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Let’s talk about some more of the nitty-gritty: which tools are essential, and which are just helpful to have around.

First, what you need: • Bakeware of many kinds. You’ll want baking sheets, muffin pans, and cake pans, in a variety of shapes—round, square, rectangle, and loaf. It’s also a good idea to have a springform pan and at least one Bundt pan.

• Box grater or shredder with both wide and thin shredding widths. Alternatively, you can use a wide shredder and a zester.

• Cake testers to test the doneness of cakes. You can buy an actual cake tester tool, or just use a toothpick or thin skewer. I find that any of these options provides what you need!

• Double boiler for slowly cooking egg whites and sugar for buttercreams, and gently heating chocolate. You could also use a heatproof bowl set over a pot of hot water; just make sure the bowl isn’t touching the water in the pot.

• Electric hand mixer, even if it’s just a super cheap one you found at a garage sale. Honestly, it’s so hard to achieve the right textures without it, plus who wants to spend thirty minutes whipping cream by hand?

• Instant-read thermometer to measure the temperature of water and milk before adding yeast, and to make sure everything is just right. Working with yeast can be tricky, and thermometers take the guesswork out.

• Measuring spoons and cups to make sure everything is properly measured, of course! Dry measuring cups for dry ingredients and liquid measuring cups—the glass ones with a spout—for liquids. Trust me, guys—it makes a difference!

• Mixing bowls in several sizes, at least some of them microwave- and heat-safe. You’ll use

these to mix batters and doughs.

• Offset spatula to spread and frost. Simply put, this is the kitchen tool that you never knew you needed. I use the small 5- or 6-inch ones the most, even on big cakes.

• Parchment paper or nonstick baking mats to keep things from sticking, and to limit the number of times you have to wash those big pans.

• Pastry blender for when you don’t have a food processor, or maybe just don’t feel like pulling it out or cleaning it. You’ll use this tool to make pie crusts and biscuits and scones—any recipe that involves cutting butter or shortening into flour.

• Pastry brush for applying flavorings to cake layers beforefilling and frosting.

• Rolling pin to roll out all those pretty pie crusts or cookie doughs just right. I have a whole collection, but my favorite is just a plain old, simple wood one. Go with whatever kind you are comfortable with!

• Rubber spatulas to scrape out all the good stuff from the mixing bowls when you’re ready to bake.

• Whisks to stir ingredients, both dry and wet alike, and to marry them together in the end.

Now, what’s nice to have:• Biscuit cutters or just a mason jar lid—that’ll work too. Or a knife and a steady hand. Or an old cookie cutter. I’m flexible.

• Food processor to help you easily make that pie crust and crush graham crackers for crusts and toppings.

• Piping bags and tips to make cupcakes pretty, and to make frosting cakes much more easy. Spatulas will work too, though!

• Stand mixer to help you multitask in the kitchen, and to do all the hard work for you along the way.

TOOLS

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TOOLS