Easy-Bake Ovens: The ultimate in kid cuisine (not the TV dinner,) right? Well, that’s what we thought too… Until the Easy-Bake Ultimate Oven appeared on the food scene. While ’90s kids had the joys of experimenting with the original mini oven that resulted in the exceedingly dried-out brownie or chewy sugar cookie, the next generation of kids would soon be rewarded with something even better. What we once thought was heaven-sent was actually the preliminary version of what we now know as the ‘Ultimate.’
For being so minuscule, this oven can put forth a wide variety of foods that are no longer limited to what we were used to – which was essentially one step up from baby food. In typical human being fashion, some people have even gotten crazy and cooked actual meals in this thing. It’s like the Jetsons come to life but rather than a transporter, we’ve got a mini oven that’s capable of making juicy meatloaf… And no, we’re not kidding.
28 EMBARRASSING: The Ultimate Cake Pop Fail
Okay, so… Cake pops are definitely not the easiest thing in the world to bake. Before trying a hand at the Starbucks delight, perhaps try and bake an actual cake first? In theory, the Easy-Bake Oven should be able to handle tiny balls of cake but in reality, it turns out this is far from the truth. This is a fail if we’ve ever seen one and definitely not on our list of must-try things. This oven is capable of a lot, but pops of the cake are not one.
27 NEED: The Ultimate For Chocolate-Lovers… Is This Real Life?
We kid you not, this layer cake was derived from an Easy-Bake Oven, the Ultimate Oven, in fact. Bakers unite because this should be front-page news. Although it sounds simple, achieving the ultimate, dense, and moist chocolate cake is not an easy task. Somehow, this baker managed to do it within baking confines that only a child would truly be comfortable with. We supposed you could say that not only did they level up, but the achievement has been unlocked.
26 EMBARRASSING: A Problematic Layer Cake, For Sure
These two kiddos are adorable, but their layer cakes? Not so much. The funny thing is that according to many who have attempted this recipe, they’re not the only ones to be lacking some layers. It takes some hardcore patience and a bit of know-how when it comes to working your way around what’s essentially a microwave. To be quite honest, this came out better than anything we likely could have pulled off. Unfortunately, the recipe is simply just flawed with little potential.
25 NEED: It’s Easy-Bake Meatloaf And We’re Totally Here For It
The day has come when we can all rejoice in a perfectly-cooked meatloaf for two. We’re not quite sure how they did it and we’re not sure that we really want to know, but it has been done… And it’s an Easy-Bake Oven meatloaf. Not only does it look delicious smothered in gravy, but it’s even chock full of all the same veggies your mom would hide in there when you were a kid. The parsley over top totally tips it toward gourmet and we’re definitely here for it.
24 EMBARRASSING: Is This A Pizza Or A Pile Of Cheesy Sauce?
That’s okay, we laughed too. If there’s one thing every kid remembers, it’s that cheap-feeling plastic handle that was designed to make the process of putting food in the oven hands-free. Unfortunately, this also meant that whatever you were baking had to fit in the tiny pans provided… And unless it’s Ellio’s, pizza is just not meant to be tiny and rectangular in shape. Sorry, Easy-Bake, we’re taking a pass on this and ordering Domino’s instead. There’s an A for effort in it though for including cheese that actually melts.
23 NEED: Donuts? More Like Easy-“Bae” Oven
These donuts are, in fact, bae. The sugary exterior and cloud-like interior are everything dreams are made of, so much, in fact, that we can hardly believe these came out of a kiddie oven. If size doesn’t get you down too much, then these donuts would make a great homemade substitute for the stale ones you’d get at a chain store. Plus, smaller donuts means you can eat three and it’ll really only count as one. Either way you look at it, it’s a creation that’s worth creating.
22 EMBARRASSING: Red Velvet Cake Is A Recipe For A Sad Face Disaster
Oof, here we go again with the red velvet layer cake. This thing is like a ghost from the past that just won’t stop haunting us and if this poor girl’s face is any indication, it’s haunting her, too. Whether the chocolate didn’t bake or there was an unintentional layer slide at some point is unclear. All we know is that if we needed any further proof that this cake wasn’t working, this photo is it. Unless you enjoy raw cake batter, opt for something else.
21 NEED: This Caprese Is Totally Capr-easy
All an Easy-Bake Oven really is is a heated box which makes it absolutely wonderful for melting quick, small dishes. Cheese, for one, is something that melts extraordinarily in this tiny box and one person proved that. Caprese is normally sliced tomatoes with mozzarella and balsamic, but this revamped version is on a toasted muffin and quite honestly, it’s making us rather hungry. It’s also got us thinking about what else we can shower with cheese and throw under those kid-proof heat lamps…
20 EMBARRASSING: It Helps To Bake Cookies On A Baking Sheet First
For some reason, the early Easy-Bake cookie mixes tasted a bit like what you’d imagine Play-Dough would taste like. They were slightly chalky, pretty doughy, and just a tad fake-tasting. The dough seemed to form any shape the baker wanted but when baking time came around, all you got in return was a round, slightly flat cookie. It seems that this baker had similar luck and resorted to the round pan for cakes, which obviously will bake a giant, flat cookie as opposed to six individual ones. Whoops.
