overall temperature of your oven. Along with the cold air, it will rush into the oven and change the oven temperature completely. As a result, you will get unevenly baked goods, unbaked cake edges, etc., and in the end, it will create a great mess and will take a lot of time and frosting just to hide this crater in the middle of your cake. 
  

The cure: You just need to stop peeking in while your baked goods are in the oven. Don’t open the door during baking. Without a clear purpose, or don’t open unless it's very important. Turn on the oven light and look at your baked goods from the oven window.

4. You are overmixing your ingredients
  

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Another very common mistake we make during baking is to overmix or undermix the batter, which can have a significant impact on the structure and texture of our baked goods. Undermixing may result in an uneven distribution of components and a poor texture, while overmixing may increase the formation of gluten and give the texture a dense, gritty texture. It is necessary to keep in mind that overmixing only occurs when we mix the batter and dough more than is required to incorporate them, which leads to an excessive formation of gluten and a dense, rough texture. A key baking principle that can have a big impact on the texture, structure, and overall quality of your baked goods is to avoid overmixing.

The cure: It's important to properly follow the recipe guidelines and mix the batter or dough just until the ingredients are completely incorporated in order to avoid overmixing. 

 

5. Why your dough isn't rising?

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Have you ever waited a couple of hours only to find your dough has not doubled in size? If your dough isn’t rising, then there are several factors behind it. This is such a sensitive topic that a whole separate article can be written, but let's talk about them one by one briefly. First, it's possible that you are using too little or old yeast, which could stop the dough from rising by producing too little gas. Never forget that yeast is a living organism; if it has been subjected to incorrect storage conditions or is too old, it is dead. Similarly, water that is too hot or too cold can kill or fail to activate the yeast. Over-kneading the dough can also affect gluten devolvement, affecting the dough structure and elasticity, because baking with yeast can be complicated, especially for beginner bakers. 
Also, using the wrong type of flour or weighing the ingredients incorrectly will affect the dough's consistency and rising ability. A lot of salt may decrease yeast activity. Moreover, if the dough is allowed to rise for a long time, it may break down and rise improperly when baked. 
Moreover, if your dough is too dry, it will be hard for the yeast to move and produce gas. These are the most common or possible reasons or factors why your dough isn’t rising. Now let's talk about some cures and how to avoid this mistake.
 

The cure: Before baking, make sure your yeast is fresh, and check the expiration date on your yeast to ensure it has not expired. Activate your yeast before you mix your ingredients. Use lukewarm water (about 40–45 °C or 105–115 °F) to activate your yeast. Knead your dough thoroughly until it becomes smooth and elastic; this will only take you 10 minutes by hand or barely 5–7 minutes with a stand mixer. Allow your dough to stand up in a warm, draft-free environment. 

The ideal temperature for your dough to rise is around 75–80 °F (24–27 °C). Also, use the appropriate amount of salt as specified in your recipe, usually around 1.5%–2% of the flour weight. Use bread flour, which has a higher protein content, for better gluten formation and rise. All-purpose flour can also work for many recipes, but the texture might be different. If you feel your dough is too firm, add more water because the dough should be soft and a little sticky. 
Finally, but just as importantly, pay great attention to the recipe, particularly when it comes to the amount of yeast, water, and flour. 
                                
       

6. Cracked tops on your cake

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Cracked tops on cakes are the baker's worst nightmare; cracks mean something went wrong in the process. Cracks happen when the cake expands too fast and the outside sets before the inside has a chance to rise.
Furthermore, there are occasions when the top crust cracks just because the inside keeps rising and expanding while the edges have already cooked and hardened; when this happens, the cover breaks. When the incorrect pan size is utilized, a cake may bake unevenly, leading to cracks and an insufficient rise.
 

The cure: For example, by lowering the oven temperature, one can prevent broken cake tops by baking more evenly. Lowering the oven temperature to slow down the rate of expansion during baking means that the inner layers can grow sufficiently before the outer layer sets too soon. This gentle cooking technique results in a cake with a uniform texture throughout, which decreases the chance of surface cracks. Similarly, using cake strips or the water bath method during baking can help shield cakes from cracking on top and guarantee that the heat is distributed evenly throughout. These bands are soaked in water and then wrapped around your cookware. They act as insulators.

 

7. Your baked goods are burnt & overcooked?

 

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Have you ever burned or overcooked your baked goods? I think we have all done this at least once in our lives. So, as you all know, burnt or overcooked goods are frustrating outcomes for any baker, leading to disappointment and wasted ingredients. Imagine you have been working in the kitchen since morning, and after three to four hours of tireless work, you finally find out that your baked or cooked food is burned or overcooked. How would you feel? There are several mistakes we often make that ruin our entire hard work and turn our baked goods into burnt or overcooked. From oven temperature fluctuations to improper timing, several variables can result in burned or overcooked goods. 
  

The cure: Lowering your oven temperature is a strategic maneuver that can prevent the burning or overcooking of baked goods, ensuring they are cooked evenly and to perfection. Additionally, covering your baked goods with foil halfway through baking is a smart tactic to prevent them from over-browning or burning while ensuring they cook evenly. This technique is particularly useful for items like pies, casseroles, and roasts, where the top may brown too quickly before the interior is fully cooked. By covering it with foil, heat is trapped, allowing the interior to continue cooking without the risk of the exterior becoming overly browned.

8. You don't use an electric mixer

 

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Many first-time bakers tend to forget electric mixers because they think their arm strength is enough. I still remember when I was new to baking, and I did the same later. I understand that many baking goods require the ingredients to be beaten together until they reach a certain consistency. Properly mixing the ingredients is a lot more than just combining them. Using your arm strength instead of an electric mixer will only increase your baking time. 

