Maria Anna Fisher may not be famous in the sense we define the word today, but she is well known for actions that, in many ways, have more merit than social media buzz, box office success, or political influence. She was an African-American baker who lived from 1819 to 1911, and as a teenager, she…

The name alone makes him sound famous, but this notorious baker isn’t from this side of the pond, much less California. Paul Hollywood was born in Wallasey in Cheshire, England, and is best known for appearing as a judge on the popular BBC series The Great British Bake-Off (GBBO), which follows 12 amateur bakers over…

Today’s blog is about your oven temperature, and it starts with some, er, burning questions. First, can you trust your oven? That is, if you set it to 350 degrees, can you be confident that it’s truly 350 degrees once fully preheated? And why is 350 degrees so often the go-to temperature for recipes? We…

Elite runners and other endurance athletes often train at high altitudes to improve performance. Unfortunately, higher altitudes don’t improve the performance of bakers and cooks. It takes some thoughtful adjustments to successfully produce baked goods at high altitudes. Specifically, higher altitudes have lower air pressure, which causes baked goods to stick, lose moisture more quickly,…

No matter how long you’ve been baking, you can still fall victim to baking pitfalls. Trial and error is part of what makes it fun, but sometimes it’s helpful to re-educate yourself on the basics. While baking time may seem like a no-brainer (you just follow the recipe, right?), it’s helpful to fully understand that…

“It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.” Depending on where you live and how hot it gets, this may be your mantra. And if you’re into baking, this little idiom might be even more meaningful. Simply put, humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air, and as the air temperature increases, the amount of…

Ah, the blueberry. Such a little fruit, but it packs such a big punch. Rich in everything that’s good for you (antioxidants, anyone?) and uber tasty, too. Those fresh little fruits gleaming in muffins fresh from the oven first thing in the morning are quite a sight to behold. And while they can certainly stand…

Love cornbread? You’re in luck because we do too, and whether it’s corn muffins, cornbread loaves, or cornbread skillet-style, this Southern staple pairs perfectly with so many meals. In fact, we’d argue that many meals are incomplete without the sweet warmth of some buttery cornbread. Case in point: Barbecue — The smoky, hickory, tangy flavors of…

Everybody knows what brown bananas pair nicely with, and it’s not the trash can. If you still throw away bananas because they’ve started to go bad, it’s time to rethink this practice. Your old fruit is perfect for a new banana bread loaf, mini banana bread cubes, or banana bread muffins or cupcake. It’s also…

Maybe you want to eat carrot cake all the time. (And we wouldn’t blame you; it’s sinfully decadent, and you can count it as a vegetable. Sort of.) Rather than planning out your meals and trying to work carrot cake into the repertoire, why not plan to eat carrot cake and work your meals around…