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We’ve had more tearful breakdowns trying to bake than doing anything else in the kitchen. We’re not afraid to admit that! Some things come naturally to us (making toast and frying eggs, for one), but baking is something that we’re learning the hard way. But mistakes only make you stronger, r-right?

Something that makes us feel way better about our culinary skills is the internet. Though there are literally millions and millions of people who are far more talented and capable than we are, at the same time, we’re not among the worst of the worst. Being average can be surprisingly nice. Today, we’re featuring some of the silliest, worst, and most epic baking fails from the aptly named r/bakingfail subreddit.

A small online community, it documents some of the most egregious examples of baking attempts gone very, very wrong. Cursed is the word some people might use. Others might just turn around and run the other way. Scroll down and upvote your fave fails, Pandas. Just remember, we all make mistakes and mistakes are opportunities for growth. But wow, are there a ton of opportunities for that in this list!

Meanwhile, check out Bored Panda’s interview about baking mistakes we can avoid with famous pie artist and published author, Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin, aka @thepieous, below.

#2

The First Thing I Ever Baked. They Were Cute, But I Majorly Screwed Up The Bread Itself, Ended Up Being More Like A Cookie Than Bread, Lmfao

The First Thing I Ever Baked. They Were Cute, But I Majorly Screwed Up The Bread Itself, Ended Up Being More Like A Cookie Than Bread, Lmfao

maipaksana Report

#3

Accidentally Made Milk Bread That Looks Exactly Like A Butt

Accidentally Made Milk Bread That Looks Exactly Like A Butt

realcht Report

Founded all the way back in the late summer of 2013, r/bakingfail is just one of many different food-related subreddits that have carved out niches for themselves online. Like many others, r/bakingfail focuses on the most outrageous and impactful pics.

There are a lot of good and hearty laughs to be had here. Just remember, we’re laughing at the result itself, never the baker. It’s admirable to try something, to experiment with new baking techniques. Despite our best efforts, however, we sometimes fail.

#4

I Tried Baking A Hedgehog Cake For My Mother's Birthday... It Turned Out So Bad

I Tried Baking A Hedgehog Cake For My Mother's Birthday... It Turned Out So Bad

DurchfallDrache24 Report

#5

I Love The Cursed Hedgehog Cake, Here's Mine, He's A Baked Alaska

I Love The Cursed Hedgehog Cake, Here's Mine, He's A Baked Alaska

SPLEHGNIHTYNA Report

Someone who has a good sense of humor might even feel inclined to share pics of their epic disasters with the rest of the web. After all, you might have faced a setback in the kitchen, but it’s also a chance to make someone’s day by making them laugh. At least something good will have come out of it!

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However, dealing with these feelings of embarrassment, guilt, and that you’ve just ‘wasted’ [insert an ungodly number of hours] doing something that couldn’t even come out right can be tough. It’s important to remember to be kind to yourself; don’t be too harsh—we can’t all be pros from the moment we pick up our first bag of flour.

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#9

My Boyfriends Attempt At Baking For The First Time

My Boyfriends Attempt At Baking For The First Time

teaalldaylong Report

Talented and world-renowned pie artist Jessica, aka @thepieous, shared some of her thoughts with Bored Panda about baking disasters when trying to recreate something that we see online. Fortunately, many of these problems are predictable and entirely avoidable.

The baking expert shared some of them with us, from rushing the setting and cooling times and not understanding the properties of the food you’re working with to skipping steps in the recipe, being messy, and muddling things up with different ingredients/techniques.

#10

My Grandmother Made Easter Cookies. They All Look Self-Aware

My Grandmother Made Easter Cookies. They All Look Self-Aware

lemjor10 Report

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#11

That Time I Made Cookie Monster Cupcakes For My Kid’s Kindergarten Class And Scared The S**t Out Of Them

That Time I Made Cookie Monster Cupcakes For My Kid’s Kindergarten Class And Scared The S**t Out Of Them

oliviaislove Report

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D S
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I did the Lightning McQueen car, brought it to school and got a room full of 4 year olds crying because they didn´t want to cut him in pieces...

