It is a very satisfying moment when your home baking enjoys a triumphant outcome and the food you have baked looks and tastes amazing. It can be equally frustrating when things don’t quite turn out as well as expected.

Usually, it is a fairly common mistake that causes the problem. A classic scenario is when you are not sure how many tablespoons are in a cup and because you have got the measurements wrong it has caused your baking results to suffer as a result.

Let’s take a look at the most common mistakes to avoid while baking.

Is your oven ready for baking?

A classic faux pas is to attempt to start baking in an oven that has not been pre-heated.

If your oven is not at the required temperature when you put your items in for cooking it will upset the chemistry of the baking and can instantly ruin the outcome.

Make sure your oven is at the desired temperature before you start to bake.

Got the measurements wrong?

Most recipes call for absolute precision when it comes to adding the right quantities of each ingredient.

Make sure you get to know your measures and use a set of cups and weighing scales to achieve the level of accuracy you need for everything to turn out just right.

You need to be patient

It can be so tempting to check on your baking by opening the oven door during cooking but this is something you should avoid doing.

As soon as you open the oven door you are letting the warm air flow out and this will have an impact on the temperature inside. Even worse, by opening the door you could see your cake collapse. Resist the temptation to check and don’t open the oven until the suggested baking time has been reached.

Pay attention to the texture

If you don’t mix the ingredients thoroughly you are likely to see that your batter or dough is lumpy and does not have a consistent texture.

Make sure you properly sift the flour to remove any lumps. Also, take the time and effort to ensure that you have used exactly the right amount of flour and mixed it thoroughly.

Baking for too long or not long enough

You will know if you have got the baking times wrong when your cake turns out either too dry or too wet.

If it’s too dry you have probably baked it for too long and taken the moisture out. Not enough cooking time usually results in a cake that is too wet.

Use a toothpick or a small knife to puncture the cake to check if it comes out clean. That’s the confirmation needed that your cake is ready.

Make sure your ingredients are ready for use

If you need your butter to be at room temperature, for example, you shouldn’t just take it out of the fridge and hope everything is okay.

Check what temperature your ingredients need to be at so that you can prepare them for use.

Uneven baking results

If you are struggling to get good results because your items are not baking evenly it could be that your oven is not distributing the heat evenly.

A good way to avoid this happening would be to rotate your goods at least once during cooking if that won’t upset the cooking process.

When you follow the baking instructions to the letter, have the right ingredients, and avoid some of the other classic mistakes mentioned, you should manage to get the desired results every time.

Get everything right and your baking masterpiece will taste so much better.