Baking is a great hobby to make your house smell like heaven. So many beginners out there want to get into the craft but have no idea where to start. 

This baking ingredients guide will empower you with all of the information you need. All there is to know about flour, sugar, chocolate, spices, and other pantry essentials with cute custom bakery packaging to create a baking pantry with all of the essential materials you’ll need for everyday baking.

With this guide, you don’t need to make an emergency trip for groceries in the middle of the night when the craving calls. You will be well-stocked for any recipes that come your way unless the recipe requires something specific.

All-purpose Flour

All-purpose flour is the workhorse of the baking cabinet. The flour allows the recipe to be robust enough to keep its structure in items like yeast bread. While also remaining light enough to provide a soft crumb in a layer cake. It has a long shelf life and a moderate flavor, making it ideal for cookies, quick bread, muffins, cupcakes, cakes, pie dough and so much more!

You may get confused from all the different kinds of flour on the aisle. But their names are usually self-explanatory, like bread flour, cake flour, whole wheat flour and cornstarch. 

Sugar

Sugar is humanity’s kryptonite. We all have a sweet tooth. Those who say they don’t either lie or haven’t tasted the right kind of brownies yet. 

When a recipe only asks for sugar, use granulated sugar, also known as white sugar.

Brown sugar is white sugar that has had molasses added to it. Light brown sugar has fewer molasses, and dark brown sugar contains more molasses.

Powdered sugar, commonly known as confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar, is finely ground white sugar that has been processed until it is powdered. It is also used along with anti-caking ingredients to prevent clumping. This kind of sugar is mostly used in frostings and coatings because it is easily mixable with butter.

Cocoa Powder

Remember that dark powder box in your mother’s cabinet between custom cereal packaging boxes that smelled like chocolate but didn’t taste so? Natural unsweetened cocoa powder is that powder you remember in your mother’s pantry and is the most commonly used in baking recipes. You can easily find it in the baking department at your local supermarket store.

Unsalted butter

Unsalted butter is the default option for baking for a crucial reason. Various kinds of salted butter contain differing salt levels. You have perfect control over the amount of salt in your dish by using unsalted butter. Apart from that, eggs are also a crucial ingredient in most baking recipes.

Milk

There are different types of milk that you will require over various stages of the recipe you are following. One is simply milk but evaporated milk and condensed milk are also staples in baking confectioners’ cabinets.

If you get these ingredients from the local grocery store and a working oven, it’s smooth sailing! Enjoy your baking, and don’t forget to cherish your mistakes. This is a great learning curve for those who put their time and effort into it.