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#12

Perhaps The Ugliest Cinnamon Rolls I’ve Ever Seen. Luckily, They Tasted Amazingly Good

Perhaps The Ugliest Cinnamon Rolls I’ve Ever Seen. Luckily, They Tasted Amazingly Good

_Greyling_ Report

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troufaki13
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's not about the looks... it's the inside that counts! And in this case the flavor. Yummm

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According to Jessica, the biggest faux pas she sees online is people rushing the setting and cooling times. “When you see a pristine cake online with perfect sharp edges and clean decorations, you’d better believe the baker took the time to allow the cake to fully cool before adding the next elements, and that those elements are the correct temperature for their application,” she said.

“You can’t pipe rock-hard buttercream straight from the fridge. You can’t smooth sweaty, hot cream cheese frosting in your un-air-conditioned kitchen. Take the time to learn a bit about the ingredients you will be using if this is your first time working with them,” Jessica noted that even watching a short YouTube video about baking techniques can save you “a world of pain.”

#13

First Time Making Colored Meringue Cookies. Tasty, But My Family Said They Look Like Alien Turds

First Time Making Colored Meringue Cookies. Tasty, But My Family Said They Look Like Alien Turds

RosieKittenGirl Report

#15

Tried A Meringue Recipe For The First Time. Failed To Get The Stiff Peaks But Decided To Cook Them Anyway. As I Watched Them Slowly Deflate, I Felt My Soul Do The Same

Tried A Meringue Recipe For The First Time. Failed To Get The Stiff Peaks But Decided To Cook Them Anyway. As I Watched Them Slowly Deflate, I Felt My Soul Do The Same

cosmicafflictions Report

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Meanwhile, your efforts in research will most definitely be rewarded. You should probably take the time to look up the properties of the food that you’re working with beforehand.

For instance, baking expert Jessica noted that some kinds of cake, like cake pop dough, are very dense and are great for handling inserted details while still remaining upright. However, cake sponge, like angel food, is very delicate and can’t bear any weight.

#16

Attempt At A Horse Cupcake Cake

Attempt At A Horse Cupcake Cake

SoberTrashPanda Report

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Misstaken138
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It honestly isn't too far off. I actually kinda like it. It has personality.

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#17

What I Was Trying To Make vs. What I Made

What I Was Trying To Make vs. What I Made

CodeEnvironmental594 Report

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Ritchat
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Macarons are pretty tricky to make though. So many things can go wrong from weighing every ingredient to the gram, letting them dry and baking them the right amount of time at the correct temperature. I also get different results depending on which baking mat I use.

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#18

Cayenne Rolls

Cayenne Rolls

1000asses Report

“Meringue, whip cream, gelatin, cheesecake, sorbet, mousse, chocolate, muffin batter, pie crust, gingerbread, chiffon cake, etc., all the delicious components of our favorite desserts have their own foibles and ways they like to be treated (and not treated!) when it comes to decorating,” she explained.

If you want to get good results, especially like those fab pics that you can find scrolling on social media, you have to have the patience and diligence to see your project through. You can’t go skipping steps to save time. Otherwise, you’ll end up with something that looks like “a lumpy mess.”

#19

Tried Our Best At A 3 Layer Cake

Tried Our Best At A 3 Layer Cake

L0lligat0r Report

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T5n
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They're both genuinely smiling and the cake look good, so I wouldn't say that this is a fail.

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#20

So The Recipe Says Divide Into 2 Loaves But I Guess It Should’ve Been 3

So The Recipe Says Divide Into 2 Loaves But I Guess It Should’ve Been 3

canned_beanz Report

#21

So I Made My First Pumpkin Cheesecake. My Kitten Decided To Jump Up And Check It Out. Kitten Tax Included

So I Made My First Pumpkin Cheesecake. My Kitten Decided To Jump Up And Check It Out. Kitten Tax Included

Pin-Up-Paggie Report

Moreover, if you want to have a pristine-looking end result, you have to work neatly and keep a neat, orderly kitchen. Clean up after yourself. Your cake, pie, and muffins will look far better that way. What’s more, you’ll avoid quite a few potential accidents, too.

