Baking is back!

[I think pretty much everyone knows this to be fact!]  This trend was recently confirmed by the bi-annual Celebration Report on How America Bakes, Decorates and Celebrates. The extensive online survey report was conducted by a third party source on behalf of Wilton Enterprises, the industry leader in cake decorating, quality bakeware and food crafting for more than 80 years.

Wilton survey reveals How America Bakes

“We found that nearly 75 percent of survey respondents reported baking the same or more than in previous years,” says Nancy Siler, vice president of consumer affairs at Wilton. “In fact, 28 percent said they are baking even more than before, especially those with kids under 18 years old.”

Key findings from How America Bakes:

• Regular bakers are the majority.
Impressively, one-in-four respondents view themselves as regular bakers, stating that they bake at least once a week, with more than half (56%) baking twice a month or more.

• Scratch baking is preferred method.
Baking from scratch is still in style with 38% of respondents stating a preference to bake from scratch while 37% doctor-up mixes. Only 26% expressed loyalty to using a mix or ready-to-bake product.

• Cookies most popular.
While cookies are the most popular homemade treat (82% of respondents), items that have significantly grown in popularity since 2008 are: cakes (up 17%), brownies (up 18%) and cupcakes (up 15%).

• Decorating adds to the enjoyment.
At-home cake bakers who also decorate their cakes increased by 5% from 2008. Those who bake and decorate cupcakes saw a 7% jump. Nearly one-in-two women stated baking and decorating is time well spent.

Combine the most popular item to bake (cookies) along with the most popular reason to bake (an upcoming holiday), and Wilton suggests the following project — a lucky giant shamrock cookie — for a sweet addition to St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Visit www.wilton.com for step-by-step information on how to make any celebration special.

Easy DIY Giant Shamrock Cookie at www.wilton.com.

About Wilton Enterprises

Wilton Enterprises, based in Woodridge, Illinois and founded in 1929, is the leading food crafting company in the industry, with the number one position in cake decorating and bakeware. Wilton classes, publications and products help millions of people create impressive party desserts. For the latest information on products and ideas for all occasions, visit www.wilton.com. To locate the closest Wilton® Method Cake Decorating class, call 800-942-8881.

No Blarney…This Shamrock Is Edible

Dancing leprechauns, pots of gold, corned beef and cabbage, green beer, parades, and the wearing of the green are all synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day. But perhaps the most iconic symbol of all is the shamrock, the ubiquitous three-leafed plant that makes an appearance in a myriad of ways – it’s said to bring good luck.

In honor of the day and to start a new tradition to be enjoyed after the corned beef and green beer, the Wilton Test Kitchen created a Lucky Giant Shamrock Cookie that’s easy to bake and decorate. It’s the perfect way to add fun, color and sweetness to a St. Paddy’s party; there’s plenty to serve a crowd. Plus, kids and adults alike will enjoy this colorful cookie.

The delicious butter cookie dough with a hint of almond is baked in a shamrock-shaped pan. To decorate, start with white ready-to-use decorator icing in a can (no special skills required). Use part of it to ice the background and sides of the shamrock. Tint a portion green and ice the shamrock shape on top of the cookie, then add green candy-coated chocolates to outline the edges. The message is written with the remaining white icing.

Gretchen Homan, test kitchen director, says that since St. Patrick’s Day is on a weekday this year, time might be in short supply. She suggests using convenient refrigerated cookie dough so you can still serve a fabulous shamrock cookie for dessert.

Visit www.wilton.com for additional ideas for St. Patrick’s Day, and for celebrations of all kinds.  Below is the recipe for the Shamrock Cookie featured above.

Lucky Giant Shamrock Cookie

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 cans (16 ounces each) White Ready-To-Use Decorator Icing
Kelly Green Icing Color
Light corn syrup
Green candy-coated chocolates

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in egg and extracts. Add flour mixture to butter mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Do not chill dough. Press into bottom of ungreased Shamrock Pan.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until edges of cookie are lightly browned. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely. Place cooled cookie on foil-wrapped cake board or large serving platter.

Tint 2 cups icing green; thin with corn syrup. Reserve 1/4 cup white icing; thin remaining white icing with corn syrup. Use spatula to ice sides and background areas with thinned white icing. Spatula ice shamrock on top of cookie with green icing. Position candy on edges of shamrock. Using Tip 4, print message with reserved 1/4 cup white icing.

Convenience Tip: Substitute 2 packages (18 ounces each) refrigerated cookie dough for cookie recipe above.