The Community Guide

c/baking-fails-and-wins

25

grant901•1d ago

Tried making sourdough from scratch and ended up with a science experiment that smelled like a locker room

I followed this TikTok recipe that said "just mix flour and water and wait" so I did that for like 10 days. Kept feeding it and everything. On baking day I was so excited but the dough came out like a wet pancake. Baked it anyway and it turned into a brick that smelled like feet. My neighbor came over and asked if something died in my kitchen lol. Learned that not all starter guides are created equal. You got any tips for getting a real sourdough starter going?

10

anthonyh85•3d ago

Overheard a baker say weigh ingredients don't use cups and it finally clicked

I was at a community baking class in Portland last month and this older guy told someone that measuring flour by volume is guessing at best. Said his breads were always hit or miss until he spent $15 on a kitchen scale. I went home and tried it with my chocolate chip cookies that night and the dough came out perfect every batch since. The cups vs grams debate is over for me now. Anyone else have a simple change that made that big a difference?

3

the_dylan•4d ago

I was totally against using a kitchen scale for baking until I tried my great aunt's pound cake recipe that listed everything in grams

After my third failed attempt in a row, I finally caved on a $15 scale from the grocery store and the cake came out perfect, so has anyone else been converted by a stubborn family recipe that forced you to change your ways?

4

finleyfox•4d ago

My pie crust always cracked until I tried using ice cold vodka instead of water

I was making a double batch of crust for a Thanksgiving pie in Portland last year and after three fails I swapped half the water for vodka from the freezer and it rolled out perfectly smooth, has anyone else tried this trick with liquids other than water?

17

adams.troy•6d ago

For years I creamed butter and sugar in the wrong order

I always added the eggs first before the sugar was fully mixed in. My cookies turned out flat every time until my sister watched me and pointed it out last month. Did anyone else have a basic step they just got backwards?

22

stella_foster•6d ago

My sourdough starter went from lifeless sludge to bubbly magic in 4 days

I had this jar of starter sitting in my fridge for almost three months doing nothing. It was gray and sad and smelled like old socks. I almost threw it out last Tuesday but decided to try feeding it a strict routine instead. I used a kitchen scale to measure exactly 100 grams of flour and 100 grams of water every morning at 7am. By day three I saw tiny bubbles on the surface and it doubled in size after a feed. Now it smells like ripe fruit and yogurt instead of nasty feet. Has anyone else brought a neglected starter back to life this fast?

3

aaronrobinson•7d ago

Swapped baking soda for baking powder in my banana bread by accident

Turned out way flatter and denser than usual, definitely sticking with baking powder from now on. Has anyone else had a similar mix-up that ruined a batch?

15

nancy929•7d ago

Warning: Made croissants for 2 years before realizing my butter was way too cold

I always wondered why my layers never puffed right until a baker at my local shop asked if I was slapping the butter block cold. Anyone else have a moment where a simple question made you rethink your whole method?

17

stella_roberts•9d ago

Boxed brownies are better than from scratch and I'll die on that hill

Ngl, I tried making brownies from scratch for a potluck last Saturday using a recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction. They turned out dry and crappy compared to the boxed Ghirardelli mix I normally use. Honestly, the box ones come out fudgy every time in 35 minutes flat. Anyone else think scratch is overrated for certain things?

2

foster.oscar•9d ago

Tried to make a fancy layered cake for my kid's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese

So I thought I'd be the hero dad and bring a homemade 5-layer rainbow cake to the party. Spent 4 hours on it the night before. Got to the party, set it on the table, and my 6-year-old immediately knocked it off the edge. Cake went flying across the floor. The birthday girl didn't even care because she was too busy chasing the animatronic rat. Now I just buy sheet cakes from Costco. Has anyone else had a bakery disaster at a party venue that made you rethink your life choices?

26

wren_brown•9d ago

Real question - is a beginner better off with a box mix or from scratch?

Last month my niece wanted to bake cookies for a school thing and I told her to just use a box mix to keep it simple. She said no, she wanted real cookies from scratch like I make. So we did both - box mix first, then mine. The box ones came out perfect every time, soft and chewy. My from scratch recipe? First batch burned, second batch spread into one giant cookie sheet, third batch was edible. Three tries across two evenings. Her box mix cookies got raves from her class. Mine got polite smiles. So here's the thing - is it really better to learn baking from scratch and fail a bunch, or does using box mixes actually teach you important stuff about following directions and getting consistent results before you move up? What worked for you all when you started?

13

charliew99•11d ago

That $60 springform pan that leaked all over my oven rack

I dropped $60 on a fancy nonstick springform pan from a specialty shop downtown for my birthday cheesecake last Saturday. The batter leaked out the seam as soon as I poured it in, ruining the cake and smoking up my whole kitchen for an hour. Has anyone actually found a springform pan that doesn't do this, or is it just a scam?

