Baking usually means busting out the measuring spoons and making sure each measurement is level. To help with that, check out this easy fix that comes to you straight from the adhesive aisle at your local hardware store!
Our friends over at Real Simple recently mentioned this easy way to give yourself a hand up when baking. No, it's not that difficult to level off a measuring spoon, but just imagine if you didn't need two hands to do so. Just scoop, swipe and done!
This single strip of masking tape across the top of a cocoa powder or baking soda container is just the thing you need. It stays taught while allowing you to scoop single handed.
Read More: Tape As A Scoop Scraper from Real Simple
Related: Quick Tip: Separate Your Measuring Spoons!
(Image: John Lawton for Real Simple)
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what an amazing tip!
this is a great trick, only I would stick another piece of tape to the underside of the tape that will be in contact with the food. Just and the middle where you'll be leveling off while leaving the overlapping tape sticky..
oops, 'in' not 'and'
I usually just use the lid. I feel like the tape would get icky.
I always just slice the paper top that you have to remove when you first open the plastic lid so that you don't need to remove one thing to add another which seems kind of wasteful. Also, I agree that the tape would get kind of funky. I've done this with cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, anything that is in a powder form that has a paper top under a plastic lid.
I think a layer of powder would just stick to the tape the first time and it wouldn't be sticky after that...
@gingerfire You just blew my mind.
I just use an elastic band around the tin. It works wonders and there's no sticky side.
It works for paint tins as well.
Ha. I thought everyone did this. My first thought upon seeing the pic was, 'Why was the entire seal removed?' That thought was quickly followed by relief that this thread hasn't devolved into a masking tape/food safety issue. Color me bemused. Besides which, it would take much less effort to just grab the nearest knife or other straight edge & level the measuring spoon. Never mind that's a single-use tape job there. No way the top is going to seal properly over it. Just sayin..
(Sorry, Sarah, but some tips are about what *not* to do. This is one of them and a rare 'miss' for Real Simple)
It takes even less time and effort to peel the safety seal back halfway and crease it in two, which leaves a straight and sturdy edge --- even better than cutting it, in many cases. So simple.