Creaming is the process of beating butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes pale, light, and fluffy. The goal is to incorporate air into the fat, which later expands in the oven to provide volume and structure. It’s one of the foundational methods in baking and often appears at the start of cake and cookie recipes.
How it’s performed
Room-temperature butter is placed in a bowl with sugar and beaten with a hand mixer or stand mixer. The beating action creates tiny air pockets in the butter while dissolving some of the sugar. This step should take several minutes for best results, and the mixture should appear noticeably lighter in color and texture. Undermixing or overmixing can both affect the final product.
Examples of use
Creaming is used in cookies, pound cakes, and layer cakes. For cookies, it creates chewiness and lift; for cakes, it provides structure and lightness. Skipping or rushing this step often leads to dense or heavy baked goods. It’s one of the first “science-backed” techniques bakers learn to perfect.
