Posted by Tondeleya Allen on 9/15/2024 to
I really love baking. I always have. It's one of the ways I can relax. It's one of the many creative endeavors I enjoy. It's one of the ways I show my family love. Nothing makes me happier than hearing one of my children say, "Mama, when are you gonna make that (fill in the blank)?"
Well, when we moved to Denver last year I had no idea that baking would become such a struggle for me. Other than the high altitude tips on a box of brownie or cake mix, I had never thought about all the ways living above sea level would affect me in the kitchen. I never contemplated living in a place where recipes I knew like the back of my hand would just not work. Before we moved here, I did take some time to research the effects high altitude could have on breathing and respiratory issues, but baking, NOPE.
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My first few tries just fell flat. And I was beyond disappointed. I don't like to fail in the kitchen and I HATE wasting ingredients with a passion. Ain't nobody got time or the money for these type of kitchen problems. I was so desperate, I would joke, "If I can't figure out this baking thing, I'm going back home (Atlanta)." The struggle was real.
Well, like any other difficult area of my life, I needed to conquer this. Surely, I could figure this out, I thought. Other people are baking in Denver, CO. There are bakeries and baked goods everywhere. And I knew they weren't bussing these products in from other states. So, I spent hours combing the internet for every tip I could find from experts and bakers like me who had already figured it out. Thank you all for figuring it out. Thank you all for sharing.
I've compiled some tips that have been working for me so far. There seems to be a general consensus from those who have figured it out that each recipe should be slowly tweaked, rather than all at once. And I tend to agree with that. However, I really didn't have time for that. So, I jumped into the deep end. I pretty much used every tip. And I haven't looked back.
My first successful baking session yielded a beautiful banana bread with a high dome. It wasn't dense. It wasn't gummy. It didn't sink down the middle. It rose, y'all. It rose. I was thrilled. And here she is, in all her glory and splendor.
And I really needed that win that week. Let me tell you why. The day before I had visited a friend at a nearby coffeehouse. Had never been there before. She and I had a wonderful time. The weather was nice. She and I sat and talked for hours. We could've kept talking, but we finally hugged and said goodbye. I walk to my car and there's a parking ticket on my window. Instantly, I knew what it was and my heart sank. I step away from the car, out into the street. I'm looking for a sign. Y'all, the sign is hidden behind the bright green leaves on a tree near the curb. I had not seen the sign. I don't know who could have. On the ride home, I was angry and about as deflated as my baking had been before these tips saved me.
Back to the win. Focus on the win. For high altitude, increase your oven temperature between 15 to 25 degrees. Increase the flour by two tablespoons. Increase liquids by three tablespoons. Water, milk, oil, and eggs qualify as liquids. Just pick one. Decrease baking powder and soda by 50 percent and yeast by 25 percent. And last, but not least, for every cup of all-purpose flour, substitute it with 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour plus 1/4 cup whole wheat flour.
Now, I'm a baking fool again. And if you've been having issues, I'm living proof that you can be a baking fool, too. Just start slowly, 'cause I don't want you messing up ingredients, wasting money, and getting upset with me. Another note, I have no idea if these tips need to be altered for anything higher than 5,280 miles elevation. I'll include the original recipe and the one adjusted for high altitude. Let me know if you bake this bread and how it goes. Happy Baking!
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