Can you cook AND bake?
By katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
United States
February 2, 2009 8:00am CST
Did you know Rachel Ray can't bake? She's a great cook, but she cannot bake. There are many great cooks out there who cannot bake.
Why, because baking is more of a science while cooking is more of an art. When cooking you don't need to be precise with ingredients. You can go by looks or smells or tastes.
But when baking, you must be precise. You must have the correct amount of dry ingredients vs wet ingredients. Otherwise instead of cookies you may end up with bricks, or soup.
Which are you better at, cooking or baking? Can you do both rather well?
I can cook and bake, I do both rather well. But for me, I'd say I'm better at cooking. I cook more often than I bake, and I'm good at just creating recipes off the top of my head. I like to experiment with cooking, and I'm always trying something new. Sometimes I'll use a recipe as a guideline or as an idea, then go my own way with it instead of following it to a T.
Although I do enjoy baking and do it on a regular basis, I've not yet tried experimenting too much. Normally I just follow recipes exactly. The only baked good I've been able to experiment with really is bread, and lately I've begun experimenting with cookies. But I haven't really tried much else.
3 people like this
26 responses
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
2 Feb 09
My first cakes were flops, in the real meaning of the word! They looked great inside the oven but as soon as I took them out they would flop down and I just gave up. I am a much better cook so I leave the bking to the bakers! 
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
2 Feb 09
I've only ever made 1 homemade cake before. Normally I just use the box mix. Well the homemade one I made came out very well. I just don't experiment too much with it. I'd like to to though. It's usually a matter of having the money for the ingredients, and the energy to try something new, lol.
1 person likes this
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
2 Feb 09
Doing them with box mix is cheating! 
I quite understand though. Some seem to be born cake makers and others just don't ever seem to grasp the art 
I quite understand though. Some seem to be born cake makers and others just don't ever seem to grasp the art @katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
2 Feb 09
Honestly I just haven't found the right recipe, although I haven't looked very hard either. I made a chocolate cake from scratch, it came out good, but it wasn't the right recipe for me.
I'll give it another try soon I'm sure, I'm actually feeling inspired because of this discussion!
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
2 Feb 09
I enjoy both cooking and baking. I do all of the baking for extended family. Holidays and birthdays. It is time consuming but fun! All of my nieces and nephews come over to bake Christmas cookies, and love to help me bake birthday cakes.
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
4 Feb 09
I don't think I am particularly good at either. I just kinda get by...... what does that say about me?
My sister is an excellent cook but she does not bake very well (although, she thinks she does.) I completely understand that baking is about precision and she thinks she has a knack for giving things her own twist.... it works for her cooking just not her baking.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Feb 09
I am always very nervous to change up a baking recipe. With my cooking recipes, I hardly ever follow them correctly. Even when I say I'm going to (which is usually when I try it for the first time) I still end up going my own way with it, and it always comes out wonderfully.
But with baking, I normally follow a recipe exactly, and fear varying from it. Although a few weeks ago I did for the first time, and it turned out well, so now I'm inspired to stray from recipes a bit more.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
2 Feb 09
I have heard Rachel Ray say she cannot bake before on her 30 minute meals show.
I can cook and I can bake. I think I am a better baker than a cooker though. I like to do both and I do both all the time. I am no that creative when it comes to cooking. I typically stay with things I know I can make.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
2 Feb 09
See, I'm the opposite. I'm very creative with cooking, but when it comes to baking I'm not as experienced. Anything I've tried has come out well, I've made pies and cakes from scratch, but mostly I stick to cookies and breads. As I feel more confident in my baking I'll explore it a bit more, and this discussion really has me inspired to try some new things.
I think it's all a matter of how much time you put into it. Since I have plenty of opportunities to cook and try new things, that's where I'm more confident and have more experience. But baking is all dependent on my having the desire to do it, which sort of comes and goes.
@GreenMoo (11834)
•
4 Feb 09
I don't enjoy baking because I get frustrated with having to follow a recipe exactly. As a result I'm far more experienced at cooking, and better at it.
My favourite sort of cooking is the 'bung everything together and see what happens' sort, so you can imagine why I get frustrated with baking!
@GreenMoo (11834)
•
6 Feb 09
That's funny, I always thought baking bread was quite scientific and that you needed the precise quantities to achieve the correct rise etc. I have to be pretty exact when I use my bread machine, but I don't have much experience of baking without it. I've trial and errored changes to the bread machine recipes, but the basic quantities have to stay the same.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Feb 09
yeah, I'm like you. When I see a recipe I want to try, I'll follow the ingredients, just not the amounts. I go by looks or smells. I have to be in the right mood for baking, because that is something you need correct amounts for, so I have to be in a patient sort of mood. My favorite thing to bake is bread, because that is not something you have to be exact on. Just add the right amount of flour to get the texture of dough you're looking for.
1 person likes this
@mammamuh (582)
• Sweden
2 Feb 09
I must say that I do well at both!
I do my own recipes while baking and cooking and it turn out good most of the times.
I cook more often (since I have to make food for the family) but I like baking way more - since it's not a must - at least not for me. I tend to bake scones Saturdays and Sundays and I'm trying to have bread made for the other mornings - but not always. I love to bake cakes and birthday cakes.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
2 Feb 09
I've gone through spurts where I've baked a loaf of bread everyday for a few weeks. But lately I've slowed down a bit. I still bake at least once a week though, past few weeks it's been cookies, but I'm soon going to try some brownies.
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
2 Feb 09
[i]Why, because baking is more of a science while cooking is more of an art. When cooking you don't need to be precise with ingredients. You can go by looks or smells or tastes.
But when baking, you must be precise[/i]
OMG I never looked at it that way before! But that is SO true!!
