Tag Archives: baking ingredients for beginners

Baking Resources Guide, Our Monsoon Gift To You!

That fresh, earthy smell of rain that makes your senses sing; cloudy, misty mornings; the occasional sudden cloudburst that catches you off guard…yes, it’s that time of the year again! The monsoons have arrived and if we haven’t told you yet that baking is one of the best and most perfect indoor activities for when the rains arrive, we’re telling you now!

A complete baking resources guide that gives home bakers the full lowdown on baking ingredients, baking supplies and baking equipment. Plus some easy baking recipes and tips on baking as a family!

When the skies burst forth…our ovens go PING!

A lot of home bakers find that the rainy season, when you’re stuck indoors, often for unreasonably long periods, is one of the best times to discover your baking skills if you’re a beginner or hone them further if you’re a pro in the making. Which is why this monsoon we’ve decided to gift you a comprehensive baking resources guide that will have all of your baking queries sorted (you’re welcome!). Read on for all the baking fabulousness on the blog you ever needed to get your hands on!

A complete baking resources guide that gives home bakers the full lowdown on baking ingredients, baking supplies and baking equipment. Plus some easy baking recipes and tips on baking as a family!

Get, set, bake!

To bake or not to bake? If you’ve been on the fence for a while…

We're celebrating Bake For Family Month, an annual celebration created by the Home Baking Association all of February at Con Affetto

To bake or not to bake?

Been thinking about doing your own baking for a while but not sure if it’s worth the effort or the initial investment? Check out our baking resources guide below which tells you all about the benefits of baking! And hey, when you get the hang of it and experience the unparalleled joy it brings, it seems pretty effortless!

Click here to access your guide to the benefits of baking!

Okay, okay, you’re convinced! But where do you start? It’s way too confusing!

Fret not! The Con Affetto peeps are here with our super simple baking resources guide 😉 For starters, check out our awesome baking supplies guide on all the baking equipment you’ll need to get started as a home baker!

The must have baking essentials every home baker needs includes a stand mixer and many other must have baking toolsNow that the equipment bit is sorted, you need to stock up that pantry. Here’s our snazzy baking resource on all of the baking ingredients that the new home baker needs to get those moist sponge cakes & choc chip cookies (among other things) whizzing outta the oven.

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

All the baking ingredients you need to make magic in the oven!

And now for the cherry on the cake! Our handy baking supplies resource on exactly where you need to go to pick up each of those must-stock baking supplies. A comprehensive baking supplies guide like never before.

You’ve finally begun with baby baking steps…

Resource guide for baking supplies in Delhi

Lets get bakin’!

So the baking equipment and supplies are under control and you’ve discovered the most gorgeous baking stores in your neighbourhood. You’re all set to bake! But, ummm, recipes? We’ve got that bit covered too! Here are some easy peasy recipes for the whole family to get down and baking! Added bonus: some snazzy tips on how to get started when you’re baking together as a family.

You really shouldn’t have any excuses not to bake, not after this fabulous baking resources guide we’re sending your way! So, without further ado, let’s get those aprons on and those ovens pinging! And you know we love hearing from you’ll so do share your baking experiences and recipes with us in the comments below!

Con Affetto’s ULTIMATE Baking Ingredients Checklist: Beginner

It’s a lazy Saturday afternoon and you’re in the mood to bake a gooey-licious chocolate cake. You get your favourite recipe out, prep the cake pan, measure out the flour and…you’re out of sugar! And baking powder… And there’s just, um, one egg and a scrap of cooking chocolate that’s not enough even for a cookie! Ever been there? Totally sucks, right? We know. And that’s why we’ve put together a list every home baker needs; a list that’ll ensure you have ALL your baking ingredients in place whenever you’re in the mood for some bakin’. Put this on your must-read radar along with our list of must have baking essentials every home baker needs and you’re good to bake!

The ULTIMATE baking ingredients checklist for beginners!

1. Flour

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

The basic baking workhorse!

This is your basic baking workhorse, whether you’re thinking cakes, cookies or breads. Two of the commonly used flours most home bakers come across are plain flour and self raising flour. Self raising flour is plain flour with a raising agent already added. If you’re using plain flour, you’ll need a raising agent like baking powder or bicarbonate of soda to ensure your cakes get that awesome rise you want!

Wholemeal flours tend to give a denser texture, but you can swap part of your refined flour with wholemeal for a healthier version.

