Commonly Asked Questions About My Recipes

The comments section on The Scran Line is one of my favorite places. It’s where I get to chat with you, clear things up and help with your baking questions. I’ve pulled together the most common ones and answered them all in one spot.

You can use the contents list below to jump to whatever you need.

Crash Course: Top 5 Rules For Baking

These are the rules I follow in my own kitchen, and they’ll help set you up for success too. Baking is about precision, but it doesn’t need to be stressful. These tips will help you feel more confident and get better results every time.

1. Measure using scales – If you only follow one rule, let it be this. Scales give you accurate results, they’re easier to use than cups, and they mean you’re way less likely to end up with dry cookies or sunken cakes.
2. STICK TO THE RECIPE! – Don’t skip steps, swap ingredients or change the method unless I’ve left a note saying it’s safe to do. I test everything in my kitchen to work exactly as written, and small changes can throw the whole recipe off.
3. Use room temperature ingredients – Unless the recipe says otherwise, things like eggs, milk, and yogurt should be at room temp. They mix together more smoothly and give you a better textured batter. I’ve gone more in depth on this below.
4. Preheat your oven – I preheat for at least 30 minutes. A cold oven is one of the easiest ways to end up with dense cakes or pastries that never rise properly.
5. Don’t over mix – This one’s important. Overmixing builds gluten, which can make cakes tough and cause cookies or cupcakes to shrink as they cool.

Ok, I lied, I have a sixth rule!

• Read your recipe from start to finish before you begin! It sounds basic, but it saves so many headaches. You’ll know what needs prepping, what tools you need, and which ingredients need to be ready before you start.

Measuring & Ingredients

Can You Convert Your Recipes From Grams To Cups?

I get this question all the time. The short answer is no. I used to include cup measurements, but i switched to grams to make my recipes more accurate.

Here’s why:

• A small difference in flour – Even 30g, can change the outcome of a cookie. It will stop it spreading properly or might cause it to spread way too much.
• Cups aren’t universal – an American cup holds 240ml, while an Australian cup holds 250ml. That means I’d be testing recipes with different measurements than most of you.
• Grams are the same everywhere – 100g of flour in Australia is 100g of flour in the US. Case closed!

I even use grams for liquid measurements. Since you already have the scales out, why not pour and measure by weight? It’s easier and way more reliable. If I’ve convinced you, welcome to the world of stress-free baking! 😂

Read More → How To Measure Using Kitchen Scales

Can I Use Less Sugar?

I get it, some desserts can be overly sweet. But sugar does more than add sweetness. It plays a big role in texture and structure.

• In frosting, it helps with structure – In frostings like my vanilla buttercream, sugar stiffens it up so it holds its shape when piped.
• Keeps cakes moist – It traps liquid and fat, stopping cakes from drying out.
• Helps with rising – Sugar slows how flour and eggs set in the oven, so cakes have time to rise before firming up. Less sugar can make them dense.

If a recipe feels too sweet, it is better to balance flavors with salt, citrus, or bittersweet chocolate instead of reducing sugar. I wouldn’t use less sugar or even try to substitute it with something else. The results won’t be the same.

How Can I Substitute An Ingredient?

Each ingredient in a recipe plays a really special role. Eggs for example play so many different roles. They often bind ingredients together, provide lift and aeration.

Unless I’ve tested a recipe with a substitute for ingredients and it’s in the recipe or recipe notes, I haven’t tested the recipe to work any other way. So my answer will always be, there is no substitute and you’re better off finding a recipe that already has the substitutions you’re looking for like no eggs or gluten free etc.

How Can I Make Cake Flour?

Making cake flour at home is easy, I have an entire blog post on it!. Combine 125g of all-purpose flour with 25g of corn starch. Run them through a whisk 3 times before using. Just a note. This is a home made version. Store bought cake flour is much finer and will give you better results. At a pinch, you can make this home made version and get good results.

What Kind Of Salt Do You Use?

I use fine sea salt, sometimes known as table salt. This is different from regular sea salt which is courser and kosher salt which is also courser. I don’t use those at all. Ever.

My salt is pink, but the white variety works too. It’s all the same. In some recipes I might use sea salt flakes for topping cookies or my salted caramel cupcakes, but in all of my dough and batters I use fine sea salt.

Does It Matter What Brand I use for ingredients?

I really believe baking should be accessible to everyone regardless of your socioeconomic status. For me, accessibility is a non-negotiable. I started baking when I was about 16. I was lucky if I had one baking tool in the kitchen. It’s why I switched over from using a stand mixer in my recipes to a hand mixer which is much more affordable and frankly, easier to use most times.

Here are my rules for ingredients.

1. Unless I specify an ingredient brand, then use what’s best available to you. And remember, expensive isn’t always the best quality ingredient. Most of the time I will specify a type of ingredient you should use. For example, I specific block style cream cheese for my cream cheese frosting recipe. Spreadable cream cheese just will not work for that recipe.
2. The general idea for ingredients is, the better quality your ingredient is, the better tasting your bakes will be. This especially applies to butter and chocolate.
3. Butter plays a really big role in flavor so aim for one that has at least 82% butter fat. That butterfat will give you a better structured frosting too. Chocolate also plays a big role in flavor. My preference is for dark chocolate.

But you know what? Go for what fits your budget and what you have available. Just pay attention to the ingredients list in any recipe and if there are notes on ingredients, read them.

Baking Techniques & Troubleshooting

How Do I Properly Soften My Butter?

