If I have ever been passionate about anything in my life, it’s baking.
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From learning how to make scones with my granny when I was growing up to making my sister’s wedding cake last year, baking is a passion that can also turn into a career. Every aspiring baker needs a few things to start out, along with a decent vanilla cake recipe, a stand out buttercream and just a little bit of creativity.
A stand mixer
I’ll let you in on a little secret, a stand mixer is the best investment I ever made in my kitchen. It frees up your hands and minimises the chance of clouds of icing sugar raining on your kitchen floor. It is also the only way I’m able to make three-tiered wedding cakes in less than a week.
Mixing bowls
If you don’t have a stand mixer a good quality mixing bowl is a must. Make sure it is stainless steel or ceramic and sturdy enough to take a bit of a beating. A non-slip base is also helpful when tipping the bowl to get to any pockets of flour.
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Stainless steel flour sifter
A flour sifter is another time saver and mess reducer. Just pour in all your dry ingredients and press the trigger for a clump-free mix. No more messing around with a traditional sieve which almost always ends up all over the bench. My dad bought me one of these when I was 10. It’s lasted that long.
Piping bag
Save your pocket and the planet by investing in a reusable canvas piping bag. The good ones are reinforced to be able to withstand a few years of pressure. A good piping bag is a must for pretty cupcakes and it can also come in handy for macaroons, churros and filling big cakes.
Piping tips
From star tips to petal tips, these are the tools of a die-hard baker. I have about 20 different ones including some new Russian piping tips. Check these out if you haven’t heard of them before. My favourite is the tulip.
Offset spatula
I know I’ve said it before but this is a must for wedding cakes. I used to pour ganache over my cakes and try to smooth it down with a regular spatula only to put a dent in the icing with the handle or my fingers. The offset takes your hands out of the equation and aids a smooth finish.
Pyrex jug
A heatproof jug will help you with everything from measuring ingredients to melting butter in the microwave and removing any stray shell from a cracked egg. They are also strong which helps if you are a klutz and tend to drop things.
Rolling pin
An essential for pastry, pizza dough, cookies and fondant. If you think you want to get into wedding cakes or fondant celebration cakes I suggest getting a giant 50cm fondant rolling pin. It is made of a material that doesn’t stick to fondant, doesn’t leave the same texture as a wooden rolling pin does and works for every other project too.
Sturdy silicone spatula
I never got the appeal of a silicone spatula until I got one as a gift. I had no idea what a game changer this little tool could be. It is perfect for getting every last drop of batter out of your mixing bowl and is also a handy tool for getting waffles out of your waffle iron.
Quality colourings
Once you begin to bake seriously you will discover that grocery store food colouring doesn’t make the grade anymore. For rich coloured buttercream or fondant, you will need to invest in gel colouring. Get yourself some AmeriColor gel in red, yellow, blue, black and white. You should be able to make every colour you need with these five colours, but go ahead and buy the pretty mint blue if you feel like it.