5 Holiday Baking Prep Tips

Chances are, you're baking up a storm these days. Whether you're preparing sweets for your party guests, or baking homemade goodies to give as holiday gifts, here are 5 ideas to make things a little bit easier for you (both this year, and the next!)

1. Stock up on hardware

Throughout the year, I often find myself thinking about how I really need to buy myself a new sheet pan, or how I have to replace that flimsy spring-form pan. You might also have some long-loved baking pans or utensils that have seen better days.

Stop thinking about it, and do it!

Go through your supplies, pulling out anything that needs to be replaced, and then head to the store for new ones. I recently got myself 3 shiny new sheet pans (my old ones were warped and dented), a couple new square baking pans to replace the ones that had gotten a little rusty, some fresh new spatulas, and a cookie scoop.

2. Refresh your favorite recipes with new ingredients

You already know about the flour and butter and sugar, but think about what other things you can add to your holiday baked goods!

Some of my favorite garnishes and toppings include red hot candies, sprinkles, coconuts, cacao nibs, chopped nuts (like these fun pecan chips), candy bits, marshmallows, and dried or fresh fruit.

Think about ways you can mix up your old recipes with fun new simple swaps (like replacing raisins with dried cherries or candied orange bites, or adding chopped pecans to your favorite banana bread.) It's even a great way to make two completely different sweets from one recipe (just split up the dough and mix in different items. Double the sweets without doubling the work! 

3. Remember the Wrapping
If you're planning to give away some of your baked goods as gifts, remember to buy items to wrap them up in. Sure you can do a simple paper plate covered in shrink wrap, but think about other fun ways to package up edible gifts.

I love raiding the dollar and craft stores for inexpensive tins and baskets. A pile of fudge on a plate is awesome, but a pile of fudge in a cute holiday tin?

So much more thoughtful!

Bonus Tip:
I stock up on wrapping supplies that work outside of the holidays (like plain colors, brown butcher paper, or items that have a more general winter, but not specifically holiday, theme) so that I can use them for easy hostess or birthday gifts throughout the year.

They're also a great way to send people home with holiday or party leftovers!

Also remember things like ribbons, stickers, gift tags, and other embellishments to make your gifts look even more special.

4. Double (or triple!) the recipe and freeze the extras
You're already in the kitchen, so why not help out your future self, by doubling the recipe. Anything you make, make two. The second batch can go in the freezer for quick treats during the holiday season (those Christmas cookies will also be awesome as a New Year's Eve party dessert!)

They're also great to pull out in case of surprise guests or last-minute invitations (aka instant hostess gift!).

(Also a good reminder to stock up on freezer bags and containers to store your extra goodies).

5.  Shop the sales for next year!
This is probably my favorite thing to do. Take advantage of those amazing post-holiday discounts to stock up on goodies for next year's baking!

Load up on sprinkles, peppermint candies, and other treats that would be great for decorating. Also check out discounts on baking pans, silicon mats, and everything you need to wrap and decorate edible treat packages.

You can package these all up, and next you're you'll be way ahead of the game!

What other things do you do to save yourself time when baking for the holidays?

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Giveaway: The Bake-Off by Beth Kendrick

I'm usually reading about 3 to 5 books at any given time. There is always one in my purse, a few on the nightstand, and others tucked around the apartment wherever I left them. I'm a quick reader, racing through both fiction and nonfiction (the latter usually food related, though I also have a thing for essay collections by Nora Ephron). I also admit to sometimes pulling all-nighters when the book is really good.

I usually prefer literary fiction (I'm at the heart of it all, a total nerd), but I do admit to having a VERY soft spot in my heart for cozy food novels that I can just escape right into without really having to think. You know what I mean--silly mysteries about poisoned chocolates or disappearing cakes, romances between chefs and cranky restaurant critics, and, like the book I'm giving away to you today, heartwarming stories about family brought together through the power of the kitchen.

The Bake-Off by Beth Kendrick is the sweet story (no pun intended) of two estranged sisters: Amy, a pretty suburban mom in need of a break, and Linnie, a former child prodigy still trying to figure out how to fit in.  Despite their complete lack of baking skills, the two are brought together to compete for a big prize in a national baking competition. It's an easy read, and a fun one, with a bit of romance, a few clever lines, and just a touch of intrigue--all the ingredients you need to make a sweet story. (Also pie--lots and lots of pie, and an accompanying recipe so you can enjoy it while you read along.)

I breezed through it quickly and thoroughly enjoyed the story of these girls and their grandmother. I think the only thing that drove me a little crazy about the book (without giving anything away) is the way Linnie chose to deal with the theft that got her into the whole situation. Maybe it's just the New Yorker in me, but I would have called the cops on that guy so fast, regardless of his sob story. Although I suppose had she done that there would have been no plot.

Anyway, you'll have to read the book to let me know how you would have reacted...

The Giveaway
I have two copies of the book to give away today!  

To enter: leave a comment below telling me what dish you would make if you were forced to enter a cooking or baking competition. 

You have until 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, May 10 to enter. One entry per person. US residents only. Two winners will be randomly selected using Random Number Generator and announced on the 11th.


Good luck!!


xoxo

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Kitchen Tip: 5 Ways to Keep Your Cakes from Sinking

I occasionally get emails from readers asking me why their cake sank in the middle when baking. They always say something along the lines of: "I followed the recipe perfectly, but it still sank. What did I do?!"

While it's impossible for me to know exactly what happened in any specific occasion without my actually being there (Not even I'm not THAT awesome ;), these are the top 5 things you should look out for to keep your cake from sinking the next time you bake:

1. Old Baking Powder -- Baking powder may only account for a tiny percentage of your entire cake ingredients, but it can ruin the whole thing if you're not careful! Remember that baking powder only stays fresh for about 6 months to a year, so date them when you buy them, and toss and replace any containers that have been hanging around too long.

Not sure if yours is still good? Take 5 seconds to test it before you start baking by placing a teaspoon of baking powder in about a 1/2 cup of hot water. If still good, it should start to bubble rapidly. If nothing (or barely nothing) happens, it's time to head to the store.

2. Too Much Leavening -- As counter-intuitive as it might sound, adding too much baking powder, baking soda, or yeast to a cake will cause it to sink as the amount of air that is created within the cake will be more than the structure can support and the whole thing will come crashing down.

Never add additional baking powder or other leaveners to self-raising flour or cake mixes (they already have it mixed in), and always be sure to read a recipe clearly and measure carefully.

When in doubt, remember that the average ratio for baking powder to flour is 1 to 1.5 teaspoons per cup of AP flour; so if you read a recipe that calls for something way above that, it's probably an error.

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