FAQ

I get a lot of questions every day, and I want to answer every last one of them, but I’m not always able to. Just in case I miss yours, here are the most common questions I receive. I hope it helps.

1. Who takes your photos?
All of the photos on the blog are taken and edited by me (and occasionally the hubster) unless otherwise noted.

2. What kind of camera do you use?
I use a Nikon D90 DSLR with a 50mm f/1.8 lens. Read more about my camera, equipment, and photography techniques here.

3. What do you use for a backdrop?
I use a Lowel EGO Sweep and Lowel EGO light. Again, visit the link above for more information.

4. Do you post metric weights and measures?
Yes…as of August 2011. Any time before that, I did not post any of my recipes with any weights and measures. To find helpful conversions for metric weights, please click on “Weight Conversions” in the right sidebar. You will also find conversions for ounces/pounds.

5. Where do you get your cake stands?
Since we’re a military family and we move around a lot, I have picked up my cake stands and other “props” all over the place. But a great resource for cake stands is HomeGoods. I’ve gotten several of mine there and I love them all!

6. What tip do you use to decorate your cupcakes?
All of my cupcakes are decorated using any one of the four tips that come in Bake It Pretty’s Best-Ever Cupcake Icing Kit.

7. Where do you get all of your pretty cupcake liners?
The majority of my liners come from Bake It Pretty. I am a huge fan of them, and you’ll see them linked on Bakingdom often. We have no affiliation, I just prefer to support small business, and they’re a wonderful business with excellent products and fantastic customer service.

8. Do you have any healthier recipes?
I try to post healthier recipes when I can (check out the vegan and dairy-free recipes, as well as the gluten-free), but dessert isn’t always conducive to healthy eating. Over time, I hope to continue adding more lighter fare and healthier recipes.

9. Do you do gluten free recipes?
I try to whenever I can. However, I am still learning what is and isn’t gluten free, and what does and doesn’t work. I don’t feel comfortable tossing out recipes that I don’t know if they work – it’s irresponsible. Whenever a recipe is naturally gluten free, I will be sure to mark and tag it as such. You can click “Gluten-free” in the categories section (under the recipes tab) to be taken to all of the recipes that are, or can be, gluten free.

10. Do you sell and/or ship baked goods or decorations?
At this time, I do not sell or ship any food items. The only items I sell are aprons, which you can find available in my Etsy shop.

11. May I link Bakingdom?
Yes!

12. May I use your photos?
Please respect my Creative Commons License (located in the left sidebar) and give credit and a link back to Bakingdom.

13. Why doesn’t my bread rise as fast as yours, or get as big?

There are a few reasons why your bread my take longer to rise than I suggest:

First and foremost is yeast. I always use instant yeast. This requires no proofing, therefore that step is skipped in my recipes. If you’re not using instant yeast, then you need to proof it. Another problem could be that the yeast is expired. It may still be within the expiration date, but be expired anyway. Heat and time kills yeast. To test your yeast, fill a cup or bowl with half a cup of warm water (100-110 degrees). Add 1 teaspoon of yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar. If your yeast is foaming and bubbly in about 10 minutes, then it’s still good. If not, you need new yeast.