As for me, I am a great cook and a so so baker..the reason I am so so with baking is cause quite frankly it just doesnt interest me really LOL..I absolutely love cooking though!
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
2 Feb 09
I go through spurts where I'm not really interested in baking either, but then I go through spurts where you can't get me out of the kitchen,and I can't get the flour out of my hair!
@cheenlly (3476)
• Philippines
3 Feb 09
I love cooking and baking but i usually do cooking. I have learned baking when i was in my high school and i'm quite good of it but its been a long time since the last time i bake because we don't have an oven anymore. What i commonly do right now is cooking and i really love doing it. Sometimes i experiment my own dish too and i am happy doing it. They say i am a good cook and that the man i am going to marry is very lucky...lol . Quite flattering but i'm thankful for the compliment. Well, maybe because its my passion and i love doing it that is why. Anyway, everybody could learn cooking and baking but if you had the passion it is much better because it would come out naturally. happy posting!
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
4 Feb 09
I can cook and bake also. I took home ec class in school and was hooked. I took it every year that all could all through highschool. I guess I do both equally well. I don't bake very often though. I experiment a little bit when I cook and sometimes I'll just wing it entirely.
@4ofmyown (1119)
• United States
2 Feb 09
I am by far a better cook than I being able to bake. Whatever I bake it just doesn't seem to come out quite right. For a long time I thought it was my oven but then we got a new range and with the new one it recipes still didn't come out so good. But I do make pretty good brownies. My husband and kids ask for them all the time.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
2 Feb 09
I've tried some recipes that just didn't come out right too, but then I just try a different recipe and it comes out fine.
I can't remember if I've ever made homemade brownies, but that is one of the next things I'm going to do. I got a great idea for it, so I'm going to give it a try.
@rocketj1 (6955)
• United States
2 Feb 09
I'm pretty good at both. I enjoy the "fruits of my labors" a little more with baking though
. But I am not a very fancy baker. I do the basics well from scratch but I really have only occasionally made totally homemade pies. I enjoy purchasing ready made pie crusts. Rolling them out is just not fun to me. I don't think I could stand the time-consuming efforts that would be necessary to be a pastry chef. I enjoy baking and decorating cakes however.
. But I am not a very fancy baker. I do the basics well from scratch but I really have only occasionally made totally homemade pies. I enjoy purchasing ready made pie crusts. Rolling them out is just not fun to me. I don't think I could stand the time-consuming efforts that would be necessary to be a pastry chef. I enjoy baking and decorating cakes however. @katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
2 Feb 09
I have made my own pies a couple times. I agree it's not as much fun, but a friend of mine gave me a great pie crust recipe. I'd attempted the one in my betty crocker cook book, and just couldn't get it right, but the recipe my friend gave me came out perfect, and I made 2 pies out of it, strawberry rhubarb... my first ever pie!
I've always done well at anything I've tried, except frosing, I don't think I beat the eggs enough. I just don't try the complicated things often enough to become an expert at it. Unlike with cooking, I do complicated things quite often when I cook.
@joycemiranda (131)
• Philippines
3 Feb 09
i can do both, but more on baking. well it's because i learned how to love it. maybe if i had more time in cooking before, maybe i can do both better.
yes, in baking you have to precise, follow instructions very well or else you will just throw what you baked.
in cooking it's art because you can create your own menu. of course it still depends on the individual's taste whether in baking in cooking. some people like certain food while not for others.
if you can do either, well and good and if you can do both, much better.
@trendyclothes (294)
• Philippines
3 Feb 09
i would love to cook and bake.. but i dont know how.. so sad..
@culiutudou (4)
• China
3 Feb 09
I like cook especially the soup! A good soup is beneficial to your body than other food. And I often make special soup for my family.
For example:
the invigorater and bones soup for my parrents,
the vegetable and cream soup for my children,
the Fruit and vegetable soup for my wife,
and I prefer the meat(beef&mutton)and potato soup.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
2 Feb 09
i cook & bake both. guess i do o.k. it's all eaten. don't do as much as it as i use to because i'm alone now. i do make treats for my grandson, he's special. lol
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
3 Feb 09
Hey kats! I can cook and bake too! I am better at cooking! I
also make up recipes as I go. I like to experiment sometimes
with different ingredients. I find it to be fun and exciting!
I have almost never made something that was so bad that it
couldn't be eaten. Maybe twice! But, like you said you have to
be a bit more careful with baking! With baking you do need to
follow a recipe more closing. Adding a spice or an ingredient
is ok as long as you don't change the basic ingredients too
much. I don't bake from scratch too often. I also only bake
cookies and use bread recipes and cake receipes that I have
that have been tested before!
@txcheerleadr90 (293)
• United States
2 Feb 09
I can do both. And I can do both very well. I love to cook because I can be extremely creative in what I put in my food that give it that "something extra". And I love to bake because you can put your special touches in your baking or your "love". They kinda go hand in hand and I was shocked when she said she couldn't bake!
@dreamweaverjan (3471)
• United States
2 Feb 09
HI Kats: Yep I can cook and bake, been doing it all of my life well since I can remember; Growing up on the farm we always had plenty to do and there always seemed to be a house full of people there; Baking is my favorite to do I just hate the dang dishes afterwards, no matter what you fix there is always a ton of dirty dishes staring at you afterwards bleh!
@chris20 (109)
• Philippines
3 Feb 09
I haven't tried baking. As in real baking using oven and mixing ingredients. Usually, I baked cookies using our oven toaster. Take note that I'm using the ready mixture of cookies that is usually available in the market. Well, I really don't know how to bake but I can say that I'm good in cooking. I really love creating new recipes and preparing our food for every occasion.