The cure: is to buy a good-quality electric mixer, and you will be able to find a wide range of electric mixers on Amazon for a very reasonable price. There are different mixers for individual recipes, but even a standard electric mixer should get the job done. Once you start mixing your baked goods with the help of a mixer, you will notice the difference.

9. Be aware of your ingredients & their substitutes                                       

 

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Ingredient substitutions (e.g., buttermilk for milk)
Ingredient substitutions in baking can be a lifesaver when you find yourself missing a key component of your recipe. A popular alternative is replacing regular milk with buttermilk. While, at the same time, buttermilk introduces a sour taste to baked goods as well as ensures moisture and tenderness. This replacement is excellent for pancake, waffle, biscuit, and cake recipes.
Therefore, there are several things to consider when replacing milk with buttermilk in a recipe. Firstly, it is worth remembering that, unlike regular milk, buttermilk is more viscous. As such, you may need to incorporate more liquid to make your batter or dough attain the right consistency. Secondly, if the recipe calls for baking soda, you may want to reduce the amount slightly, as buttermilk is already acidic and can activate the leavening agent more effectively.
 

The cure: The best way to avoid this common mistake is to carefully read the recipe for the product you’re baking. 

10. You messed up with an ingredients order

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It is possible because many inexperienced bakers are unaware of how important the order in which ingredients should be added is. This may be particularly true for new bakers, who may not be aware of the interactions between various ingredients during baking. And occasionally, when we're in a hurry, we might put speed ahead of carefully following directions. In an effort to save time, they could skip processes or mix components before they're ready, which could have an impact on the outcome.
And sometimes many of us believe that the order doesn’t significantly impact the outcome, especially if we haven’t experienced noticeable differences ourselves. This perception can lead to a more relaxed approach to recipe instructions. An experienced baker might deviate from the recommended order based on their understanding and experience. They might adapt recipes to suit their preferences in order to achieve a particular result. 
Additionally, baking can sometimes be a multitasking activity, leading to distractions and mistakes. People might accidentally add ingredients out of order simply because they are not paying close attention. 
 
 

The cure: Once again, follow your recipe. The instructions are given a certain way for a reason, and messed-up orders can have terrible results. My personal tip is to separate the dry and wet ingredients before you mix them. 

           

11. Using your ingredients at the wrong temperature

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Another very common mistake we often make is using ingredients at the wrong temperature for the recipe. Let's suppose you are using warm or room-temperature cookie dough instead of cooling it first. It is advisable to refrigerate the dough so that the fat in it hardens. Using it at room temperature will cause the fat to melt and result in a fragile product. Similarly, make sure your butter is not too cold because cold butter won’t cream properly with sugar, leading to dense and less aerated baked goods. This can result in cookies that don’t spread properly or cakes that are heavy. Let's talk about some others and how the wrong temperature will affect them. Cold eggs can cause batter to curdle when mixed with other ingredients, especially fats, leading to an uneven texture. It can also prevent thorough emulsification, which in turn affects the rise of cakes and the texture of other baked products. However, certain recipes do benefit from using warm eggs. Nevertheless, when they are too hot, they tend to start cooking before being mixed with other ingredients, causing lumps that affect the overall texture.
Too-cold milk and other liquids can cause fats to solidify, leading to a lumpy batter or dough. It will affect the rise and texture of the final product. And if your liquids are too warm, they will activate yeast too quickly in bread recipes, causing it to collapse too fast. Failure to have similar ingredient temperatures will result in poor mixing and uneven textures.
For example, lumps are frequently formed when cold butter, sugar, and flour are combined at room temperature.
 

THE CURE: Well, I will give you some tips on how you can solve this problem of baking with incorrect temperature ingredients in a recipe. First, take the butter out of the refrigerator about 30 to 60 minutes before baking to bring it to room temperature. Similarly, take eggs from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before use. If you want to bring them to room temperature quickly, you can place them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 5–10 minutes. 

For milk or any other liquid you are using in your recipe, measure it, then let it sit out for fifteen to twenty minutes, or lightly warm it up if necessary. Make sure you don't go above the desired temperature mark, though! To verify whether your ingredients are in the right state, use a kitchen thermometer!
For yeast-based recipes, make sure your liquids are between 100F and 110F (38C and 43C) for optical yeast activation. If you forget to take your butter out in advance, cut it into small pieces to speed up the softening process. Eggs: Place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5–10 minutes to bring them to room temperature quickly. You can also use an alternative method: crack your eggs into a bowl and let them sit for about 10 minutes before using them. If your recipe calls for warm liquids, use a microwave or stovetop to gently warm them, but make sure the liquids are warm but not hot to avoid killing the yeast. Store commonly used baking ingredients, like butter and eggs, at room temperature if you plan to bake frequently. Use a butter dish to keep the butter soft but not melted. Last but not least, if you need to use cold butter for certain recipes, like pie crusts or biscuits, cut it into small pieces and chip them before using them to achieve the desired flaky texture. 
                               

Concluding Remarks...!!

 
Always remember one thing: we are humans, and we make mistakes no matter how much experience we have or how professional or expert we are in our fields. So it's okay to make mistakes. I still remember when I was a beginner at baking. I made a lot of mistakes, and believe me, after making every blunder, I learned something from it. Either I forgot to add key ingredients, forgot to read the recipe properly, or used my ingredients at the wrong temperature, but I didn’t lose hope and was disappointed. It's okay to feel bad sometimes or even cry after wasting hours and hours. Even though I used to do it after making every blunder, the next day I get up again with great energy and passion. If you want to become a pro or expert in baking, no matter in which field you are, then there is one universal rule you need to 
 
Practice again and again. Remember, “practice makes man perfect.“ Same here in baking. You need three things. You can call it a baking motto: “Practice, patience, and passion." That's it!! Happy baking….!!!