I HATE baking!!! HATE it!

[Chefzhat]

Is anyone else all thumbs with flour and sugar? Or is it just me??? GRRRR. I'm so frustrated right now.

I don't get it. I follow the recipes exactly. I have consistent ingredients. My oven temp is right and the humidity is low. Why, oh why can't I get anything to turn out consistently?? Yesterday I had to bake two cakes just to get one that was edible and rose to the height I wanted. Today I'm on my second batch of oatmeal cookies because - of course - the first batch was flat and gummy.

It's like this every time I get in the kitchen to bake something. I have a good recipe, it will turn out great the first time (mostly), then when I go to repeat it, it flops horribly. I think my karma is off kilter when it comes to baking.

Grrrrr. ***stomping around in frustration *****

Debie

PS - thanks for letting me p*ss and moan!

[PAMMELA]

I do not bake either and have no desire. But...I went ahead and made Moomie's Buns for the first time. First batch - Trash. I think i did everything wrong, and i was using my bread machine mind you, i mean how can you mess that up?! I didn't have my ingredients at room temp, i i didn't use lukewarm water, i didn't use all the sugar, then to top it off, i kept on peeking in my machine to see if looked right!

Second batch turned out, but i did everything TO THE LETTER. Precisely measured, room temp ingredients, the water was right, i used all the sugar, and most importantly, i didn't peek!

I think that's the part i don't like - i like to throw this in, throw that in, i don't really measure. I'm like Rachael Ray who doesn't bake either. I watched her make waffles this weekend and she uses a coffee cup as a measuring cup for her flour, etc! I was like, oh, that is SO me!!

I feel for you, but have no advice.

[heavy hedonist]

I'm so sorry. I am a wonderful baker, she says in all modesty, but I still have bad baking days too once in a while.

[ErinM]

My family likes to characterize me as a baker more than a "cooker". It's not that I can't cook things well, it's just that they think anything I bake is phenonomenal!

Debie, I'd help you if I was closer!

[Tutalady]

I can bake anything here in TX except cakes...........for some reason they always fall. Know my oven is right, the electric company gave us our own single meter, and have tried recipes I have used all over the world........no luck here so I stick to quick breads, cookies, etc.

[Casey1230]

I can't bake either... can cook, but everything I bake is marginal... ah well....

[avariell]

I am sorry Debie! That stinks. I, too, consider myself a pretty adept baker but definitely have my share of flops

The only thing off the top of my head - do you use low fat/lightened recipes? I think those ingredients can be suspect in quality...

[Mamasue]

(((((((((((Debie))))))))))))))))

Maybe you need a basic "how to" for Baking cookbook. One that shows you how to cream, measure, fold, etc.

[I_luv_2_bake]

I'm sorry you aren't having any luck in the baking department. Read the recipe through thoroughly before starting the project. If the direction say to beat something for 2 minutes on medium speed (incorporate air into the batter)- set the timer. Don't use substitutes. Use bright shiny baking pans. If you have baking pans with a dark finish, lower your oven temp by 25*.

Good luck, Debie

[KristiB]

I'm the same way Debie although I do find I get better results with the scale than the measuring cup when the recipe calls for ingredients by weight.

Pastry is my nemesis.

[Kahlico]

(((Debie)))) I know how it feels. The past couple of weeks I feel as if my flop-meter was reset to high. As many times as DH hears me scream, "I just want to give up, I su*k at cooking!" he just reminds me that everyone has a bad day (or 3 months) and if I stop cooking, we'll go hungry 'cause none of the restaurants around here satisfy us.

So, hang in there, I'm sure they taste wonderful, and it's okay to blame their looks and texture on the humidity. That's why several loaves of my bread flopped in the springtime.

[Beth]

I wish I knew what to tell you. I gew up baking before I started much cooking. My boys have started baking along with the simpler cooking. I've never thought of it as hard, and I am not a scientific measurer and timer. Breads didn't come naturally. I had to read some general background about yeast, gluten and the process so that I understood what it meant to knead until "smooth and elastic", but then I was fine. Maybe the basic baking book to give you a similar background would be a good idea. You may be doing something differently that you don't realize.

[Chefzhat]

Debie, I'd help you if I was closer!

Thanks. I could use the help! Or the company when drinking away the pain of failure!

I am sorry Debie! That stinks. I, too, consider myself a pretty adept baker but definitely have my share of flops

The only thing off the top of my head - do you use low fat/lightened recipes? I think those ingredients can be suspect in quality...

Nope. But good thinking.

(((((((((((Debie))))))))))))))))

Maybe you need a basic "how to" for Baking cookbook. One that shows you how to cream, measure, fold, etc.

Hi sweetie! You know, that "how to" book is a great idea! I've never thought of that. I didn't grow up baking at all, even cooking came later in life.

I'm the same way Debie although I do find I get better results with the scale than the measuring cup when the recipe calls for ingredients by weight.

I have a food scale, perhaps I'll give that a whirl.

