Category: Baking Basics

Cocoa Powder 101

Have you ever wondered the difference between the types of cocoa powder? Find out the difference between natural, dutch-process, and…

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Have you ever wondered the difference between the types of cocoa powder? Find out the difference between natural, dutch-process, and black cocoa and how to know which one to use in your recipe.

Overhead view of three bowls. From the top down, they hold: natural cocoa powder, dutched cocoa, and black cocoa.

I’ve been baking for a long time. I grew up watching my nana make her famous pumpkin rolls and easy cheesecake and loved helping my mom in the kitchen.

But I know that not everyone learned to cook and bake as a kid. So a lot of us are trying to learn as much as we can as adults. 

If that’s you, there’s zero shame in not knowing how to make a quick buttermilk substitute or needing someone to teach you how to measure flour or how to cream butter and sugar correctly. 

Cocoa powder is one of those baking ingredients that sounds really basic, but then you get to the grocery store baking aisle and see multiple types. How do you know which kind to buy? What is natural cocoa powder and how is it different from dutched cocoa?

Before you panic, keep reading. I’m going to teach you about the types of cocoa powder, how to know which one to use, and a few tips on how to store them and know if and when they go bad.

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How to Make Butter

Making rich, creamy butter at home is so much easier than you think! Once you know how to make butter,…

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Making rich, creamy butter at home is so much easier than you think! Once you know how to make butter, you’ll find yourself making it every week and flavoring it in a hundred different ways.

Bowl of butter surrounded by crackers on a marble board.

If you’ve been around for a while, you know how much I love being able to make things at home.

Whether it’s having a buttermilk substitute recipe up my sleeve or knowing how to make an amazing pumpkin pie spice, I like knowing how to make some key baking basics in my own kitchen.

You might think that making butter is just for your ancestors, but I can promise you that it’s not. Homemade butter has an incredible flavor and it’s unbelievably easy!

Whether you’re making it to impress dinner guests, turning it into a delicious compound butter, or simply looking for a way to use up excess heavy cream, knowing how to make butter is a trick that’s worth keeping in mind.

There are 3 easy ways to make your own butter using tools you likely already have on hand, so let’s talk through them.

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Homemade Croutons

Homemade croutons are the best finishing touch to a salad! Learn what breads to use, how to season them, and how to make sure they’re perfectly crispy. When you’re planning a big holiday dinner, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in the ham or turkey and all of the sides – like garlic mashed potatoes …

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Homemade croutons are the best finishing touch to a salad! Learn what breads to use, how to season them, and how to make sure they’re perfectly crispy.

Wooden spoon holding a spoonful of homemade croutons on a baking sheet.

When you’re planning a big holiday dinner, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in the ham or turkey and all of the sides – like garlic mashed potatoes and Jiffy corn casserole – that you forget to add a fresh veggie to the menu.

A beautiful salad is a great way to add some freshness to a heavy meal, and I’m here to tell you that it does not have to be boring. 

One of the easiest ways to make a salad both delicious and impressive is with some homemade croutons. Everyone loves croutons and they’re so easy to customize with any seasonings you like!

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Brown Butter Frosting

The nuttiness of brown butter pairs with the sweetness of powdered sugar in this decadent brown butter frosting. It’s incredible any time of year, but especially when used to top your favorite fall cakes and cupcakes. I’m a big believer in taking my recipes and making them your own.  This is especially true with my …

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The nuttiness of brown butter pairs with the sweetness of powdered sugar in this decadent brown butter frosting. It’s incredible any time of year, but especially when used to top your favorite fall cakes and cupcakes.

Close up of a spice cupcake topped with brown butter frosting.

I’m a big believer in taking my recipes and making them your own. 

This is especially true with my cakes and cupcakes. I often give you cake and frosting pairings, but you should just consider those to be suggestions or starting points. 

It’s the reason why I have so many different frosting recipes for you, from buttercream and cream cheese frosting to strawberry frosting and whipped cream frosting. 

And today I’m sharing my newest favorite: brown butter frosting. I’ll give you some suggested ways to use it later in this post, but I really hope you’ll get creative. Feel free to use it however you like and make something brand new with it – that’s really the whole point of baking, after all!

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How to Cream Butter and Sugar

Creaming butter and sugar is one of the most common steps when making baked goods like cookies and cakes, but it’s also a step that’s commonly misunderstood. Learn how to cream butter and sugar and get the answers to some frequently asked questions about this technique. When you’re a veteran baker, sometimes you take for …

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Creaming butter and sugar is one of the most common steps when making baked goods like cookies and cakes, but it’s also a step that’s commonly misunderstood. Learn how to cream butter and sugar and get the answers to some frequently asked questions about this technique.

White bowl of sugar and two sticks of butter on a countertop in front of a sliced pound cake.

When you’re a veteran baker, sometimes you take for granted the tips and tricks you have learned over the years. 

Things like how to measure flour correctly or how to make a simple buttermilk substitute eventually become second nature, but there was a time when we all had to learn these things.

One of the most important techniques in baking is learning how to cream butter and sugar properly. But it’s also one of the things that we sometimes forget to teach new bakers!

If you’re new to baking and have been confused about why creaming butter and sugar together is important or how to know when it’s ready for the next step in the recipe, this is the post for you. We’re going to talk through the basics of this important technique and learn how it can change the outcome of your baked goods.

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How to Can Apple Butter

Want to store your homemade apple butter long-term but don’t have freezer space? Learn how to can apple butter and enjoy this fall favorite all year long. Without a doubt my most popular recipe this time of year is my slow cooker apple butter. And there’s really no question why! It’s incredibly easy and absolutely …

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Want to store your homemade apple butter long-term but don’t have freezer space? Learn how to can apple butter and enjoy this fall favorite all year long.

Close up of a jar of canned apple butter.

Without a doubt my most popular recipe this time of year is my slow cooker apple butter. And there’s really no question why! It’s incredibly easy and absolutely delicious.

One of the most common questions I get about the recipe is: Can I can this apple butter?

I didn’t grow up with a grandmother who canned food, so I never messed around much with it. It always seemed really intimidating to me. But I called up my friend Megan and asked her to teach me what I needed to know to can my apple butter.

I don’t think I’ll become a master canner, but it’s nice to know how to preserve one of my favorite fall foods without taking up a bunch of space in my freezer. 

So let’s talk through the basics on how to can apple butter!

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