Easy Bakes and Desserts for Beginners

Baking is just following the rules (mostly)

Cooking rewards improvisation; baking rewards precision. Once you understand that, baking stops being scary. Measure properly, follow the steps, and you'll get reliably lovely results, even as a beginner.

Start with forgiving bakes

Some bakes are far more forgiving than others, which makes them perfect for building confidence.

• Carrot cake is famously hard to get wrong, stays moist, and needs no special skill, as in this classic Carrot Cake.
• Simple fruit cakes like an Apple Cake are mix-and-bake easy.
• Traybakes such as Chocolate Coconut Squares bake in one tin and slice up generously.

A few baking basics

1. Measure accurately — use scales if you can; baking is chemistry.
2. Get ingredients to room temperature unless told otherwise; cold butter and eggs don't combine well.
3. Don't overmix once the flour goes in, or cakes turn tough.
4. Know your oven — most run hot or cool, so the first time you bake something, check a little early.

Beyond cakes

Desserts don't have to mean cake. Fried doughs like Dutch doughnuts are a fun weekend project, and baked fruit puddings like Banana den Forno turn simple ingredients into something comforting.

Quick answers

Why did my cake sink in the middle? Often the oven door was opened too early, or the cake was underbaked. Resist peeking until near the end.

Can I bake without scales? You can with cup measures, but scales are far more accurate, and accuracy is what makes baking work.

Feeling inspired? Browse all our dessert recipes or our chocolate collection.