19 NEED: This Layer Cake Actually Won A Competition
And then you have the Easy-Bake overachievers (just kidding.) The story behind this tremendous layer cake is that it actually won an Easy-Bake-off competition. Each mini cake has been baked to puffy, cakey perfection and layered with whipped cream (not made with the Easy-Bake) along with gorgeous blackberries. This showcases what something as simple as a toy oven can do and serves as inspiration for all kid bakers, as well as all the adults who never really surpassed that baking milestone.
18 EMBARRASSING: The Misfortune Of A Crumbling Brownie
The infamous dry brownie that was referenced before has now come back to show its ugly face. Many of us have created the crumbly brownie and produced it effortlessly in our tirade to create a divine chocolate dessert. Easy-Bake ovens – despite their name – are not always foolproof. However, neither are all of the pre-made baking mixes that come with it. The brownie was the troublemaker of the bunch and something that hurt many of our childhood egos. If you were lucky, the crumbs were salvageable, at least.
17 NEED: This Is The Cauliflower Pizza We’ve All Been Looking For
Believe it or not, cauliflower pizza crust can, indeed, be cut to fit into an Easy-Bake Oven. The crust itself need only be defrosted and browned while the toppings meld together which means that you could throw anything on this baby and cook it ’til golden brown. Not to mention, cauliflower crust is all the rage for those choosing to be a tad healthier, so there are some brownie points there (not crumbly, dry brownies, that is.) Overall, it’s a solid idea for a quick lunch or dinner.
16 EMBARRASSING: A Bit Pale For A Pretzel
We’re thinking either one side forgot how to bake properly, or these pretzels just aren’t what we’re used to. Any type of yeast dough is tricky to work with and an Easy-Bake Oven doesn’t make that battle any easier. The pretzels on the right-hand side look delicious while the ones on the left look a bit sad and underbaked. While it was a valiant effort, we’ll stick with grabbing our pretzels from one of the many street vendors in New York City.
15 NEED: When Things Go Right, We’re Rewarded… With Double Chocolate, That Is
There is nothing better than the smell of double chocolate cookies (well, maybe an apple pie) wafting out of the oven. These cookies, unlike the original sugar cookies, bake up beautifully, complete with perfect chocolate chunks. They even have a 3D shape unlike their predecessors, who came rolling out of the other side looking like they were steamrolled rather than baked to crispy perfection. The best part is that five cookies is really just a serving for one, so no one says you need to share.
14 EMBARRASSING: Cake, Cookie, Or Both?
It’s still unclear what these were intended to be and our best guess is a chocolate cookie with frosting. While the goal has been achieved, we can’t say that this is the greatest thing the Easy-Bake Oven is capable of. Especially having seen Easy-Bake meatloaf (which has changed our lives for the better,) we’re just not so sure the frosted cookie life is for us anymore. This is one recipe that’s staying in the past as we fly toward the future with the promise of meatloaf, perfect layer cakes, and maybe some tacos.
13 NEED: Chocolate And Peanut Butter Still Reign Supreme
Not only are these peanut butter cookies flawless in their execution, but the addition of melted chocolate has us falling in love. While it’s not necessary to add the goods to something that’s already great, a little melted chocolate never hurt anyone. The cookie life just keeps getting better when it comes to Easy-Bake Ovens and we’re hoping to see a bigger movement soon. Something like, “big ovens blow, Easy-Bake is a go!” Okay, so the slogan isn’t catchy – but these peanut butter cookies definitely are.
12 EMBARRASSING: The Frosting Isn’t Necessarily A Color, But It Tastes Good
We can only slightly see the doughy texture of this layer cake which, obviously, was once the trademark of an Easy-Bake batter mix. Although it might still be doughy like a cookie on the inside, we’re sure it tastes like something similar to a cake. We’d hope that’s the case, anyway. We’re not sure what happened with the grayish-mauve frosting but with this one, we figure the fewer questions asked, the better. The sprinkles on top are cute, though, for what it’s worth.
11 NEED: The Logistics Are Unclear But Perfection Has Been Achieved
We’re not really sure how this came to fruition but it would appear that someone has managed to bake the most perfect, fudgy brownies within an Easy-Bake Oven. These little squares of heavenly perfection are so delicately adorned with pretzels, that we’re not even sure we’d be able to eat them without feeling guilty. Just kidding, these would be gone within a minute. Keep in mind that some people do actually use real recipes in the Easy-Bake, it’s not just for mixes, you know.
10 EMBARRASSING: Looks Like A Pop-Tart, Tastes Like A Skinny Cake
Upon first inspection, we were quite sure that this was actually a Pop-Tart. It appears that we were very wrong as the first layer is, actually, a sponge cake. A spongy-looking cake, anyway. We figure as long as it’s smeared with frosting and topped with sprinkles then you can definitely call it a cake, it’s just not one that we’re familiar with. A common baking blunder of the Easy-Bake is producing cakes that are not much different from Card Stock, but it’s not burnt so this is actually a successful attempt.
9 NEED: The Star Of The Dish Is Actually A Cookie
There is no denying that these star cookies are absolutely adorable. We’re not even sure how they came out so perfect if not baked by a perfectionist, but here they are in their purple glory. Easy-Bake Ovens are ideal for those small treats that just become burnt or dried out in regular-sized ovens, so it’s no surprise that these came out the way they did. The problem is that we don’t have any which is a shame because if there’s anyone who appreciates a one-bite cookie, it’s us… After all, they’re perfect gaming snacks.
