If you’ve ever watched a baking competition show on Food Network and thought, “I wish I could do that,” welcome to the club. There’s something about watching someone creating an edible masterpiece that makes you briefly forget that your last batch of cookies spread into one giant cookie (just slice it up like a pie—still delicious). The fact is, most of us aren’t about to sculpt a 3D sugar showpiece or pipe a buttercream garden by hand—and that’s where a good baking mold comes in.
The right mold does some of the fancy work for you, turning perfectly ordinary batter into something that looks like you put in considerably more effort than you actually did. It’s a little baking cheat code that we should all use. Look for molds that create fun shapes without requiring advanced decorating skills. Pour, bake, let it cool and in an hour you have something that inspires the very satisfying words, “Hey, look what I made!”
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Crofton Pumpkin Silicone Baking Pan, $6.99 at Aldi
Aldi
A cute seasonal shape is especially handy when you want to bring a little personality to your fall baking without spending three hours decorating a single cupcake. Aldi’s Pumpkin Silicone Baking Pan is an invitation to let your inner baking show contestant play.
The vibrant orange pan has six pumpkin-shaped cavities so you can make a half dozen little cakes at once.
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Silicone molds are especially handy when you’re trying to create a specific shape because they’re flexible enough to release your baked goods without the wrestling match you can sometimes get with rigid pans. That flexibility is a big deal when you’re working with little details, like pumpkin ridges, because you’re less likely to crack, squish or accidentally leave half your masterpiece stuck to the pan.
On top of the pumpkin-shaped silicone mold, Aldi is also selling varieties boasting cats and bats, skulls and spooky houses. Each pan is priced at $6.99, regardless of shape.
In fact, Aldi has lots of great kitchen finds right now. There are the cutest sweater-themed soup mugs, and mini cast iron pans that are perfect for whipping up solo meals. And since you’ll need something to serve all of your pumpkin-shaped treats on—how about this dainty pumpkin serve board? It’s all in the Aldi Finds aisle right now.
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