A few things I like to bake with

Doesn't everyone have their favorite things to bake with?  Here are a few things I find useful.  First put on your favorite apron, whether it is one you have made, or one you have bought - does not make a difference.
Unlike in this previous picture, always pull your hair back and plait it in some way.  When your hair is as long as mine, a ponytail can still shed!  LOL

I had been decorating a cake before taking this picture, and I am still wearing my bandanna.  I wear bandannas in lieu of hair nets.

Spatulas are a must also!  Both my spatulas are from Wilton and in my favorite colors, green and yellow!  Have fun in your kitchen and buy things that make you smile!  I use the small scoop from Pampered Chef for my cookies, mini cupcakes and stuff like that.  The ice cream scoop is for cupcakes and pancakes.  It is much easier to be uniform when using a scoop and the slider thingy (is that a word?) makes sure all the batter comes out easily.  No muss, no fuss!

Invest in a good sifter!  My husband bought this one for me.  Always sift your powdered sugar to ensure you do not have any blockages in your tips.  When baking with wheat flour, always sift and throw away the bits in the sifter, DO NOT pour them into your batter!  This will help in softer baked goods.  I prefer whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour over regular wheat  flour. It has the same nutrients, but it is a softer flour and bakes better without giving your breads a corn bread texture!   I love organic unbleached all-purpose flour.  Who wants bleach in their cakes?  So sift, sift, and sift some more!

Be sure to invest in some great cookbooks!  I have a ton of cookbooks that I love to use, including the cookbook my church has put out!

You should also invest in some great cake decorating books!  2 Timothy 2:15 says "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  This verse is talking about the Bible, but you should also apply it to other aspects of your life. I do not want to be ashamed of something I have baked or created because I did not take the time to study about it! I love to study cookbooks and cake decorating books to improve my art.  No matter how long you have been baking and cooking, there is always something new to learn.  Don't forget to use the recipes out of your cake decorating books, after all who would have better recipes then the experts?
Now go bake yourself a cake!
Missy