Thanks everyone for the input and "ears". I'm clearing the kitchen now from my final round of cookies and hopefully these will turn out. They look good, at least.

Part of my problem is that I really don't care for baked goods so I don't think I have the inherent skillz that come with loving and creating sugary goodness. And since I don't like it, my taste tests are rather unpleasant - it could taste good but I wouldn't know it.

[luv2cook]

I was making blueberry cake the other day and I accidentally used salt instead of sugar. they are both in Tupperware containers, clearly labeled. I hadn't had my first cup of coffee, so I blamed that!

Fortunately I caught it before I wasted too many ingredients...turned out great whereas the last one I made didnt. Go figger!

[PurplePotato]

I am an awesome baker but I cannot make cookies. Just can't do it. Cookies are evil. Buy some and put them on a pretty plate then pour a glass of wine.

[funniegrrl]

There are plenty of people who are good cooks who can't / don't like to bake -- it's pretty common. It's usually for the very reason you cite; baking requires a certain amount of exactitude that tries their patience. Others are just the opposite in that the required precision is right up their scientifically-minded alley.

The thing about baking is that success does depend, in part, on technique. You can use the right ingredients & equipment, measure everything perfectly, etc., and still produce a flop. With quick breads, overmixing can be a problem. With pastry, temperature of ingredients as well as lightness of touch is important. Cakes are dependent on the type of mixing being done correctly at different stages. Yeast breads are ENTIRELY different creatures and require a set of techniques different from other types of baking. Etc.

A how-to book is a good idea, but even better would be lessons. If you've never created a real success, you may not know what properly creamed butter and sugar look like, for example. If you're near a Viking Store that offers classes, they have a class called Bakeshop Basics that might set you on the right path. Or perhaps you know an excellent baker who would be willing to tutor you or at least let you watch them bake something.

[amyvn]

I really love the Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking cookbook as a beginner's baking book. It has beautifully illustrated instructions on everything from cutting fat into pastry dough, to whipping egg whites to various consistencies. . . and great recipes besides. I don't bake often, but when I do it's my go-to reference for the basics.

Amy

[Mamasue]

Just a thought here.....www.youtube.com is a wonderful place to learn cooking skills. I typed in creaming butter and a good number of videos came up.

[margeslp]

I don't want to bake. I can't and maintain or lose weight. My practice over many, many years is not to provide dessert on a daily basis. I do for company but put remainder in freezer where I can't eat it. I do desserts for NYS Fair and have won blue ribbons. I have had a longtime weight loss problem and would rather spend my thrill of cooking at home on heart healthy.
I do volunteer to bring muffins or chocolate trifle just because I want to try everything, This site has given me more options

[Chelle D]

Debie, I too HATE to bake. I only do it sporadically and only to impress if I need to. I hate to measure. I hate to follow the rules. And I am close enough to drink to the utter failure of your cakes, but not to teach you how to make them

[PattiA]

I don't hate baking, but I certainly don't love it. For me, I think that it is the precision thing. I'd rather cook things that allow me to improvise.

My baking results are very inconsistent because I don't embrace the precision involved in it. I know how to do it, I just don't like to.

This is very interesting to me since my early cooking experiences with my mom were all baking.

When I do bake, I want it to be something that is fun. Like mini desserts. I'm crazy about mini desserts. For someone who doesn't bake very much, I sure have a lot of mini dessert pans.

[Cookin4Love]

Maybe this is an off-the-wall question, but would others consider your baking efforts to be "failures," or do they just not live up the high expectations you've established through your other cooking successes? I find that my standards are so high that I'm sometimes ready to pitch something in the trash, but other people love it and finish it off.

To improve your baking skills, a how-to book is probably a good idea. I have always baked, but I'm a better baker now that I understand more about what it's all about.

[SDMomChef]

I hear ya....

Ironically, I used to enjoy baking before I took some cooking classes and really started to cook. Now...I just don't enjoy baking. It doesn't have the same creativity is part of it, and the second part is that unless it is a chocolate cake or a special occasion, it seems like the family doesn't eat it up and I end up throwing it away.

And....I absolutely hate making cookies and cupcakes - so time consuming!

FWIW....I have NEVER been able to make a cheesecake - can't seem to figure out the magical time to take it out of the oven, and then it seems like when I try to store it, it gets watery. I've given up completely on that dessert.

[ljt2r]

Maybe this is an off-the-wall question, but would others consider your baking efforts to be "failures," or do they just not live up the high expectations you've established through your other cooking successes? I find that my standards are so high that I'm sometimes ready to pitch something in the trash, but other people love it and finish it off.

I wondered this too--when my family had their huge (100+ people) pig roast this past summer and I did the desserts (I did cookie trays) my sister and my mom were constantly on my case that I was trying too hard or being too much of a perfectionist, for lack of a better way to put it. But I definitely understand wanting to achieve perfection! If the results are decent, I have learned to be happy and just send it in to DH's work. They never seem to notice.

