3 Common Baking Fails + How to Fix Them

There’s hardly anything worse than taking a lot of time to prepare a dessert and having it go wrong. So the next time you find yourself with a baking fail on your hands, check out these ideas from culinary master Christopher Kimball to help you turn it into a win!

Fail 1: Forgot to Grease and/or Flour the Cake Pan

Forgetting to grease or flour a cake pan can put you on a fast track to dessert disaster. Kimball has a simple fix -- fill a larger pan with hot water and set your cake pan inside. Let it sit for three minutes, then remove the cake from the pan -- it should come out easily!

Fail 2: Your Pie Dough Has Dried Out

We’ve all been there -- you’re trying to roll out your pie crust and it keeps falling apart. The solution? Knead in a bit of ice water and chill in the fridge for 10 or 15 minutes.

Fail 3: Your Buttercream Has Separated

If you’re making buttercream frosting and your butter is a bit too warm, the oil might start to separate and make your frosting grainy. No worries, just mix in about a quarter cup of cornstarch and it should be silky smooth before you know it!

For a dessert idea that will be the opposite of a fail, check out Kimball’s recipes for Caramel Oranges and Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake.