Melted butter and baking can be a baker's best friend and the microwave can turn butter from a solid stick to a bowl of liquid in a matter of seconds. But allow your microwave to go a second too long and you'll likely have to clean up the dripping, yellow butter splattered on the walls of your microwave. Here’s how to avoid that.

Start with a microwavable bowl and it is critical to change the power setting on your microwave when you are melting butter. Warming up this fat at a lower heat for a specific time will help eliminate the risk of explosion. If your microwave has a melt butter button, it’s already programmed to do this.

Working in short increments of time is also essential and 30 seconds for an entire stick of butter should do the trick, but if it doesn't work, proceed in 15-second intervals as needed. The amount of butter you are melting will affect the amount of time you need. But keep in mind — always be sure to cover the butter melting container with a little wax paper to prevent potential splatters.