Everyone has enjoyed baking something special from scratch – whether it was a birthday cake, an anniversary cake, or even cupcakes for kids! The process can be enjoyable enough alone but when combined with icing, sprinkles, and other decorations, creating a beautiful centerpiece dessert seems more fun than ever before.

If you love baking cakes, then you probably enjoy decorating them too. But what do you really need to get started? It turns out that using the right tools makes everything easier and faster so let’s check out the top ten items you should have handy:

  1. A large mixing bowl: You always hear people say “you must bake with clean hands”. That means you can’t use anything metal in your kitchen because of the risk of rusting. So if you want to make sure every last bit of flour remains clear and shiny instead of dirty brownish grey, this is one tool you definitely don’t want to skip on.
  2. Measuring cups & spoons: These are essential to measuring all sorts of ingredients such as sugar, powdered milk, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract.
  3. Cake tins: Everyone knows how much time and effort goes into making delicious pastries, desserts, and treats. To prevent disappointment, invest in some good quality cake pans which will allow you to create perfect layers without wasting any precious ingredients.
  4. Kitchen scale: For those who still aren’t convinced by measuring cups and spoons, you might consider getting yourself a weighing device to ensure nothing else gets lost along the way.
  5. Whisk: This is a great tool with many uses beyond just baking. When whisked properly it becomes aerated and helps food thicken up nicely.
  6. Ice cream scoops: Having these on hand is very useful at times since they help keep portions uniform no matter where you are.
  7. Pastry brush: Using this little tool ensures that delicate areas won’t become soggy while also helping to achieve a nice shine around the edges.
  8. Cutting board: Always remember not to cut directly onto countertops, especially marble floors, as it can leave marks permanently etched there forever. Instead, choose wood cutting boards with soft plastic handles for easy cleaning.
  9. Baking sheet: In addition to keeping cookies fresh after being baked, baking sheets also come in handy during the cooling period so you don’t have to spend endless hours transferring hot dishes off the oven rack.
  10. Rubber spatula/wooden spoon: While both utensils work well, rubber ones tend to slip better across surfaces and can reach tricky corners. Wooden ones are ideal for stirring mixtures.

You may think that cooking would take a lot of skill, patience, and practice but it actually takes only three simple steps as we show here.

Step One – Select Your Ingredients Cooking involves combining foods together (or breaking apart existing blends). There’s no reason why healthy eating cannot include lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products. Foods high in fat, salt, and cholesterol contain fewer nutrients per calorie.

Step Two – Prepare Your Food Preparing meals does require a certain amount of skill, however. First, start by rinsing raw meat thoroughly. Next, remove visible bits of skin, trim off excess fat and rinse again. Finally, rub the surface of the meat with a small layer of oil or butter to avoid sticking. Afterward, wash your hands thoroughly.

Now comes step number three — cook!!

Here’s where things begin heating up. Be careful not to burn either yourself or the stovetop. Start with a medium heat setting until the pan begins bubbling lightly. Once bubbles form, raise the temperature slightly higher until the mixture starts to boil. Reduce flame to simmer briefly allowing steam to escape. Remove pan from microwave and cover tightly to reduce moisture loss. Allow food to rest for about 15 minutes before serving.