WORLD BAKING DAY

May 16, 2026May 6, 2026Jensperspectiveblog Leave a comment

Every third Sunday in May, World Baking Day inspires people to bake for their loved ones, friends, and neighbors. These bakers are also encouraged to give their baked goods away as a token of gratitude and appreciation.

People have been baking for thousands of years. In fact, the world’s oldest oven is over 6,500 years old! Bread baking goes all the way back to 600 BC in Ancient Greece. The Egyptians were the first to use yeast when baking bread. Besides bread, cakes were also a popular food to bake. The word “cake” dates back to the 13th century. The earliest cakes were more bread-like. Bakers added sugar or honey to add sweetness.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, baking was transformed by globalization. There was an abundance of syrups, spices, and currants, which made baked goods taste even more delicious. Bready dough with butter, cream, and raisins were especially popular. By the late 17th century, sugar was less expensive. As a result, people began making mince pies with sugar and spices. Eventually, other ingredients like eggs, flour, and baking powder were used more and more.

Today baked goods are popular all over the world. Some favorites include apple pie, black forest cake, baklava, cannoli, Yorkshire pudding, rye bread, brownies, and pretzels.

WORLD BAKING DAY HISTORY

Since 2012, World Baking Day has been observed on the third Sunday in May. The original intent of the day was to make and give away a homemade cake. The day has since evolved into baking and giving away all kinds of baked goods. Our team is still researching who came up with this special food day.

HOW TO OBSERVE #WorldBakingDay

The best way to observe this day is to bake some goodies for a friend, neighbor or loved one. They will be surprised and delighted to receive such a wonderful and delicious gift. This day is also a great day to teach your kids to bake. Go ahead and try to bake something you’ve never made before. Or host a cake decorating contest. No matter what you choose to bake, be sure to share your goodies with others. Take a photo of your creation and post it on social media with #WorldBakingDay.

NATIONAL APPLE PIE DAY

May 12, 2026April 5, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 16 Comments

National Apple Pie Day, America’s favorite dessert, is observed annually on May 13th.

The first apple pie recipe printed was in England in 1381. The list of ingredients included good apples, good spices, figs, raisins, pears, saffron, and cofyn (a type of pastry crust).

While the apple pie existed well before the Pilgrims landed on the eastern shores of what is now The United States, Americans wax poetic about how American apple pie is. The phrase “as American as apple pie” has been around for more than 100 years.

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by Pyrex

During the turn of the 20th century when whole toasted cereals were becoming the ‘health food’ fad, pie gained a bad reputation. Apple pie saved the day of sorts, being more nutritious than other pies according to some.

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Teddy Roosevelt was impressed to have a taste of home when he was served an American apple pie while traveling in Africa.

Soldiers during World War II were often quoted they were fighting “for Mom and apple pie.” In 1970, advertisers used the patriotic connection with a commercial jingle “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet.”

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More Apple Days

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalApplePieDay

Share your favorite apple pie recipes. Another way to celebrate is by giving a shout out to your favorite apple pie baker.

Use #NationalApplePieDay to post on social media.

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NATIONAL ZUCCHINI BREAD DAY

April 24, 2026April 5, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 5 Comments

Each year on April 25th each year, National Zucchini Bread Day encourages bakers to make this delicious bread.

Many explorers who came to the Americas brought back what they considered strange foods, including the zucchini. The zucchini eventually found its way to Italy, where it was named zucchino. Native Americans referred to zucchini as “something eaten raw.” However, we all know that zucchini tastes best cooked, especially in bread.

Zucchini bread is similar to other quick breads like banana bread. Other quick breads you might be familiar with making include muffins, scones, and biscuits. When baked, Zucchini and banana bread go into the oven in loaf pans. When finished, slice and serve with butter, peanut butter, jam, or just plain.

