Challenges in baking - new to baking

[sarah 987]

I am a new baker and would like to know what challenges you faced and what strategy you used to fix it?

 

[dragnlaw]

Perhaps if you told some of your own challenges as a new baker??
What have you baked? Cakes, cookies, pies, pastry?

What went wrong with your baking? We could possibly help you with specifics.

Give us some insight as to just how new you are?
This might make a difference in answers.

 

[Marlingardener]

My most recent challenge was having apple nut bread fall apart. The crumbs tasted good, but the result wasn't attractive!
I found that the ingredients had to be added in the specific order listed in the recipe, and that I needed to measure instead of guessing (hey, that looks like about two cups of apples).
I have learned that the first time with a recipe, follow it religiously. You can tweak and improvise later.
Baking is a lot of fun, and when you get comfortable with baking, you will find a lot of friends you didn't know you had!

 

[Aunt Bea]

These days the biggest challenge is finding TNT recipes.

There are many, many, flawed recipes floating around the internet.

As you become more experienced you will be able to spot them without bothering to test them.

 

[Badjak]

@Aunt Bea
What does TNT stand for?

 

[GotGarlic]

@Aunt Bea
What does TNT stand for?

Tried N (and) True.

 

[taxlady]

Do we still have that pinned post with our most used abbreviations?

 

[Kathleen]

Measuring. Following directions. Baking is so draconian and unforgiving.

 

[gerardj]

These days the biggest challenge is finding TNT recipes.

There are many, many, flawed recipes floating around the internet.

As you become more experienced you will be able to spot them without bothering to test them.

I don't trust if there is no video, or if theres a lot of edits in a video.
I don't watch a video if the recipe isn't given, I'm not interested in being redirected to some website where they try to sell me customized mugs or aprons.

Its becoming more difficult to find simple basic recipes, I spent a lot of time searching for the original way to make coconut ice, they're all condensed milk and thats not real coconut ice, its a gooey mess.

 

[gerardj]

and these posts , especially by new posters who don't return or attempt to engage in dialogue , thats how they use bots to train AI.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

@Aunt Bea
What does TNT stand for?

TriNitroToluene

 

[kashmirtiffinservice]

I am kind of new at baking, the thing is most of my cakes are either too chewy or too hard, and always raw from center, I have read it a lot of times that it is caused by over mixing and under mixing but I still do not know where to draw the line.

 

[dragnlaw]

kashmir, unless you can tell us what/how you were doing things, it's pretty difficult to help you with any suggestions.

 

[Andy M.]

I am kind of new at baking, the thing is most of my cakes are either too chewy or too hard, and always raw from center, I have read it a lot of times that it is caused by over mixing and under mixing but I still do not know where to draw the line.

You should be using a low protein flour for cakes. Cake flour would be ideal. I mix until the ingredients are incorporated. If it's raw in the center but cooked around the outside, your oven time and temperature need adjustment.