Maria Short

How to

Make a Piping Bag

A piping bag, also known as a pastry bag, is a cone-shaped bag that you fill with icing, frosting, or sauce. You apply pressure to the bag to dispense frosting, icing, or sauce in a specific pattern to make your dish bea...

Beginner-Friendly Cake Recipes to Make From Scratch

A step-by-step guide to baking vanilla, chocolate, and apple cakes (plus tips and tricks)There's nothing like the taste of a cake you made in your own kitchen. But is the delicious reward really worth all the work? Belie...

How to

Make Brown Food Coloring

If you don't have brown food coloring on hand or don't want to go with the store-bought variety, there are ways to mix it up yourself at home. Read on to learn how to blend colors for that perfect brown and how to use co...

How to

Bake Cakes in Springform Pans

Springform pans can be used in place of regular cake pans and allow you to bake some fun specialty items. The detachable base and outer ring make removing your cake from the pan a simple process. By preparing your pan an...

How to

Make Leche Flan

Leche flan is a delicious egg-based dessert popular in the Philippines, where it is served on celebratory occasions. It's a perfect pairing of sweet, rich caramel and creamy custard. Leche flan has just four ingredients,...

How to

Thicken Caramel Sauce

If you’ve already made a batch of caramel sauce but find that it’s too thin for your tastes, you’ll need to thicken the sauce. The most efficient way to thicken a dessert sauce is by simmering it on the stove, so t...

How to Get Cheesecake Out of a Springform Pan

Making sure your cheesecake comes out in 1 pieceAfter all the effort you put into your cheesecake, don't let it crack when you take it out of the pan. Make sure the cake is completely chilled before you try to remove it...

How to

Defrost a Cake

Freezing cake is a good way of saving it for later. Whether you froze the cake whole or in layers, you defrost it basically the same way. Place the cake in the fridge for at least a day to thaw, then set it on the counte...

How to

Caramelize Sugar

Used in a number of different desserts, caramel sauce is a common topping for everything from crème brûlée to leche flan. Sweet, rich and flavorful, this sauce is actually quite simple to make so long as you have the ...

How to

Cut a Sheet Cake

You can cut a sheet cake just about any way you want. Getting perfectly sized sheet cakes slices is a different story, though. To cut a sheet cake into neat, even pieces, it takes a bit of prep. You will need to know the...

How to

Tell if a Cheesecake is Done

Cheesecake, whether you like New York or Italian style, is a light and delicious dessert. Because it contains a fair amount of milk or cream in addition to soft cheese, it can be hard to tell when it is done. However, th...

How to Make Blue Food Coloring Naturally

Wondering how to liven up baked treats and other dishes with a bright blue color? Buying artificial blue food coloring is always an option, but you can also make your own homemade food coloring for a healthier, natural a...

How to

Melt Candy Melts

Candy melts are often used to make candy and coat cake pops. They are similar to white chocolate, but don't actually contain any cocoa. As such, you can't melt them the same way that you would melt white, milk, or dark c...

How to

Troubleshoot Scones That Won't Rise

Homemade scones are so delicious, but sometimes they turn out flat, seemingly for no reason. What gives? Don't worry—we're here to help you troubleshoot what went wrong with your scone recipe so it doesn't happen again...

How to

Thin Caramel

Caramel is a deliciously sweet sauce that can turn up the volume on any dessert it’s added to. But if you’re hoping to drizzle caramel over vanilla ice cream or getting ready to dip apples for a fall celebration, you...

How to

Decorate a Carrot Cake

Filled with carrots, cinnamon, nutmeg, and walnuts, carrot cake is a delicious dessert for any occasion. Half the fun of making your own cake is decorating it. Frost your carrot cake with fluffy cream cheese icing, then ...

How to

Make a Cake from a Mix Without Oil and Eggs

There are many reasons why anyone may wish to bake cakes that don't include any eggs or oil in the recipes. You might not have any eggs or oil on hand, or maybe you have an allergy to one of those ingredients. Perhaps y...

How to

Roast Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts are known for being the most difficult nut to crack but the nut inside is delicious, and thus well worth the effort. Roasting macadamia nuts are a delicious method of preparing a delicious snack for your o...

How to

Eat Orange Peel

Oranges are a delicious and healthy fruit, but did you know that orange peels are also nutritious? They’re full of vitamin A, multiple B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, folate, and copper—not bad for a part of the frui...

How to

Make Candied Orange Peel

If you're looking for a way to reduce kitchen waste or just want to make an easy candy, make candied orange peels. Decide if you'd like to make wide pieces of candied orange peel or thin, french cut strips. Boil the ora...