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As you have probably noticed, I love making single-serving treats. It helps my sweet tooth to have a little somethin’ somethin’, but it also helps my waist line to not have a dozen brownies hanging around the kitchen all week.
With that said, I have come to collect a couple of non-standard kitchen items that help sooo much in my single-serving endeavors. Worth every penny.
The Tools
#1 Ramekins
SO MANY RAMEKINS. I have 6oz, 8oz, and 10oz ramekins all on hand, in various shapes (because I’m crazy). They all need to be oven safe, and I like having at least one size with lids, so that I can cover a hot dish quickly without touching the hot pan (in case the top is browning too quickly). These are the ones I have in my kitchen:
#2 Food Scale
I try really hard to write down measurements in (g) as I go along, for two huge reasons: measuring weight is always the most accurate way of baking because ingredients like flour and sugar can be “packed” or “heaped” which can lead to substandard and inconsistent treats… but mostly because cooking via scale is mess free.
I love this OXO food scale because it has this amazing pull-out display that helps SO MUCH when you are measuring in a big round bowl.
#3 Measuring Spoons and Measuring Cups
I love these ones because they are stainless steel (a breeze to clean), have embossed labels (means it won’t rub off), and they go all the way down to 1/16 teaspoon and 1/16 cup, which not only helps with measuring baking soda and baking powder, but they also make converting big recipes a breeze.
To be honest, I use these A LOT more than just baking. I’m a firm believer that the fine-mesh strainer is one of the most underrated and most diverse kitchen tools. Colander? Check. Splatter screen? Check. Scoop freshly made French fries out of a pot of hot oil? Easy. Flour and sugar sifter? Done. Need to dust a cake with powdered sugar? Picture perfect.
#5 Nutribullet
A personal blender is my go-to tool for any most things. It mills nuts, grinds coffee, blends smoothies, and (#hack) sometimes I just blend up cake ingredients, cold butter and all, in one of these things and pour it into a ramekin. + 100% easier to clean.
Bonus: Pantry Staples
Okay, I know the title of this blog says “top 5 tools”, and I just gave you that. But I did want to add, without making you click into another post, my list of pantry staples. Because nothing screams “IMPULSE CAKE” quite like just having everything you need on hand, without raiding the baking aisle.
Note: I linked out to things that you may or may not have seen before, for visual reference. Most everything on this list can be purchased at a grocery store, if you know where to look.
Cake Flour and All Purpose Flour. Cake flour is great for (you guessed it!) cake. It’s lighter, airier, and is much more delicate in texture. All purpose flour is great for thicker/sturdier treats, like brownies and cookies and bars.
The holy trinity of leavening: Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Quick-Yeast.
The holy trinity of sweetening: White Sugar, Brown Sugar, and Powdered Sugar. Fun alternatives include pure maple syrup, honey, coconut palm sugar, and potentially artificial sweeteners.
Side thought: My favorite alternative sweetener for baking is Truvia, as it bakes and browns just like sugar. It is made of a blend of sugar and stevia, with little-to-no after taste.
High Quality Chocolate in all various forms: Cocoa Powder, Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate, and Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. I love Ghirardelli everything.
Sweetened Coconut Flakes – Because yum.
Corn Starch – great in a pinch for substituting things like powdered sugar (Corn starch + White Sugar) and cake flour (Corn Starch + White Flour). Also, it’s great to thicken the fruit base to a crisp, crumble, cobbler, or sauce.
Various Nut Options and nut butters: I always have pecans and walnuts, Costco has the best price for whole nuts. Peanut butter is an obvious must, cashew butter is great too.
All my favorite things, in one tidy shoppable list: