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Baking at Altitude

My family and I moved from Maryland to Colorado when I was 11. Baking has always been a fun activity for my mom and I to do together, but we were warned when we moved here that we would have to change all of our recipes. This can be kind of difficult, so a family friend recommend the cookbook Pie in the Sky.

The author, Susan G. Purdy, worked out her recipes all over the country with different altitudes so that you can use this book no matter where you are. She does all of the classics and some fun new recipes that will turn out perfectly even at a mile high. I will definitely be using some of her recipes in the upcoming weeks.

If you want to modify your own recipes there are some easy rules to follow:
Oven Temperature: Increase the temperature 15-25 degrees
Baking Time: Decrease your time by 5-7 minutes per 30 minutes of baking
Flour: If you live above 3,500 ft. you should add 1 tablespoon of flour to your recipe
Sugar: Decrease 1 tablespoon per cup
Liquids: If you live above 3,000 ft. you should add 1-2 tablespoons to your recipe

For all of the bread makers out there, be sure not to over-proof your dough. When above 3,000 ft. you should exempt a quarter of your yeast and increase liquids to work to keep your bread moist.

Don't let high altitudes ruin your baked goods! With a few quick changes, all of your recipes can be successful wherever you are.

Comments

  1. UnknownJune 4, 2020 at 9:44 PM

    This cake looks amazing! The idea of adding fresh fruit is brilliant.

    I would also recommend using a little bit of flour the the pans after using the cooking spray to assist with sticking.

    Are you able to use this same recipe to make cupcakes? Are there any adjustments needed to the ingredients?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Taylor RodriguezJune 7, 2020 at 11:42 PM

    This is such an interesting blog to read about. I feel like I could be a baker with all of these great tips. I never realized that you have to change your flour amount too. What a great tip.

    I wonder how many cakes I could have saved from over baking.

    Did you ever had an incident where the altitude altered your baked foods goods?

    ReplyDelete

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