What better way to top your homemade birthday cake than with some cool candles? It used to be all you could find were short swirled candles with a white band that ran down them. They screamed birthday party, but now there are a few more sophisticated options available! More

Tarts are one of my favorite things to bake, especially during the summer months. Tarts are pretty versatile and when filled with fresh fruit — they're serious crowd-pleasers. My bank account is also pleased with my love for tarts because tart pans are typically priced so well! More

The Thermapen's price just about kills me, it really does. I like to review products that are genuinely useful in the kitchen, but I hate any trace of brand snobbery or implication that you must have some expensive tool in order to cook. So, let me just state up front that I am not saying you need the Thermapen to cook well. But, nevertheless, this incredibly useful thermometer sure will help you out. Depending on how you cook, this pricey little tool may be worth every single penny. More

Any miniature is on our list of things we love and the miniature multi-tier cakes these pans produce are no different. We're not sure why miniature is better — but we're not going to argue with these cute little cakes. Seriously, who doesn't like mini cakes? More

I'm pacing the miles (literally miles!) of aisles in Chicago's McCormick Place today and tomorrow, scanning the thousands of products on display at the Home & Housewares Show. Nearly everyone who makes or sells something for the kitchen and the home is here this week, and while there is a lot of useless stuff on display, it's also a pleasure to check out quality products in person. Here's one great product: An update to Chicago Metallic's high-quality toaster oven bakeware line. More

Q: I'm ready to dip my toe into the fancy cake baking waters (baby's first birthday coming up).

What size round cake pan is the most useful/universal — 8, 9, or 10-inch? I'd like to stick to just one size at least to start.

Sent by Leanne More

Yesterday we showed you some really awesome heart-shaped pans for Valentine's Day; they're great for whipping up something special for your loved ones. Here's another option to dress up cupcakes — always a go-to baked good. A great way to make them look even better is to pick up a Valentine's cupcake set. More

Valentine's Day is one of our favorite holidays and we look forward to it each year. There are so many different ways to surprise the loves in our lives — but what's better than food? Even better: Food baked in a heart-shaped pan. Who could resist such a kitschy kiss from the kitchen? More

We're heading into Valentine's Day and soon everything will be awash with red and white and pink. We thought we'd give our eyes a rest today and focus on the pretty patterns created from blue and white stripes. Ah, so cool and refreshing! More

We're big fans of the kitchen scale here at The Kitchn. We've posted several articles on what scale to purchase, how and why to use it, and it's mentioned frequently in comments from our readers. Do you own a kitchen scale? How often do you use it? Take our survey below!

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