#22

Here Are The Thumbprint Cookies I Made Last Year

Here Are The Thumbprint Cookies I Made Last Year

Henry_Privette Report

#23

Was Going For Croissants, Lot Of Mistakes Along The Way... Still Tasty At Least

Was Going For Croissants, Lot Of Mistakes Along The Way... Still Tasty At Least

macsharoniandcheese Report

#24

Me Watching Beginners Guides To Piping As They Effortlessly Create Perfect Flowers Of Every Type: "This Looks So Easy. I Can Definitely Do That." Atleast It Tasted Good

Me Watching Beginners Guides To Piping As They Effortlessly Create Perfect Flowers Of Every Type: "This Looks So Easy. I Can Definitely Do That." Atleast It Tasted Good

evekillface Report

“Personal expression in the kitchen is a wonderful thing… But remember, baking is a science, and some things have to be “just so” in order for important chemical reactions to happen. If you aren’t experienced enough in the kitchen (yet) to know what will happen if you swap out one ingredient for another, don’t take the gamble on an important bake. Follow the recipe and save your personal artistic flair for the decorating!” Jessica urges.

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#25

Tried To Make An Opera Cake. It Went… Not Great

Tried To Make An Opera Cake. It Went… Not Great

Ivedonethattoo Report

#27

My Cupcakes Just… Evaporated? Any Idea How?

My Cupcakes Just… Evaporated? Any Idea How?

Ok_Personality_1080 Report

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Alexandra Davis
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you add a layer or rice/ grain to the bottom of the cake time it stops the bottom of the paper wrapper getting super oily and sticking to the sponge.

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grotesqueer
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The only explanation I can think of is that the dough was a bit *too* fluffy (full of air bubbles), and the non-air part of it was left raw, so the structure collapsed. But even still, it looks like that would make sense only if the liners are deeper than they look.

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Cathelijne Van
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Omg I really needed to know what happened! So I went to reddit to check it out and sharing it with BP frens because I know you want to know too 😘 What went wrong was the conversion of a European recipe to American sizes. So for example 250 grams of flour and 250 grams of butter is 1:1 so op thought; 1/2 a cup of flour and 1/2 a cup of butter. However you are then changing from weight to volume! Flour weighs way less and butter more (density!). If this is hard to comprehend, think of the ever-old joke of what weighs more, a kilo of feathers or a kilo of steel. It's also 1:1 but if you put it in cups 😉

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Jack
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The maggots in the upper left had a party and now they’re sleeping it off together /s 🤣

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Emma London
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Probably sugar and fat and then eggs were beaten inadequately, and the baking temperature was wrong, because the fat melted and separated, and the eggs deflated before the batter baked and solidified.

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Cassi Lyris
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not enough flour it seems. Looks like the oil fried straight out of the cups. I'd have to see the recipe though.

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My O My
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wait half an hour and you have cookies in liners instead

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Shelli Aderman
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’m curious about the rice… it seems that it would wick away any moisture in the cupcakes…

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According to Jessica, you’ll know when things have gone wrong while baking when the volume or texture is “completely off from the recipe or picture” that you’re trying to copy.

“Cookies that spread out all the way across the baking sheet, cakes that collapse in the center, muffins that have puddles of melted butter soaking the paper liners… All these things are signs that the chemistry just didn’t happen for you this time around!” You can have a taste and see if your nightmarish creation is actually edible. If so, you can crumble it up and make a parfait or trifle out of it.

#28

Overcooked My Cheesecake And Created The Marianas Trench

Overcooked My Cheesecake And Created The Marianas Trench

_-eleanor-_ Report

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Hippopotamuses
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’ve never heard of cooked cheesecake. Only the refrigerated type. Still looks yummy though.

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#30

I Made Cookies

I Made Cookies

dat-long_boi Report

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