Add a Little Bit of...Spice!

Hello everyone and welcome back!! Today we will be talking about 5 different spices that are commonly used in baked goods.

Spices are added to baked goods because they "add depth and complexity to the flavor of baked goods"

They also add an aroma and enhance the taste of the baked good.

These are the 5 most commonly used spices in baked goods:

1. Cinnamon

"A spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus Cinnamomum. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes."

Cinnamon Sticks, Whole, and Ground Cinnamon

Cinnamon is used in almost every popular dessert including bread, pies, doughnuts, pastries, etc.

2. Nutmeg

"The spice made by grinding the seed of the fragrant nutmeg tree (Myristica fragrans) into powder. The spice has a distinctive pungent fragrance and a warm, slightly sweet taste."

Whole and Ground Nutmeg

Nutmeg is commonly used pumpkin pie, muffins, fall dessert, eggnog, etc.

3. Cloves

"The aromatic flowerbuds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae and is commonly used as a spice, flavoring, or fragrance."

Whole and Ground Cloves

Cloves are commonly used in cookie, spiced cakes and bread, pies, etc.

4. Allspice

"Known as the Jamaican pepper, myrtle pepper, pimenta, or pimento, allspice is the dried unripe berry of Pimenta dioica. The fruits are picked when green and unripe, and are traditionally dried in the sun. The name allspice was coined as early as 1621 by the English, who valued it as a spice that combined the flavours of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove."

Whole and Ground Allspice

Allspice is commonly used in pumpkin pie, spiced cakes, gingerbread, cookies, etc.

5. Cardamom

"A spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the family Zingiberaceae. Cardamom has a strong taste, with an aromatic, resinous fragrance. Black cardamom has a more smoky, though not bitter, aroma, with a coolness some consider similar to mint."

Black, Green, and Ground Cardamom

Cardamom is commonly used in pudding, cheesecake, cookies, cakes, etc.

And thats it! Those are the top 5 most used spices in baked goods. There are obviously other spices you can put into your desserts, but I just wanted to share the ones that are most commonly used and that you should have in your kitchen at all times!

That's it for this week's blog post-come back next week where we will be talking about dietary restrictions and how to navigate that while baking!!