I Spent 4 Years at a Bakery, and These Are 5 Tips I Still Swear By for Better Bakes

I worked in my hometown bakery for the majority of my high school and early college years—a job that was most definitely sweet (pun intended) for all kinds of reasons. After crafting thousands upon thousands of decadent cupcakes, cookies, brownies, and more from start to finish, I have an arsenal of information I still keep up my sleeve.

Yes, we used the basic baking show hacks like transferring cupcake batter with ice cream scoopers and flipping trays to ensure even baking. But what I’m here to share are the brilliant little tricks I'd never heard of until I became a baker myself.

1. Crack Eggs into Each Other

If you ever find yourself baking with a large number of eggs, you’ll be thankful for this hack: When I worked in a bakery, we had to crack 30 eggs at a time for our cupcake batters. In such a fast-paced environment, the last thing we wanted was to waste a good five to 10 minutes cracking eggs (not to mention the extra time it takes to fish out stray bits of shell).

Here’s the solution: Place all your eggs in a bowl with warm water. Let them soak while you prep other parts of your recipe. After about five minutes, place an empty bowl next to your egg bowl, and get cracking. Take two eggs, one in each hand, and knock them together with medium force.

It may sound strange, but it works: Only one egg cracks, and the other stays intact. Pour the cracked egg into your empty bowl, toss the shell, grab another egg from the egg bowl, and keep knocking them into each other. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be cracking eggs perfectly (and with no shells!) quicker than you ever thought possible.

2. Ensure a Clean Bowl Every Time with Flexible Cake Scrapers

The last bits of dough, frosting, or batter are always a pain to scrape out of your mixing bowl. Instead of working up a sweat with your spatula, do yourself a favor and pick up a flexible plastic cake scraper for around $5.

This simple tool could be life changing if you bake regularly: After removing the bulk of the batter (or whatever else you were mixing) from your bowl, use the scraper to hug the sides and scoop every last bit out with ease. Because it's flexible, the scraper molds to the bowl's shape and gets into every curve and corner. You’ll be getting way more out in a fraction of the time it would take to use a spatula, both saving time and cutting down on waste.

3. Steer Clear of Mini Chocolate Chips in Batters

Mini chocolate chips are certainly adorable, but they’re not ideal for cupcake or cake batters. While the fun-sized addition may be a cute idea in theory, they tend to sink straight to the bottom of the batter during baking—which is anything but sweet. Rather than staying suspended throughout the mix as a larger chip does, these melt into a clumpy layer.

Do future you a favor and stick with classic, regular-sized chocolate chips. It’s a small swap but makes a huge difference, and your cake will have better texture and evenly-distributed tastes of yummy chocolate in every bite.

4. Get Perfect Brownie Edges with a Metal Scraper

Have you ever wondered how bakery brownies tend to be flawless squares with 90-degree angle corners and perfectly smooth sides? Those professional-looking edges are actually pretty easy to achieve, and all that’s required is a stainless steel scraper and a bit of chill time.

Once they’re done baking, place your brownies in the refrigerator to cool completely. Chilling helps them firm up, which makes it much easier to get clean cuts. Next, use a metal scraper with a sturdy handle to slice all the way through to the pan. Tidy up any crumbs on the edges by pressing the brownie onto the flat side of the scraper—this packs in any imperfections.

While you can try this technique with room temperature brownies, chilled brownies are recommended for the most precise results. Avoid cutting them while they’re still warm or hot, because soft brownies are too gooey to hold a clean, sharp edge.

5. Scoop Batter Smarter with Hot Water

If you’re using an ice cream scooper to scoop batter into trays (whether it’s for cupcakes, muffins, or brownies), keep a cup of hot water nearby.

As you scoop, batter tends to build up and make the scooper goopy, which slows you down and affects the consistency of portions. Dipping it in a cup of hot water every few rounds keeps it clean, allowing you to work with ease. If you want to be even more efficient, keep two scoopers on hand, and use one while the other soaks in the hot water, switching them out when necessary. With this tip, you’ll get even amounts batter in every tin (without spilling everywhere, too).