Anyone who’s baked a cake (anyone who’s baked anything!) knows that baking, in and of itself, is more than just baking. It’s a process, a science, an art, and a craft. It’s spreading joy in one of the sweetest ways possible—and it’s actually pretty good for your mental health! Here are a few reasons why.
Baking (and cooking in general) is meditative
When you meditate (or do yoga or run or exercise or sometimes occasionally stare blankly into your computer screen while doing absolutely nothing), you let go. You focus on the now, not the then or the when or the before! When you bake, your mind does the same thing. It focuses on the task at hand, and in that focus, finds contentment. Especially when the task is mixing ingredients for a Chocolate Cake with Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting.
Baking is inherently creative
So many schools of therapy (and science!) tell us that being “creative”—whether that’s by finger painting, writing down random thoughts, cooking, or baking—is good for your mental health. What we’re trying to say is, go ahead, throw a little cinnamon sugar in there, see what happens. After all, baking is kind of like an experiment, and these Cinnamon Bun Cookies are a testament to that fact. Duncan Hines® Classic White Cake Mix gives them a bit of a fluffy texture, just like the real thing!
Providing nourishment provides purpose
At the end of the day, baking is about the process. But (and this is a big but) it’s also about nourishing. Nourishing the stomach, the soul, and the heart, because who doesn’t love a fresh slice of cake or the first bite of a warm Matcha Chocolate Chip Banana Muffin?! Make a big batch with Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix, ripe bananas, and plenty of chocolate chips, and spread the love.
When you bake, you stimulate
From the sound of cracking eggs to the sight of sweet, juicy Comstock® Original Country Cherry Pie Filling to the act of stirring Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake Mix and the smell of fresh Cherry Almond Coffee Cake in the oven, baking stimulates the senses. These delightful little bits of stimulus actually make you feel good! They release endorphins that lift your mood and make eating said cake that much better.
Making others happy makes YOU happy
It’s true! Along with practicing gratitude, appreciating the little things in life, and spending time with supportive people, making others happy really does make you happy. So, next time you find yourself in a less-than-stellar mood, turn that frown upside down by baking a Double Pineapple Upside Down Cake someone else can appreciate. Use Duncan Hines Pineapple Supreme Cake Mix to whip it up, and top off the finished product with plenty of Reddi-wip® Original for an extra dose of happiness!