9

ryan_flores•13d ago

Just lost a whole batch of macarons because I opened the oven too early

I tried making French macarons for the first time last weekend and it was a total disaster. I followed the recipe exactly, waited 30 minutes for them to develop feet, but around the 12 minute mark I cracked the oven door to peek. The tops immediately wrinkled and fell flat, and they came out hollow and sticky. Turns out the moisture needs to stay trapped during the first 15 minutes or the structure collapses. Has anyone else ruined a delicate bake by peeking too soon?

25

jana_hill27•14d ago

Heard someone say "baking is just following directions" and nearly lost it

I was at a coffee shop last week and this guy at the next table was telling his friend that baking is easy because you just do what the recipe says. Like, have you ever tried making croissants from scratch? Or had a cake fall apart because your butter was 2 degrees too warm? I wanted to walk over and hand him my latest fail where I used expired baking powder (rookie move, I know) and ended up with flat, sad cookies. I guess the takeaway is that people who don't bake just don't get the nuance. Has anyone else had someone dismiss what you do like that?

6

felix98•15d ago

Spent $45 on a fancy pie crust shield and it melted in the oven

I thought I was being smart buying that silicone pie crust shield from a kitchen store near me last weekend. Looked great in the package, said it was heat safe up to 500 degrees. First time I used it on my apple pie last night, the thing just sagged and drooped onto the hot filling after 15 minutes at 375. Wound up with a mess of melted silicone and burnt crust anyway. Anyone else have luck with those metal ring ones instead?

9

gray_smith67•19d ago

My $45 target pan was a total baking disaster

I bought this nonstick loaf pan from Target for like $45 last month... thought I was getting a solid deal. First time I used it for banana bread the whole thing stuck so bad I had to chip the loaf out with a butter knife. The coating started peeling after just three uses too. I'm sticking with my old $12 Nordic Ware pan from now on, that thing has lasted me five years. Anyone else get burned by a trendy expensive pan that didn't deliver?

17

hannah385•20d ago

Sister told me my pie crust was tough. She was right.

She said it tasted like cardboard. I was using ice water but not enough fat. Swapped to half butter half shortening. Also stopped overworking the dough. Now it actually flakes. Anyone else have a family member give brutal but useful feedback?

4

drew_chen•21d ago

Burned my third batch of croissants at my sister's baby shower last month and that's when I finally bought a real oven thermometer

Turns out my oven runs 85 degrees hotter than the dial says, has anyone else had a similar wake-up call after ruining something for a special event?

7

joseph_martinez35•22d ago

My sourdough starter was a lie for 3 weeks

I kept waiting for bubbles that never came. Fed it every day like the blogs said. Turns out my tap water had too much chlorine. Switched to bottled water and it exploded overnight. Anyone else fight with their starter over something dumb like this?

29

david123•22d ago

Can we talk about the day my buttercream turned into soup?

Last Saturday I was making a birthday cake for my niece and the kitchen hit 85 degrees because our AC died. My buttercream went from stiff peaks to a watery mess in under 5 minutes no matter how much powdered sugar I added. Has anyone else had a recipe totally fall apart because of room temperature?

9

jesse_burns8•23d ago

Finally figured out why my pie crusts kept shrinking after years of trial and error

Turns out I was overworking the dough and not letting it rest long enough in the fridge - has anyone else had that lightbulb moment after their 10th sad, shrunken pie?

0

the_phoenix•24d ago

Question about getting cookie sizes consistent

I spent like 8 months trying to figure out why my chocolate chip cookies were all different sizes. One batch would be flat and wide, next would be tall and puffy. Finally realized it was because I was just eyeballing the dough balls and they varied by like 30 grams each. Bought a simple kitchen scale for 12 bucks and weighed each ball to exactly 45 grams. Now every cookie comes out the same size and shape every time. Took me way too long to figure that out honestly. Anyone else have a simple fix that took months to stumble on?

10

christopher594•24d ago

Fell for that expensive sourdough starter hype

I dropped $40 on some 'heirloom 100 year old' starter from Etsy and it smelled like feet after 3 feedings. My buddy's $5 local bakery starter has been going strong for 8 months now. Anyone else get burned by overpriced baking gimmicks?

18

black.patricia•26d ago

That week I ruined 4 batches of bread in a row

It was about 3 years ago, right before Thanksgiving. First batch I forgot the salt, second one the yeast was dead, third I overproofed by 2 hours because I fell asleep on the couch. The fourth one actually looked great until I dropped the whole loaf pan on the floor taking it out of the oven. Never had a week like that since, but I still check my yeast every time now. Anyone else have a baking streak go that wrong?

19

emma_smith•27d ago

Tried chilling my cookie dough for 48 hours instead of 1 and the texture was completely different

I always do the standard 1 hour chill for chocolate chip cookies. Last weekend I had a batch that sat in the fridge for two full days because I got busy. Baked them Sunday night and they came out thicker, chewier, and way less spread. The centers stayed soft but the edges got crispy. I thought it was a fluke so I did it again this week on purpose with the same recipe. Same result. Now I'm wondering if I've been missing out this whole time or if my fridge just runs cold. Anyone else notice a big difference with longer chill times?