I used to hate baking--the whole precision thing as many have noted. Then I had kids. I have no idea what happened, but I became a baking fiend. Actually I do have 2 guesses: the first is that baked goods are just universally appreciated by children while other efforts might not be. The second is that there is no time pressure to baked goods, at least not most of them. I can leisurely bake and who cares if it is ready by dinner or for lunch... baking has actually become my de-stresser. But I say that as a SAHM.

Actually, on a related note, our dog has lately gotten out of control with food theft, the other day he stole half of a chocolate cake before I stopped him. I have noticed that when he steals baked goods I go absolutely ballistic whereas I am much more likely to be philosophical about it if he steals my cooking.

I always made bread. I don't even consider it baking the same way since the ingredients frequently need to be adjusted to dough feel.

I also recommend a good baking book. Regan Daley's In The Sweet Kitchen was the first place I ever understood you need a clean bowl for whipping egg whites, for example. Some cookbooks just assume you know things.

[avariell]

Ok I have to chime in again... everyone keeps talking about how challenging baking is because you have to follow recipes to the letter. But I totally disagree. For the typical home cook, most recipes are fairly forgiving and adjustable. I am not talking about making fancy french pastry or caramels, but stuff like muffins or cookies or quickbreads can be fiddled with quite a bit. I almost wonder if people put too much pressure on themselves to follow a recipe exactly and that is where some mistakes happen? Or at least it is where a lot of enjoyment of the process goes down the drain... Just thought I would toss it out there...

[ljt2r]

Ok I have to chime in again... everyone keeps talking about how challenging baking is because you have to follow recipes to the letter. But I totally disagree. For the typical home cook, most recipes are fairly forgiving and adjustable. I am not talking about making fancy french pastry or caramels, but stuff like muffins or cookies or quickbreads can be fiddled with quite a bit. I almost wonder if people put too much pressure on themselves to follow a recipe exactly and that is where some mistakes happen? Or at least it is where a lot of enjoyment of the process goes down the drain... Just thought I would toss it out there...

How much some things can be fiddled with depends on your expectations I think. For exs, I agree with you completely about quick breads, and I have a pretty wide range of what I consider acceptable in a quick bread. BUT, I totally disagree about cookies. (This is an ongoing debate between me and my sister and mom for those of you following. I am definitely the only one who regularly uses her scale.) I am MUCH pickier about the results. When I don't pay attention I end up with flat cookies, for exs, which I detest. Or crunchy cookies--same thing. Of course I will point out it does not mean flat or crunchy cookies are a failure, but they are for me. I think for consistent results you should be more precise--and it matters to me that my cookies are consistently the way I want them. I don't care so much about quick breads--and it is clear from efforts around here that people are always subtracting fat and sugar to no apparent detriment. But if I was used to the full fat and full sugar I might not like those adjustments.

[funniegrrl]

It DOES depend a lot on expected results as well as the type of item being made. I also agree that a lot of "home" recipes have some leeway if you know the rules, but there's a line in the sand for each. If you don't understand that adding something acidic to a recipe may interfere with the leavening, and how to compensate for that, then you best not be throwing lemon juice into that banana bread recipe. Even so, one person's disaster may indeed be another person's success. Even disasters can be dealt with in creative ways -- the cake that sticks to the pan and comes out in chunks can be turned into a trifle, etc. There's nothing wrong with high standards, but you have to decide if you're willing to put in the effort to meet those standards.

[heavy hedonist]

Part of my problem is that I really don't care for baked goods so I don't think I have the inherent skillz that come with loving and creating sugary goodness. And since I don't like it, my taste tests are rather unpleasant - it could taste good but I wouldn't know it.

stick to savory baked things!!! when your baking security rate is up from that, the sweet stuff will be a cinch!

[Jewel]

I am an awesome baker but I cannot make cookies. Just can't do it. Cookies are evil. Buy some and put them on a pretty plate then pour a glass of wine.

I am totally the opposite...I'm known as the Cookie Lady at my workplace and have 'em lining up at potlucks and begging me for recipes that I won't give up.

But ask me to bake anything that requires yeast or kneading, bake a lemon meringue pie (my nemesis!) or bake a layer cake that doesn't rise only 1/8" or dome severely, and I tank.

I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours....

[Beth]

Rack me up in the not to precise or stressed group. I do measure other than the last half of the flour being added to a bread dough or something I am doing as a variation -- I have never gotten to that throw some flour and stuff in a bowl and it makes the most perfect ______ you've ever eaten point. I've never tried it. But I don't think most baking requires such precision that you should get stressed at it. It's not worth it if you do.

I'm known as the cookie lady in the band hall because that's what I share with everyone the most. I feel pretty comfortable with anything, but I do pies the least. I just didn't grow up in a pie family. DH did, and I say I will bake them more, but we don't -- probably because my sister brings the pies at Thansgiving and I don't think about them most of the rest of the time.