What is so convenient about baking is that most recipes require the same basic ingredients. By keeping these ingredients on hand, you do not have to run to the grocery store every time you want a treat. As a college student without a car, it saves me a lot of time to keep a small supply of these ingredients in the kitchen. Baking mostly requires dry ingredients, such as flour or sugar, which have a long shelf life. Around midterms or finals, I am too busy to bake and I don't have to worry about my ingredients going bad.
Other than sugar and flour, most dry ingredients are used in small quantities and will last a long time; a small box of baking powder has lasted me for almost two quarters of the school year. All of these ingredients can be purchased for around $15. It is a small price to pay for the amount of food that these ingredients can produce. Though some recipes require some extra ingredients, such as certain spices or brown sugar, most recipes will require only the following:
- All purpose flour
- Butter
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cocoa powder
- Eggs
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Vegetable or canola oil
- White granulated sugar
Buy your spice in small quanities since you don't use much and they only stay fresh for about 9 months.
