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Bored Panda

Greta Jaruševičiūtė

75 Incredible Bakes That Deserve All The Spotlight They Can Get

Brain

Many people turn to baking as a way to relax and soothe their minds. Measuring, combining, and mixing ingredients can be strangely therapeutic. One doesn’t have to be highly skilled at it either—amateurs, stress bakers, and veterans alike can benefit from whipping up something sweet in the kitchen. Besides, this stress-relieving activity yields delicious bakes that you can fill your own belly with or share with your friends and family, which, if you ask me, is the best part about it. That said, it’s not always easy to find inspiration for what sweet treat to try next, so we compiled a list of them below from the r/Baking community to help you gather some ideas. Scroll down to see them for yourself, and don’t forget to upvote the most mouthwatering ones!

#1 I Made Squirrel Coffee Roll Cake With Vanilla Bean Chantilly Cream

Image credits: pinkastrogrill

#2 Tropézienne Cubes, Filled With Vanilla Diplomat Cream

Image credits: goodearscratches

#3 I Made Some Vintage-Style Preserved Butterfly Sugar Cookies!

Image credits: Veeeeezy

You now might be wondering how a simple act of dumping a few ingredients together in a bowl and putting them in the oven has so many benefits. Well, psychologist Dr. Linda Blair says it might be because it engages all five of our senses, which in turn increases feel-good endorphins.

“When we bake, we can get in touch with all our senses—sight, taste, feeling, sound and, in particular, our sense of smell, which can reawaken happy memories that we wouldn’t have otherwise thought of.”

#4 Son’s 7th Birthday Cake

Image credits: Jim-Pansy

#5 I Made Brown Butter & Sea Salt Ganache Sandwich Cookies

Image credits: inspiredtotaste

#6 I Made Dumpling Macarons Filled With White Chocolate Buttercream And Yuzu Ganache!

Image credits: Gibby5683

Baking is also considered a form of meditation and mindfulness.

“Baking actually requires a lot of full attention. You have to measure, focus physically on rolling out dough. If you’re focusing on smell and taste, on being present with what you’re creating, that act of mindfulness in that present moment can also have a result in stress reduction,” associate professor of psychological and brain sciences at Boston University, Donna Pincus, told HuffPost.

It allows us to express our creativity, too. “There’s a lot of literature for connection between creative expression and overall wellbeing,” Pincus explained. “Whether it’s painting or it’s making music [or baking], there is a stress relief that people get from having some kind of an outlet and a way to express themselves.”

#7 Made My First Realistic Cake!!

Image credits: Caliandthemouse

#8 I (15) Made My Dad A Birthday Cake!

Image credits: TurnerkBallet

#9 Valentine's Day Cupcakes

Image credits: BardicConflagration

Then there’s the finished product as well. “It's either going to have carbs like bread, or it's going to have sweetness like candies and cookies," said Vaile Wright, senior director of health care innovation for the American Psychological Association. "We know those have a neurobiological aspect where they trigger parts of our brain that then trigger happy feelings."

#10 I Took A Class For This Roll Cake. Heartbreaking To Cut Into It

Image credits: AccordingDish3728

#11 Cursed Pie Before And After For My Husband's Birthday

Image credits: ButterNutSquanchy

#12 Was Craving Something A Bit More Savory Today. Made A Rosemary Garlic Cheesy Pull Apart Bread. Brb Gonna Go Eat This Entire Thing For Dinner. (Recipe Was From Sally’s Baking Addiction)

Image credits: F00dventures

Even if your bakes don’t come out picture perfect, they can still boost your mood, confidence, and sense of achievement.

“You’re not spending time ruminating over your thoughts, we know that rumination leads to depression and sad thoughts, if you’re doing something productive,” Pincus said. “And the nice thing about baking is that you have such a tangible reward at the end and that can feel very beneficial to others.”

#13 One Of Our City’s Most Highly Rated Restaurants Ordered 90 Cupcakes From Us For Their Guests Tonight, This Is Huge For Our Little Bakery! I Hope Everyone Has An Equally Wonderful, Beautiful And Delicious Valentine’s Day

Image credits: ohheysarahjay

#14 My Mom Passed Away On 12/23/2006 ….2/13/25 Would Have Been Her 50th Birthday. I Made Her A Cake. I Think She Would Have Liked It

Image credits: Saylemmoon333

#15 I Turned 40 So I Decided To Make Myself A Mimic Cake

Image credits: Thimians

And that’s not all! Additionally, baking can help express one’s feelings and foster connections. “It can be helpful for people who have difficulty expressing their feelings in words to show thanks, appreciation or sympathy with baked good,” said Susan Whitbourne, professor of psychological and brain sciences at the University of Massachusetts.

#16 I Wanted Strawberry Cake So I Made A Strawberry Cake

Image credits: F00dventures

#17 First Try Canelé. I Think I Nailed It

Image credits: JuliaFuckingChild666

#18 Making Cat Bread Has Brought Me So Much Joy

Image credits: abuelaconqueso

“In many cultures, in many countries, food really is an expression of love, and it’s actually beautiful because it’s something we really all relate to,” added Julie Ohana, a licensed clinical social worker and culinary art therapist. “I think it could border on an unhealthy issue when it replaces communication in the traditional sense, but if it’s done along with communication, it is absolutely a positive and really wonderful thing.”

#19 In Crust We Trust, But Pray For This One : Edit- After Photo

Image credits: J-bone95

#20 Baked This Chessboard Cake For My BF’s Birthday

Image credits: xsaratoninx

#21 Lunar New Year Snake Cake. Pillow Is Chinese Southern Sweet ‘Almond’ Cake, Mandarin Jelly, Caramelised White Chocolate And Southern Almond Ganache, Seedless Lychees And White Chocolate And Candied Ginger Mousse

Image credits: rarerollingobject

However, baking isn’t an activity that is completely stress-free or compatible with everyone. If whipping up a sweet treat in the kitchen is something that stresses a person out, they lose all of the benefits that come with it.

“If someone has a phobia with cooking and baking, it’s not for them. It’s better for people who start off with a baseline comfort level in the kitchen,” says Ohana. Pincus adds, agreeing, “As long as it’s not stressful and not obligatory, it can be beneficial for all.”

#22 Celebration Of Life Cake Is

Image credits: Ill-Dipsy_Doodle

#23 Coffee Cake Is So Massively Underrated

Image credits: cupcakesobviously

#24 Rose Cake Made By Me

Image credits: cuteButDeadlyButCute

To maintain baking as stress-free an experience as possible, avid bakers recommend preparing for it beforehand. Organizing your area, choosing a recipe wisely, and reading it before starting prevent you from getting frustrated with clutter or getting surprised by a step when you reach the end of a recipe, like chilling the bake overnight, or realizing you don’t have a crucial ingredient.

#25 My Blueberry Lemon Loaf!

Image credits: lexydelrey

#26 My First Tart! Blackberry White Chocolate Ganache

Image credits: xspineofasnakex

#27 My Wife Wanted Cheesecake, So I Made A Lemon And Raspberry Cheesecake With Ferrero Rocher Filled Raspberries And Lemon Curd Ontop

Image credits: Widowshypers

Printing the recipe or propping up your cookbook is another useful tip that can help you to avoid getting annoyed unlocking your phone with dirty hands every time you need a refresher on the recipe. It’s all about organization and thinking about your baking process beforehand.

That’s it, folks! Happy baking.