Baking Recipes
Home baking—cakes, cookies, breads & pastries—with reliable techniques, make-ahead tips, and storage for bakery-quality results.
Real Apple Cider Donuts (Whole Apples)
Reid Quiggins (adapted by JojoM)
Bakery-Style Blueberry Muffins with Sky-High Domes 🫐
Inspired by CozyCookingChris
The Bakery-Style Carrot Cake That’ll Make You Forget Store-Bought Forever 🥕✨
Inspired by Delicate Kitchen
Brown Butter Brookies 🤎🧈 (Fudgy Brownie-Cookie Bars)
recipeincaption adapted by JojoM
Best Ever Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies 🍪🔥
JojoM adapted from recipeincaption
Brown Butter Chocolate Lava Cakes That Ooze Perfection 🍫🔥
JojoM adapted from recipeincaption
Butternut Squash and Mozzarella Bake
Michael Matthews adapted by JojoM
Irresistible Matcha White Chocolate Cookies (Catherine Zhang Inspired)
Catherine Zhang adapted by JojoM
Fluffiest Filipino Mamon Cupcakes Ever!
Chef RV Manabat adapted by JojoM
Fluffy Pianono Jelly Roll – Filipino Bakery Classic
Chef RV Manabat adapted by JojoM
Ube Bars (Filipino Coconut-Coated Butter Cake)
Chef RV Manabat adapted by JojoM
Cinnamon Crumb Muffins — Coffee Cake in Mini Form
CozyCookingChris adapted by JojoM
Creamy Leche Flan with Fresh Cream Twist
Wen Suzuki adapted by JojoM
Intro
Welcome to Baking—your hub for crowd-pleasing cakes, cookies, breads, and pastries. Whether you’re after a weekend project or a quick traybake, this collection focuses on trustworthy methods, simple gear, and flavour-first finishes. Expect patisserie-adjacent techniques (lamination shortcuts, custards), sturdy everyday bakes (banana bread, muffins), and celebration-ready showstoppers. Use Quick Picks to jump in fast, Make-Ahead & Storage to plan smarter, and Compare Popular Options to choose by time, skill, and how well each bake holds for gatherings or lunchboxes.
Quick Picks
- Swirled showstopper: Almond Chocolate Babka with Orange Syrup
- Bakery tray: Bakery-Style Blueberry Muffins with Sky-High Domes 🫐
- Cookie gold: Best Ever Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies 🍪🔥
- Classic pie: The Ultimate Homemade Pumpkin Pie with Real Roasted Pumpkin
- No-oven bread: Fluffiest No-Oven Pita Bread Ever—Soft, Puffy & Foolproof!
Make-Ahead & Storage
| Item | Fridge | Freezer | Reheat/Serve Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almond Chocolate Babka | 3–4 days | 1–2 months | Warm 5–8 min at 160–170 °C; glaze while warm for shine. |
| Bakery-Style Blueberry Muffins | 3 days | 2 months | Freeze individually; thaw at room temp, revive 3–4 min in oven. |
| Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies | 4 days | 2 months (scooped dough) | Bake dough from frozen +2–3 min; finish with flaky salt. |
| Homemade Pumpkin Pie | 3–4 days | 2 months | Serve chilled/room temp; crisp base 10 min at 160 °C if needed. |
| Easy Moist Banana Bread | 4 days | 2 months (sliced) | Toast slices lightly; spread with butter or cream cheese. |
| Brown Butter Chocolate Lava Cakes | Batter 2 days | 1 month (baked) | Bake batter to order; warm baked cakes 6–8 min at 160 °C. |
Compare Popular Options
| Dish/Item | Time | Skill | Make-ahead | Best with / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almond Chocolate Babka | 2½–3 h (incl. proof) | Intermediate | ★★★★☆ | Citrus syrup keeps crumb soft; impressive gift. |
| Blueberry Muffins | 35–40 min | Easy | ★★★★★ | Tall domes; great for brunch trays. |
| Brown Butter Choc Chip Cookies | 35–45 min | Easy | ★★★★★ | Dough freezes perfectly; bake as needed. |
| Pumpkin Pie (Real Purée) | 1½ h | Easy | ★★★★★ | Bake day before; clean slices when chilled. |
| Banana Bread | 70–75 min | Easy | ★★★★☆ | Crowd favourite; add nuts or choc chips. |
| Chocolate Lava Cakes | 25–30 min | Easy | ★★★☆☆ | Best warm; dust with cocoa and serve with ice cream. |
Techniques That Matter
- Measure by weight: Precision = consistent crumb. A £10 scale beats cups every time.
- Creaming vs. whisking: Cream butter/sugar for aerated cookies; whisk whole-egg batters gently for tender cakes.
- Chill doughs: Rest cookie and laminated doughs to hydrate flour and deepen flavour.
- Heat control: Preheat fully; use an oven thermometer to hit true temps.
- Moisture barriers: Brush tart shells with chocolate/cocoa butter or egg wash to prevent soggy bottoms.
- Finish like a pro: Simple glazes, citrus zest, or warm nappage add gloss and aroma.
Common Mistakes & Fixes
- Dense cakes → Over-mixing; fold just until flour disappears and weigh ingredients.
- Flat cookies → Butter too warm; chill dough 30–60 min and bake cold.
- Soggy pie base → Under-baked; preheat tray, blind-bake longer, and cool on a rack.
- Sunken centres → Under-baked or door opened early; bake to 95–98 °C internal for sponges.
- Dry sweet breads → Under-proofed/over-baked; proof until puffy and tent with foil if browning fast.
Serving Ideas / Planner’s Notes
- Dessert portions: 1 slice/piece per person; add fruit or cream for balance.
- Brunch board: mix 1 sweet (muffins), 1 savoury (Irresistible Ham and Cheese Bake), and fresh fruit.
- Texture variety: pair crisp cookies with soft cakes or creamy custards like Creamy Leche Flan with Fresh Cream Twist.
- Seasonal swaps: use Homemade Spiced Pumpkin Puree or DIY Pumpkin Pie Spice to boost autumn bakes.
- Make it giftable: wrap babka or cookies tightly; include reheating notes on a tag.
Featured Links
Keep exploring with elegant layers like Flawlessly Thin & Golden Biscuit Joconde (Almond Sponge Layers), a nostalgic bake My Childhood Coffee and Walnut Cake That Still Wins Every Birthday, and a modern fusion Irresistible Ube Basque Cheesecake (Filipino Fusion Dessert).