The Emotional Reason Duff Goldman Wants You To Learn To Make Cakes

A wise person once said, "Cake is the answer to all ailments." We may or may not have made that one up, but you might agree that whatever situation life throws at you, cake makes it all better.

What's not to love about cake? There's a reason why we eat cake on birthdays — and why it's the go-to sweet treat to celebrate weddings, promotions, goodbye parties, and virtually all celebrations you can think of. Heck, you don't even need a reason to eat cake, and if a craving comes up, there are plenty of simple solutions.

When someone you love deserves something special, you can always take your time to bake up a decadent treat if you're good at following recipes. Even if you're pressed for time but the occasion calls for something sweet, there are tons easy cake recipes you can make in a pinch, from a simple banana sheet cake to an non-intimidating lemon bundt. Or maybe you're a fan of the ready-made supermarket cakes and don't feel the need to learn to bake your favorite recipe. Duff Goldman, however, would tell you that you need to learn this essential skill.

"Ace of Cakes" star Duff Goldman thinks baking a cake is a skill everyone should have, and he has an emotional reason for it.

To Goldman, cakes aren't mere desserts, but an expression of oneself — and an opportunity to show love for "somebody in your life" on their special day. "They're these physical manifestations of the emotion that you're feeling," he described homemade cakes in an interview with Insider. The renowned pastry chef understands why, when going to a party or an event, guests often give the venue a quick scan in search of desserts. After all, the cake is the main event.

If the only thing stopping you from learning one great cake recipe is intimidation, then just learn how to avoid home bakers' biggest baking mistakes, according to Goldman. The expert told Mashed that beginners should always follow the recipe to a T, no matter how picky it seems, and measure their ingredients with a kitchen scale for ease and precision. From there, just take a deep breath, put your apron on, and step away from the fondant: the cake-decorating staple Goldman loves to hate.