See if this sounds familiar: You’re baking a cake for your loved one’s birthday, anniversary, etc., and you’re down to the final stretch: you’re just waiting for the timer to go off.
Then, finally, the cake is ready, and it’s time to take it out of the oven and slather it with a heaping amount of frosting or fondant. Just one problem: You forgot the icing. Or say it’s a birthday party, and you only now realize that you forgot the birthday candles.
It happens to everyone.
Any baking newcomer can follow a list of directions. What you need is a check-list of items that might not be listed in those ingredients, like the candle or the frosting.
Here are four easily-forgotten items you should always keep handy before you start baking that cake.
1. Candles!
Whether you prefer tricked-out candles or something with a little more flare and style like black glitter candles, that’s an item you’ll discover you’re missing only when it comes time to serve the cake. And, by that time, it’s probably too late to run to the store. Always keep a small stock of cake candles handy.
2. Baking mats
Everyone should have a baking mat handy. Parchment is inexpensive and easy to use, but it’s also not reusable. Silicone mats, on the other hand, can withstand a high level of heat. Translation: you won’t have to worry anymore about melting those utensils anymore. The silicone mats are designed to take the heat so well you can even use them to scramble eggs and it wouldn’t leave any damage.
3. Toppings
Don’t forget the sprinkles, right? Of course, your toppings don’t have to be limited to sprinkles. Dried fruit, nuts, or even crushed cookies or tiny marshmallows will do the trick.
4. Do you have the right spatula for the icing?
As any baking newcomer will tell you, spreading the frosting around can be an adventure. That’s why every kitchen should be equipped with an offset spatula, which will spread that frosting around more easily.