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Basic Ingredients of a Quick Bread

Fat – Bakers use shortening, butter, margarine, or vegetable oils depending on the texture they wish to achieve. Follow recipes and use only the fat called for to achieve the desired results.
Sugar – Granular sugar, brown sugar, and some sugar substitutes are used. Many bakers add fruit for sweetness, substituting a portion of the sugar in the recipe.
Eggs – As an emulsifier and a binding ingredient, eggs add volume and texture to quick bread
Flour – Most bakers use all-purpose flour, but other recipes will use alternative flours. Always follow the recipe because other ingredients have been adjusted to improve texture when using an alternative flour.
Liquid – Usually, milk or water moisten the mixture, activate the gluten in the flour, and dissolve the sugar.
Leavening agent – Either baking powder or baking soda + an acid (such as cream of tartar) are used. Baking powder is baking soda with the acid already added.
Flavoring ingredient – Bakers incorporate a variety of spices, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and extracts. Each one complements the flavor of the main ingredient. In a quick bread, bakers often use vanilla to enhance the flavor.

When mixing your ingredients, be sure to follow the recipe instructions. Over mixing prevents the bread from rising while baking causing the bread to be dense.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalZucchiniBreadDay

Celebrate the day by making fresh zucchini bread for yourself. Dip into your freezer stash from last year’s bumper crop and bake the day away. Be sure to plant more zucchini so you can celebrate this day next year, too!

Use #NationalZucchiniBreadDay to share on social media.

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Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread Mix
#NationalZucchiniBreadDay — XO Baking Zucchini Bread Mix – Non-GMO Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread Mix – No Preservatives or Artificial Flavors

NATIONAL BAKED ALASKA DAY

January 31, 2026January 19, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 9 Comments

Ice cream and cake come together on February 1st in a celebration called National Baked Alaska Day.

An elaborate dessert that is also known as “Omelette Norvegienne,” Baked Alaska is made with hard ice cream on a base of sponge cake and covered in a shell of toasted meringue.

In the United States in 1867, an earnest debate erupted over the potential purchase of Alaska from Russia. Secretary of State William Seward agreed to a purchase price of $7 million, and Alaska became a United States territory in 1868. Those of the opinion that the purchase was a giant mistake referred to the purchase as “Seward’s Folly.”

Enter Charles Ranhofer, the chef at Delmonico’s Restaurant in New York City. He was notorious for naming new and renaming old dishes after famous people and events. Capitalizing on the heated controversy surrounding the purchase in the frozen north, Baked Alaska fit the bill. It was cold, nearly frozen, and quickly toasted in a hot oven before serving.

He served as the chef at Delmonico’s from 1862 to 1896. During his tenure, he also created Lobster Newburg, another famous dish honored with a national food holiday.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NATIONALBAKEDALASKADAY

Cake and ice cream go so well together. What better way to enjoy it than with a topping of meringue? You can also take one of your favorite recipes and name it after an epic event in your life.

Use #NationalBakedAlaskaDay to post on social media.

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NATIONAL BLONDE BROWNIE DAY

January 21, 2026January 10, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 1 Comment

National Blonde Brownie Day on January 22nd recognizes a treat often referred to as blondies.

Blonde brownies are similar to the traditional brownies known almost everyone. In place of cocoa, brown sugar is used, giving it a sweet-tooth-satisfying molasses flavor!

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NATIONAL BLONDE BROWNIE DAY HISTORY

There is no found documentation of the beginning of National Blonde Brownie Day. It is known, however, that this light-colored treat was actually invented in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Recipes for blonde brownies can be found in recipe books dating back into the 1940s and maybe even earlier.

More Brownies…

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalBlondeBrownieDay

While enjoying a blonde brownie would count toward celebrating the day, that may be much too simple. Blonde brownies also make a delicious addition to a layered trifle dessert. Add a scoop of ice cream to a freshly baked blonde brownie and top with your favorite syrup. If you prefer the lighter side, serve a blonde brownie with a serving of fresh fruit. Pineapple, cherries or apricots seem appropriate.

Serve your blondies with tea, coffee or hot cocoa. And of course, you can’t enjoy them alone. You must extend an invitation to a friend or two. They’ll happily help you finish off a few blondies while catching up on the new year. You can make them for church, school or work occasions, too.

Use #BlondeBrownieDay to post on social media.

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NATIONAL APPLE PIE DAY

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