Keep watching this space for some funky and healthy recipes using wholemeal flours- coming up soon!

2. Baking Powder

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

Those cakes ain’t rising without this ‘magic’ baking ingredient ;)

When you have flour on the list, baking powder is bound to follow, coz that flour ain’t rising without this must-have on your baking ingredients checklist. Baking powder is a raising agent made of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar and sometimes, cornstarch. Cream of tartar is an acid which activates the bicarbonate of soda- causing the release of carbon dioxide and helping to aerate the cake with moisture, so that the cake doesn’t get too dry.

3. Bicarbonate of Soda

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

The soda bakers can’t do without :D

Also known as baking soda, this is a base that is called for in recipes that also contain some sort of acid like buttermilk, yoghurt, lemon juice or honey, to name a few. The acid in the recipe reacts with baking soda, creating carbon dioxide and causing your cake to rise.

Just in case you were wondering- baking powder and baking soda are two very different ingredients.


Some recipes call for both baking powder and baking soda- this is usually to get the desired leavening as well as flavour and browning of your baked goodie.

 4. Butterrrrr!!

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

Utterly butterly…cake-licious!

Utterly butterly required on any list of must have baking ingredients! Beaten together with sugar, butter is what gives your cakes its light, airy feel.

Important Baking Tip: Remember, butter needs to be at room temperature for baking.

We CANNOT imagine our creamed cakes without the delicious feel of butter!

5. Another all rounder on the must have baking ingredients checklist…

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

Good ol’ eggs to get that fluffy sponge cake just right

…Eggs of course! Eggs are used in batters for binding as well as to trap air in the batter. As with butter, make sure the eggs are at room temperature before you get baking.

6. Cocoa/ Chocolate

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

Ahhhh…chocolate!

Coz what would a chocolate cake be without this on our must have baking ingredients checklist? Okay, plain vanilla which is also kinda nice, but we admit we’re chocoholics and we must must must have our chocolate cakes! You can go with either cocoa or chocolate. Or be like us and use both 😉 for your cakes, buttercream icings and fillings.

7. Sugar

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

A pinch of sugar…

The sweetest no-brainer on our baking ingredients check-list. There are all sorts of this sweetie of course 😉 Plain old white granulated sugar- nothing quite like this baby for creaming those wet ingredients together.

We have a sugary sweet post coming your way soon: all about the various sorts of sugars you need to sweeten up your baking just right!


Caster sugar tends to be quite popular among home bakers too; it blends real nice thanks to its fine texture. Icing sugar, is what you need for icing-DUH! Then there are a variety of brown sugars- light, dark, muscovado; each with a distinctive flavour and each lending itself to a particular sort of recipe.

8. Spice

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

…and some spice…

Sugar and spice go together to bake all those baked goodies nice :) Think cinammon, ground ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom. A pinch or two can add that burst of flavour that’ll elevate your cake or cookie to the next level.

9. Vanilla Extract

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

…and a hint of vanilla, bakes all things nice!

This can really add that special zing to a recipe which is why it makes it to our list of must have baking ingredients. Invest in real vanilla extract made from vanilla beans, SO much better than the cheaper vanilla essence.

Pssst! Delhi home bakers! You may want to check out THIS fab resource on where to get your baking supplies in Delhi. Includes the full scoop on where you can get some REAL vanilla too!

10. Milk

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

Fresh, creamy, flavorful…the goodness of milk in our gourmet bakes

We like ours full fat for that added creaminess and flavour :)

11. Yeast

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

That bread looks yeasty good!

Yeast. Instant, active dry, rapid rise, there are some yeasty varieties out there. Pick yours depending on what your recipe calls for.

12. Salt

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

Can’t imagine grub without salt? Well, bakes need a dash too…even some sweet ones!

Just a pinch. For that added dimension to your scrummy bakes.

13. Vegetable Oil

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

Make your bakes healthier with this ingredient!

Can be used as a substitute to butter, or swap in a bit for a healthier version. Plus it brings in its own distinctive flavour to the bake at hand. We love our coconut oil for our pumpkin muffin recipe and our sunflower blend for our rich sponge cakes!

Okay peeps, you can stop reading and get baking already! :) And don’t forget to watch this space for the next post in our home baker essential series; we have a post coming up on the ultimate baking ingredients check-list- the ADVANCED version!

Do you have any basic ingredients you think we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments below!