Who doesn’t love cake, muffin, biscuit, shortbread, and other bakery items? They are part of our everyday life, and we love cooking and eating them fresh.
If you have an interest in bakery goods, then you must have some knowledge about the key ingredients for baking, for example, flour, leavening agents, fats, sugar, salt, etc.
These ingredients are frequently used for baking throughout the globe. But there are also some unusual baking ingredients which are so unusual and strange that you will get both confused and shocked while learning about them. Let’s have a brief look at some of these unusual ingredients:
Coca-Cola
Yes! Our favorite Coca-Cola, aka Coke, can be used as an ingredient for baking as well. It is being used to add flavor to a few baked items for quite a long time. Surprisingly, more than 75 baking recipes were introduced by the Culinary Institute of America when the Coca-Cola company commissioned them to do so.
Tofu
Tofu, aka bean-curd, is a cheese-like thing made out of soybean. It is also one of these unusual baking ingredients which are often used in some Asian countries. Vegetarians also prefer it. It is used as a replacement for eggs and oil. Tofu-baked items are low in fat and calorie.
Tomato Soup
Tomato soup can also be used as an ingredient for baking some items. Tomato is rich in antioxidants, so it doesn’t only increase the flavor, but also is good for your health. It is mainly used in items which use clove and cinnamon in them, to make them a bit spicy and to give them a nice texture.
Miracle Whip
This salad dressing can be added to a few baking items, especially in some chocolaty recipes. It gives a nice tangy flavor to the baked item. It helps to keep the item moisty as well. You’ll find many recipes online, which uses miracle whip for baking.
Peanut Butter
If you have a fascination for peanut butter, then try the recipes which use it as an element for baking as well. It brings a nutty flavor to the item. You shouldn’t mix it with the dough; just use it as a topping. And you can add more than one layer to make it nuttier!
Jelly
Just like peanut butter, jam or jelly can also be used as the topping for cakes. You may add different colored and flavored layers of jelly on top of the cake to make it look prettier and tastier. Kids will surely love it! You can add jelly with the dough as well, but you’ll have to be extra cautious to keep it sturdy.
Hot Peppers
Hot pepper seeds are used in some baked items as well! The combination of both sweet and hot gives an unusual yet delicious taste to them. People of central and south America usually follow these recipes.
Interestingly, one of the popular chocolaty cake which uses hot peppers in it is named “Red Hot Chili Peppers” after the famous band.
Saltine Crackers
Crushed saltine crackers are used in some baking items to make them crunchy. It also gives a nice texture to the final good. The salty-sweet combination of flavor makes it appealing to many. And the cakes made using this cracker are called Cracker Cakes. Some recipes solely use these crackers instead of flours.
Spaghetti
There are recipes for making cakes with spaghetti as its ingredient, although should it be called a cake, or something else is a debatable issue. These recipes are way different than all the usual baking recipes. Cake-pan is used for baking it, and saucy ingredients are used as toppings.
Zucchini
It may surprise many, but zucchini is a baking ingredient. Muffins, scones, quick-breads, brownies, and cakes are some of the items where zucchini can be added to give an attractive texture, and taste. It adds moisture to the dough, thus making the final product more solid. And it is also nutritious.
Jalapeno
This capsicum-like chilly is used as an ingredient in some baking- recipes. Jalapenos suit well with berries, fruits, and chocolates. You can add them after pilling their seeds to fruity muffins, or chocolate cakes.
It will give you a distinctive and delicious taste, although many might not like it. Jalapeno increases the nutrition amount of baked goods as well.
Dandelion Petals
You only know it as a flower, right? But do you know that the petals of this flower are being used as a cooking ingredient for quite a long time?
These petals are also used as an ingredient for baking. The main purpose of it to add a beautiful aroma to the baked goods. Don’t forget to wash and dry the petals before putting them on your cookie or cake.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are used as a thickening agent as they are very starchy. It is appropriate for baking items like brownies and pancakes. These potatoes are sweet, thus adds a sweet flavor to the baked items.
Sweet potatoes are also very nutritious. It has a lot amount of fiber, vitamin c, potassium, and some other minerals and nutrients.
Corn Flakes
Corn flakes are not only your cereal for the morning anymore, but you can add them to some cakes as a topping as well. They become crispier after baking. It also gives the cake a pleasant texture. Moreover, you can use it as a layer in ice-cream cakes, and it will certainly make the cake tastier. Give it a try!
Mayonnaise
Egg, oil, and vinegar – these are the key-ingredients of mayonnaise. Interestingly, if you add mayo with chocolate cake dough, it’s oil will make the cake tender, the egg will keep the dough humid, and the vinegar will help to enhance the chocolaty flavor.
It is quite an old technique. The mayo also adds a tangy flavor to the cake.
Avocados
Avocados are generally known for their use as a highly nutritious fruit. It works fine as a dressing for salads. Moreover, you can use it while baking replacing oil and butter. This fruit is a “fatty” one, and obviously, it contains good fat. Avocados also bring a delicious taste to the baked product.
Corn
The usage of corn has crossed the limit long ago; you’ll find corn as an ingredient almost in every field of cooking. Then why not use it for baking? Nowadays, sweet corn is being used in different baked items.
To get an appetizing experience, use corn for baking items like pudding and dessert. You’ll love it, I bet!
Plastic Dolls
Now, this is an unusual and interesting case; first of all, you are not supposed to eat it! This is only a tradition of New Orleans, which is being carried out for almost two centuries. One tiny plastic doll is put inside a New Orleans King Cake. The one who will get this doll inside his portion of the cake is considered lucky.
Balsamic Vinegar
This is an Italian vinegar made out of grape, mostly known for its dark texture, thick and sweet taste.
It also has many health benefits like lowering cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. If you add some droplets of this vinegar in the dough while baking particular items, you’ll get a great outcome. Chocolate and berries are good components for using this vinegar while baking.
Cayenne Pepper Powder
This is also a spicy ingredient, which is a mixture of numerous chili peppers. Cayenne powder is renowned for its distinctive taste. Amazingly, if you sprinkle some cayenne powders here and there in some particular baking items, you will get a very tasty result and surely will love it.
Conclusion
How many of these unusual baking ingredients did you know of being used for baking? I bet very few. You can now also try baking and eating baked goods containing these unfamiliar ingredients. Just give it a try!
Bon appetit!