Cake math can be hard. Calculating the size of your cake and the amount of frosting you need, then finding the right recipe to match, can quickly become exhausting and confusing. 

But we’re here to make your life easier! First, use the chart below to determine how much frosting you need for the amount of cake or cupcakes you’ll be decorating. Need a specific recipe? Go to the next chart, which provides recipe yields so you can choose the right frosting for you.

There is more than one way to zest a lemon. But the best way, according to the baking wizards in our Test Kitchen, is with a Microplane Zester. This isn’t a new discovery; the day this handy tool was stolen from the woodshop and brought into the kitchen, cooks rejoiced. The sharp teeth of this wand-like rasp remove only the fragrant zest of the fruit, leaving the bitter pith behind.

Lemons are a superstar ingredient in baking — they’re plentiful year-round, reliably affordable, and pack a puckery punch. So, if you’re looking for an early spring pick-me-up, look to these lemon dessert recipes. From curd-filled cakes to lemonade-inspired bars, there’s something for everyone.   

“Most on-trend recipe we’ve ever published.” That’s how my colleague described these Chili Crisp Cottage Cheese Flatbreads. He wasn’t talking about the chili crisp; he was talking about the protein.

We were chatting about the Ankarsrum stand mixer in a meeting the other month when one of my colleagues casually dropped a shocking baking tip.

“Oh, I love to use the dough roller attachment to make frosting,” she mentioned, then moved on to another topic. I, meanwhile, was stunned.

Most bakers put tons of thought into planning and executing a celebration-worthy cake. But don’t forget the crucial last step: cutting the cake so everyone gets a beautiful, well-proportioned slice. This is easy to do with rectangular sheet cakes, but what’s the best way to cut a round cake?

This month, we’re all about fun, whimsical bakes, from tangy strawberry lemonade bars to cheesy pull-apart pizza to delightfully over-the-top churro cupcakes. With spring fruit on the horizon, outdoor gatherings starting up, and holidays like Easter and Passover on the calendar, it’s a great time to hit the kitchen — here are 15 exciting spring recipes to make when you do.

Making pasta from scratch is not difficult. It requires a handful of ingredients (usually flour, water, salt, and maybe eggs), a bit of counter space and elbow grease, and a reliable pasta roller. (I’m a big fan of the Atlas 150 Pasta Machine.) But what if I told you there’s a machine out there that can simplify that process even more by doing it all: mixing your dough and turning it into noodles?

When I was working as a private chef years ago, I made a batch of fudgy brownies; I slowly melted chocolate and butter, used eggs from a nearby farmstand, and included a hefty dose of expensive

If there is one thing Baking School instructor Jen Rein wants you to know about homemade pasta, it’s this: “It’s super accessible!”

Bread flour is similar to all-purpose flour, with one significant difference: the protein content.

This month, we’re going big on flavor. The markets may not be bursting just yet, but we can still lean into bakes that pack a major punch. These include a flaky pastry with a hidden filling of vibrant guava; carrot cake in breakfast form; and a cake that calls for every part of an orange.  

Welcome to The Big Month of Bread. Whether you’re a beginner or just looking to get out of a baking rut, we have a bread baking plan for you that levels up each week.