How To Turn (Almost) Any Baking Recipe Into A One-Bowl Affair
(Photo: Roberto Caruso)
I have a what some may consider a bad baking habit. Any time I make a recipe that has me mixing dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls, then adding one to the other in whatever order that particular recipe requires, I'll often try to figure out a way to eliminate one of the bowls. In other words, I'll one-bowl it, (almost) every single time.
There are times when this isn't advisable or simply impossible—anything to do with whipped egg whites, for example, or a cooked custard. But with the right tools and a little technique, a lot of simple two-bowl recipes can be adapted for this. Here's how.
Use a scale
Among the many reasons to use a kitchen scale in baking (it's fast, precise, and helps with consistent results), cutting down on dishes is a big one. Sifting dry ingredients directly into your bowl of assembled wet ingredients is often just fine, especially for simple cakes. Just be sure to hold off on mixing until all dry ingredients have been incorporated to avoid over-mixing—and be sure to always use a sieve to get rid of any clumps.
Use a microwave-safe bowl
Recipes that include steps such as melting chocolate or butter can often be one-bowled by doing so in a microwave-safe bowl before adding in the rest of your fat or liquid elements. Just remember to give it a moment to cool down if you'll be adding eggs directly afterwards.
Determine ingredient order
Pragmatically, one-bowling works best if you start with wet ingredients, then add in the dry: this allows you to start with creaming sugar into fat if the recipe calls for it, or incorporating eggs.
That's basically it! There are, I'm sure, plenty of dedicated bakers who might be aghast at this advice—but so far my single-layer cakes and muffins have turned out just fine. Want to give it a shot? Here's a few simple recipes to get started.
Glazed Lemon Poppyseed Loaf
Make this coffee-shop favourite at home in a single bowl by starting with wet ingredients, then sieving in the dry. Get this glazed lemon poppyseed loaf recipe.
Christine Flynn’s Wacky Cake
This efficient and quick cocoa dessert can be whipped up in less than an hour. Get Christine Flynn's wacky cake recipe.
Salted Chocolate Tahini Skillet Blondies
If you're fan of dense, fudgy brownies and chewy chocolate chip cookies, this sweet, salty and slightly nutty dessert is for you. Get this salted chocolate tahini skillet blondies recipe.
Easy Banana Muffins
A simple, perfect breakfast. One-bowl these muffins by mashing the banana into the bowl first, then adding the wet ingredients, and dry last. Get this banana muffins recipe.
Light and Decadent Brownies
These egg-white-based brownies were originally designed as a one-bowl recipe, and are a snap to pull together. Get this brownies recipe.
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Chantal Braganza is a writer and editor living in Toronto. She is deputy editor, food at Chatelaine, a cookbook nerd, lover of vintage dish ware, and currently training for yoga teacher certification. Her first book, Story of Your Mother, is out with Strange Light Press.
