One of this summer’s hottest musical hits is DNCE’s catchy debut song “Cake By The Ocean.” And the idea of eating cake — or anything sweet — by the ocean is a good idea indeed. There’s the warmth of the sun on your face, the lull of the waves, the endless blue of the ocean —…

Ah, summer, the season of plunges in the pool. And as summer heats up, and the pool looks more and more promising, you’ll need to brush up on your repertoire of pool-worthy baked goods. We have some ideas for cool concoctions that pair perfectly with swimming. Key lime cupcakes. You don’t have to live in Florida…

It may seem like the millennials are the hottest generation in town, but don’t count out the boomers —  this demographic still carries a lot of weight. When it comes to desserts, baby boomers have buying power, as they do with many consumer goods. They can afford to splurge, and they often do, particularly when ordering…

What’s trending today? While some people are following politics, fashion or celebrity trends, we’re more interested in baking trends, where hybrid desserts are all the rage. You may have heard of the cronut, a croissant-donut pastry created by New York pastry chef Dominique Ansel, and you may even be up on the cruffin, a croissant-muffin…

In the past, we’ve highlighted outside-the-box baked goods, such as those with exotic nuts and tropical fruits. Now, we focus on the staples of baking, such as the classic chocolate cupcake. It’s delicious simplicity at its finest. Who can resist? For a basic chocolate cupcake — whose flavor is so much more than basic — all…

Corn. It’s not just for summer barbecues anymore. Derivatives of this large-grain plant have long been used in baking, but how much do you really know about cornstarch and cornmeal? Here are 10 fun facts. Cornstarch is made from the endosperm of the corn, found at the center of a corn kernel. These endosperms are…

We’ve all been there. You’ve set off on a culinary adventure, from the comfort of your own kitchen, whipping up a delectable dessert that is sure to wow. But suddenly you realize that you’re missing a key ingredient. No eggs? No butter? No oil? No problem. Here are some common substitution suggestions for this trio…

Food allergies are on the rise, leaving many concerned parents and bewildered bakers scratching their heads. How do you make muffins without milk, eclairs without eggs, or ooey-gooey bars without gluten?  In keeping with our “The Buzz on Baking Books” series, we’re highlighting three cookbooks that will help you whip up all your favorite baked…

As a baker, you’re well acquainted with sugar. It makes your cakes more creamy-dreamy, s’mores so much more, and your muffins more melt-in-your-mouth good. In short, it makes just about everything more extraordinary. But what’s the deal with confectioners sugar? Chances are you know it’s the same thing as powdered sugar or 10X sugar (and…

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Vanilla In most contexts besides food, “vanilla” is considered plain or ordinary. But when it comes to food and baking — wow! Vanilla is delicious on its own, yes, but it also works to enhance the deliciousness of other foods. Indeed, vanilla is extraordinary, whether you bake with vanilla extract,…