Amazing Baking Tips for Beginners in Edinburgh

If you’re keen to grab an apron and try your hand at Edinburgh baking classes in 2024, we’ve got some brilliant baking tips for beginners. Whether you're a superfan of the Great British Bake Off or you need fun team building activities to try - we’re here to help you get started with the basics!

From cake decorating in Leith to sweet experiences in Old Town, there's an incredible selection of beginners' baking classes in Edinburgh waiting for you to explore. So, if you want to indulge in the best dessert recipes with help from a friendly local teacher, check out our baking classes and discover some of the top things to do in Edinburgh. Bur first, let's get back to the baking tips!

The correct tools are a baker's best friend

The first thing you’ll need to do to get into the baking process is to be kitchen ready. You don’t need to go and buy expensive gadgets, but there are a few baking essentials you can pick up from your local supermarket! 

A reliable set of measuring cups will help you avoid flat cakes or overly sweet desserts — they're one of the most invaluable components in any baking cupboard. You could even treat yourself and pick up a digital weighing scale to save time and make baking and cake decorating even easier.

You’ll also need the kitchen basics like spatulas, mixing bowls, spoons and baking trays. Heavier baking rounds are optional, but they can make your cakes bake much more consistently, while non-stick trays are great for removing your finished treats in one piece!

Silicone baking mats and spatulas are also brilliant non-stick solutions and will help your goodies glide straight from the oven and into your mouth. And if you're trying to save a little time, investing in a standing mixer is a great chance to speed up your preparation and will help you produce mouthwatering masterpieces that look as good as they taste.

Learn these simple baking tricks at baking classes in Edinburgh

Whether you’ve learnt how to bake from a pre-made mix or you've mastered and memorised your family's dessert recipes, there are always ways to improve your baking skills. Follow these tips and tricks, and you'll be well on your way to creating exquisite sweet treats to share with all your family and friends!

Make sure butter and eggs are at room temperature

It might not be something you’d even consider when baking or cake decorating, but making sure ingredients like eggs and butter are at room temperature is a great way to produce a delicious result every time. Just remember that softened butter and melted butter really aren’t the same thing, and room-temperature eggs will blend better with the rest of your ingredients!

Apply these easy oven tricks for blissful baking

Preparing your oven might seem simple, but it's often something we can forget that leads to delays in the journey to all those delicious goodies!

Arranging your racks in the centre of your oven should be your first step and will help you make cakes evenly baked all the way through. There's a common misconception that placing your cake at the top of the oven will help it bake faster, but it actually leads to burnt results more often than not. 

Filling your cake pans two-thirds of the way will make sure your cake has the room needed to rise to tasty heights and help you avoid messy overspills. And lastly, don't forget to preheat your oven 20 minutes before, so everything is ready and waiting!

Follow every part of your recipe when learning how to bake

We’re all guilty of missing out on ingredients or skipping steps of dessert recipes, thinking that we’ll be able to wing it and create something that’s probably even better. Whether it works or leads to a homemade pastry you wouldn't want to eat, it's usually worth following your recipe - so your hard work is rewarded!

Giving your dessert recipes a good read-through first is a brilliant chance to prepare for the tasty task ahead and will help boost your confidence in your abilities. Then, you can gather all your equipment to begin the fun part of baking. 

Make sure to check all your ingredients too. You don’t want to accidentally forget your flour or eggs only to realise when your cake comes out of the oven looking a little lopsided. So what are you waiting for? Grab that bag of baking soda from the back of the cupboard and put it to good use (after checking the expiry date!)

Start simple and build your confidence

So you’ve decided to get into the world of baking and reckon you can match some of those Instagram accounts you follow? Perfect, after one of our baking and dessert classes, you'll soon be whipping up intricate cakes for your kid's birthday party ideas in Edinburgh!

Don’t worry if you start simple with a premade cake mix, as the key is to get comfortable and build your confidence with baking step-by-step. The rewards are more than worth the effort! Plus, baking isn't just fun - it helps you improve focus, confidence and mental well-being. So you can clear your mind before taste-testing all your delicious homemade cakes!

If you’d love to join an Edinburgh baking course, take this as your sign to learn something new today!