I have an entire post written up about. It goes through three easy ways to soften butter properly. I highly recommend reading it. Once you understand how to do it, you’re good for life. The key thing is to have it be soft enough so that if you press it with your finger it feels cool to the touch, has some resistance but can leave an indent. Overly soft or fridge cold butter can give you funky cake batters, cookies and frosting.

What Oven Settings Do You Use?

I bake with my oven fan off when I’m baking desserts. For bread making I generally bake with my oven fan on. If your oven only does one of those, that’s fine. I just baked a batch of carrot cake cupcakes with the fan on.

The general rule is that a fan bake should be 20C / 70F lower than a bake with the fan off. I usually state the temperatures for both oven settings anyway.

Why Did My Macarons Crack?

Name a macaron problem, I’ve had it! Cracks, macarons that don’t rise or rise lopsided. I popped all of my macarons trials and tribulations into a massive post which is a complete guide on Macaron Troubleshooting. If you’ve ever been brought to the brink with this fussy little French cookie, give it a read or visit it to figure out what’s gone wrong.

Oh and while I have you! I have three macaron recipes you should check out!

• Chocolate Macarons – so rich in chocolate flavor
• French Macarons (Swiss Meringue Method) – easy macaron, great for beginners!
• French Macarons (Italian Meringue Method) – (my favorite) stable, consistent results!

How Do I Stop Frosting From Melting?

Frosting is mostly butter, and butter melts when it gets warm. Even on mild days will do it. The best way to stop it from melting is to keep your bakes cool in an air-conditioned room or store them in the fridge until you are ready to serve. On warm days, I keep mine chilled and bring them out about 30 minutes before serving so they are not too cold to eat.

Why Did My Cake Sink in the Middle?

The most common reason a cake sinks is underbaking. It can also happen if the oven door is opened too early, which lets in cool air and deflates the cake. Bake until the full time is up, then test for doneness by gently pressing the top. It should spring back. You can also insert a toothpick into the centre. It should come out clean.

Why Did My Cookies Spread Too Much (or Not at All)?

• Spread too much – dough was likely warm and had too much butter or fat in it. Add more flour if needed, always stick to the recipe and chill your cookie dough if instructed!
• Didn’t spread enough – too much flour and oven was too hot which means they didn’t have enough time to melt properly and spread out before forming a crust.

How Do I Bring My Ingredients To Room Temperature?

I keep my dairy in the fridge. Even my eggs. If it’s sold in the fridge, keep it in the fridge. A lot of cakes have ingredients that need to be room temperature. That usually means about 20 – 22C / 68 – 72F. Room temperature ingredients mix together more smoothly, which helps create an even batter dough or cake batter. Butter cream with sugar better and eggs whip up fluffier!

• Eggs – Place them in a bowl of warm tap water for ten minutes before using.
• Butter – Cut it into cubes and let it sit on the bench until it feels cool to the touch and leaves a small indent when pressed. Do the same with cream cheese.
• Milk – Heat in the microwave in short bursts until it feels like body temperature when you dip in a clean finger.
• Yogurt or sour cream – Use the same method as milk. Gently warm it just enough to take off the chill.

What Size Eggs Do You Use?

I use what’s called ‘large eggs’ in Australia. They weigh 50-55g out of the shell. Try to use the right sized eggs when you bake it can make a difference. For some recipes like macarons andpavlova, you just want to weigh the exact amount of egg whites. You might have some waste. That’s the glamorous life of baking!

Recipe Adjustments & Scaling

Can I Double or Halve Your Recipes?

Most of the time, yes. I only test my recipes as they’re written unless I’ve left notes, but a lot of them can be doubled or halved if you keep a few things in mind.

• Frosting – This one is easy. Just double the ingredients and make sure you have a big enough bowl. If the batch is too much for one bowl, split it and make it in two.
• Cake batter – This gets a bit trickier. Stick to the same tin size if you can. A deeper tin will overbake on the outside before the middle is done and leave you with a dry cake. If your oven is too small fit multiple trays or larger batches, bake one batch at a time.
• Sauces – Pretty simple. Just follow the steps and look our for the right color or consistency described in the recipe.
• Cookies – Super easy to double or halve. If I’m doubling a cookie dough recipe, I just make it in two batches. I don’t own bowls big enough for a double batch.

Equipment & Tools

What Tools And Equipment Do You Use?

I use a lot of different tools and equipment in my kitchen. I have a whole separate post which guides you through All the Tools And Equipment I Use As A Home Baker (And Love!) that you can check out. Nothing is linked and I don’t get a commission it’s purely things I love using and think have a great build quality, design or function.

Can I Use a Hand Mixer Instead of a Stand Mixer?

Yes. A couple of years ago, I switched from a stand mixer to a hand mixer to show that you do not need fancy equipment to make amazing desserts.

These days, I only use my stand mixer when I am making large batches of cake or when I am making bread. Bread can still be kneaded by hand, and large cake batches can be made with a hand mixer. Just mix them in two batches instead.

Extra Bits!

Can I Order Your Desserts?

Nope. I’m not a registered food business so I don’t sell any food products. My business is all about developing great recipes and posting them up on my website. Also, My goal here is to encourage you to get in your kitchen and bake!

What Do You Do With All Your Desserts?

If it’s something I think is finished or close to and I think others will enjoy, I pass it along to my neighbors and give it to family. Otherwise, some recipes, especially in the development phase, go in the bin. They’re not something I would always be happy giving to others. In other words, I only give the good stuff away! A lot of the savory recipes I freeze or we have for dinner.