Love to bake? If so, these baking tips and hacks are about to rock your world! From prep all the way to clean up, these clever baking hacks will change the way you bake forever!

Cake cooling upside down on a wire rack from Shelf Cooking.

These baking tips are so genius, you'll wonder how you ever baked without them. Say goodbye to sticky measuring cups and splattered batter—we've found a better way! Trust us, one look at this list and you'll never look back!

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Whether you're a self-professed baking master or a total newb, these baking tips will level the playing field and certainly impress your friends. 😉 Seriously, you don't want to miss these. Keep reading to get all the juicy baking tips and hacks!

BAKING TIPS FOR LESS MESS

Canisters of dry ingredients from Shelf Cooking.

We all know baking can get a little… well, messy! These sweet baking tips will help keep your stress level low and the cleanup time minimal. Check them out!

  • Use canisters that are wide enough to fit your measuring cups so you aren't trying to pour your dry ingredients! Talk about a mess…
  • When measuring anything sticky, like honey or peanut butter, spray your measuring cup with cooking spray and it'll slide right out!
  • Avoid batter splatter by attaching a paper plate to your hand mixer. Simply stick the beaters through the plate before inserting them into the mixer.
  • Place a rolled-up towel under your mixing bowl like a nest to prevent wobbling and tipping while you mix!
  • If you don't have a splatter guard, drape a towel over the stand mixer before turning it on!

We told you they were awesome. Who would have thought, right? So simple yet so effective!

BAKING TIPS TO SAVE YOU TIME

Time is money, baby! Well, personally we like saving time AND money… So, here are some awesome sauce baking tips to save you time in the kitchen!

  • If you're in a hurry to frost a cake, quick-cool it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Just don't forget about it and let it freeze!
  • Are your bananas not ready for banana bread yet? Don't wait days… Ripen them quickly in the oven by baking at 300°F for 40 minutes.
  • Use your oven as a proofing drawer. Preheat it for one minute, then turn it off before putting your dough in for a quicker rise!
  • Soften butter under a warm glass when you forget to set it out ahead of time.
  • Don't have time to ice your cupcakes? Stick a marshmallow on top five minutes before they're done baking and let the oven do it for you!

Hip hip hooray! Time-saving baking hacks saved the day! Hehe…

TIPS FOR MAKING PERFECT BAKED GOODS

Cookies on a baking sheet with parchment paper from Shelf Cooking.

These baking tips and hacks are gonna have you ready for The Great British Bake Off in no time. On your marks, get set, BAKE!

  • Use parchment paper! Not only does it keep everything from sticking, but it also helps your baked goods cook evenly.
  • Dip cookie cutters in flour or powdered sugar before cutting dough for perfect, clean cuts!
  • Take your cookies out of the oven when they are golden on the edges and slightly undercooked in the center. The center will finish baking on the cooling rack and turn out perfectly!
  • Cool cakes upside down. This will flatten the top and make for easy peasy stacking!
  • Don't open the door! Resist the temptation to open the oven door to check on your baked goodies. It will lower the oven temp and throw off baking time, even if it's just a quick peek!
  • Always let your baked goods cool completely before storing them. The condensation can cause soggy cookies or muffins if you wrap them up too soon!
  • Cool before frosting. We know… this one may go without saying but we had to toss it in just in case! Icing your cake while it's still warm will be an absolute disaster. Trust us on this one!
  • Coat your cake pan with butter and flour or powdered sugar (or cocoa powder if it's a chocolate cake) before pouring in the batter. The cake will slide out like a dream!
  • Drop your cake pan and batter on the counter to get air bubbles out before you bake!

And the winner is… all of you shelf cooking babes! Wahoo! But seriously, these baking tips will take your baked goods to the next level for sure.

MORE BAKING HACKS TO MAKE LIFE EASIER

We're not done yet! We've got even more baking hacks to knock your socks off. Keep reading and let your mind be blown!

  • Chill your countertops with a ziplock bag of ice before rolling out dough. It will prevent sticking and make your life so much easier!
  • Use unflavored dental floss to slice through cinnamon roll dough without smooshing it! This also works for flawless cheesecake slices, too.
  • Place a few marshmallows in your bag of brown sugar to keep it from getting hard!
  • For room-temperature eggs, add them to a bowl of warm water for a few minutes before cracking.
  • Use an empty water bottle to separate the egg yolk from whites. Squeeze the bottle, place it over the yolk, then stop squeezing the bottle and pull it up. The yolk will be pulled up into the water bottle!
  • If your honey is crystallized, run it under hot water until it becomes liquid again!
  • Use a veggie peeler to create perfect curled chocolate bits for topping baked goods!
  • Heat your knife or pie server under warm water before slicing cake or other baked goods for a perfect cut!
  • Grate butter for easy mixing when baking biscuits or pie crusts.

And now you know! Grab this scrumptious birthday cake mix cookie recipe and give these hacks a go!

EASY BAKING SUBSTITUTIONS

Bottle of homemade vanilla extract from Shelf Cooking.

Craving fudge brownies but can't find eggs? No worries! Find that swap and more in this list of easy baking substitutions!

  • Swap maple syrup or honey into a recipe if you're out of vanilla extract. They have similar flavor profiles! Use a 1:1 ratio. Want to make your own? Learn how to make vanilla extract in this post!
  • Out of buttermilk? Make your own with one cup of whole milk and one tablespoon of lemon juice. Let it sit for ten minutes, then it's ready!
  • No powdered sugar on hand? Grind granulated sugar in a blender for DIY powdered sugar! Add a tablespoon of corn starch for every cup of sugar.
  • Make your own brown sugar with white sugar and molasses. Just mix together until you like the resulting color! Find more brown sugar substitutes here.
  • Use jello mixes to color icing if you can't find the food dye!
  • No eggs in sight? Check out this post for all the best egg substitutes.
  • Make your own self-rising flour by adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to one cup of all-purpose flour.

If your life isn't changed after reading this list, you must be cray cray! Ha, just kidding. But for real, this list of baking tips and hacks will make life so much easier in the kitchen, saving you time and easing stress. You may even want to host a family baking class to flaunt your new skills!

What are your favorite baking tips and hacks? Share them with us in the comments below or in our Shelf Cooking Community!

Image with text that reads "best baking hacks", from Shelf Cooking

Want more kitchen hacks and delicious recipes? Check out these posts, too!

Cake it 'til you make it, ladies!