FAQ

What is BAKE!?

BAKE! is the hands-on teaching bakery at Zingerman’s Bakehouse in Ann Arbor, MI. Since 2006, our mission has been to share our knowledge and love of baking with the home baking community, seeking to preserve baking traditions and inspire new ones.

Where are you?

BAKE! is located in Ann Arbor, MI at Zingerman’s Southside, near the intersection of State Street and Ellsworth Roads. You’ll find us at 3723 Plaza Drive, between Zingerman’s Bakehouse and Zingerman’s Creamery. Map & Directions

What types of classes do you offer?

We offer more than 60 different bread, pastry and cake hands-on baking and cooking classes both in our teaching kitchens and online for virtual classes. We also offer the ability to customize your experience with private classes, both in-person or virtual. Plus occasional special events, like demonstrations from visiting baking experts and cookbook authors as well as speakers on related food and historical topics.

BAKE! class key:

  • Hands-On In Person: You’ll watch the recipes being made by the instructor, learn about techniques and ingredient choices, make the recipes yourself, with help and guidance, and go home with all the food you made in class. We provide tools and pre-measured ingredients and do all the cleanup.

  • Hands-On Virtual: From your own kitchen, you’ll watch the recipes being made by the instructor, learn about techniques and ingredient choices, make the recipes yourself, with help and guidance, and enjoy the food you made in class. You provide the ingredients and tools.  

  • Demonstration: You’ll watch the recipes being made, learn about the techniques, instructor, and history of the food—and enjoy a tasting, if in-person.

  • Brown Bag Talk: You’ll listen to an expert presentation on a food-related subject—and enjoy a light meal, if in-person.

Do I need baking experience to attend a class?

You do not need any previous experience to bake with us. Our classes are designed to teach home bakers of every skill level, from those of you who have never touched a measuring spoon before to those who feel pretty accomplished in the kitchen. We’re confident we can help you learn.

What do I need to know about signing on to my virtual class?

To have the best experience, please download Zoom onto your device. We will be online 10 minutes ahead of time to answer your questions. Your Zoom link will not work until the day of the class! 

Is there a minimum age for your classes?

The majority of our classes are intended for adults, ages 17 and up. We do occasionally offer family classes where adults can bake with their children, ages 7 and up, or summer kids camps for ages 10-15. Virtual classes (except for virtual kids classes) are designed for adults as well, however, households are welcome to participate together, so kids can join in the fun, too.

Can my teenager come with me to an adult class?

If you think your child can focus for the length of the class and would enjoy it, we would be happy to have them. Teens ages 14-16 can join an adult in any class (except BAKE!-cations®).

Does BAKE! offer classes for professional bakers?

We’re sorry, no. Our classes are designed for home bakers and our recipes are intended for personal use.

What should I wear?

Please be ready to bake. We suggest wearing clothes you don't mind getting a little flour on, short-sleeved shirts, and closed-toe comfortable shoes.

What are your Covid protocols?

In order to help keep everyone safe and healthy, and give everyone plenty of room to work, we have limited our in-person sessions to 12 students. And, hopefully, this goes without saying, but please do not come to class if you're symptomatic. We may ask you to leave if we believe you are symptomatic. If you're ill, whether or not it's within the normal cancellation policy window, please call us; we'll be happy to give you a class credit.
 
Currently, masks are no longer be required, though we expect that some guests and instructors may continue to wear a mask depending on their personal circumstances and preferences. This is, of course, fine to do, and we appreciate everyone being respectful of each person’s decision.
 

What do I bring to class?

You don’t need to bring anything with you to your class. We will provide aprons, pens, ingredients, tools, and all other class materials. If you are transporting your final recipes a long distance please come with your own packing materials. Sometimes a cooler would be appropriate.

What time should I arrive for class?

Arriving at BAKE! 5 to 10 minutes before class would be great. Most of our classes are packed with activity and we like to begin and end on time.

Will we eat during class?

We usually taste at the end of our hands-on classes. You can always arrive early and get something to eat at our bakeshop. Demonstrations and Brown Bag Talks include light meals. All-day bread baking classes include lunch. BAKE!-cations® include both breakfast and lunch.

What is your class cancellation policy?

If you cancel a class with at least 3 days notice, you will receive either a full cash refund or credit towards a future class. If you cancel with less than 3 days notice, you will receive credit toward a future class. Class credits will expire if not used within 5 years from the date of cancellation. We're sorry, there is no refund or credit for classes canceled with less than 24 hours notice or for missed classes. You are welcome to send someone in your place.

Some extra special classes have extra special rules:
If you cancel a BAKE!-cation® or Kids Camp with more than 30 days notice you will receive a full refund. With 14 to 30 days notice you will receive a refund or credit for half of the cost. Class credits will expire if not used within 5 years from the date of cancellation. We're sorry, there is no refund or credit for BAKE!-cations® or Kids Camps canceled with less than 14 days notice or for missing them. You are welcome to send someone in your place.

If you cancel a Fancy Schmancy Holiday Cookie class with more than 7 days notice, you will receive a full refund or credit towards a future class. Class credits will expire if not used within 5 years from the date of cancellation. We're sorry, there will be no refunds or credits for Fancy Schmancy Holiday Cookie classes canceled with less than 7 days notice or for missed classes. You are welcome to send someone in your place.

Do my class credits expire?

If you cancel a class and receive class credit, it will expire 5 years from the date of cancellation.

Are your classes tax-deductible?

Sorry, none of our classes or camps are tax-deductible.

Can you recommend a hotel?

Weber's Inn, 7 miles away. Call (734) 769-2500 and ask for the Zingerman's rate. 
Sheraton, 1 mile away.
Avalyn Garden Bed & Breakfast, 4 miles away.
The Graduate, 4 miles away.
Residence Inn by Marriott, 5 miles away.
The Kensington Hotel, 1 mile away.
Hilton Garden Inn, 1 mile away.

What else is there to do nearby?

If you’re planning a visit to Ann Arbor, there are many iconic locations to visit such as the University of Michigan football stadium, museum of natural history, and museum of art. Or check out Kerrytown, Ann Arbor Farmers Market, and of course the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses. Destination Ann Arbor is a great source to find many more attractions, events, and hotels.

If I can't come to a class, will you send me the recipes?

We want you to be successful when you BAKE! at home, so our recipes come with class attendance. That way you can get all the information you need. As many of our students have noted, there is nothing like seeing someone do it, doing it yourself, and getting immediate feedback.

How can I use the same equipment you use?

We recommend a variety of useful tools for your everyday baking, and we’ve packaged the ones we like the most into handy equipment kits. These are great multi-purpose tools that you’ll use over and over again on your baking journey, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been baking for years.

Our Basic Bread Baking Kit is great for bakers who are just starting to experiment with bread baking. It comes packed with the following tools:

  • Bowl Scraper - A flexible plastic card with a curved side and a straight side. Kind of like a spatula made to fit in your hand; great for bringing ingredients together, kneading doughs, and scraping every last bit of delicious batter out of a mixing bowl.
  • Bench Knife - A straight-edged metal scraper with a plastic grip. Useful for dividing doughs, chopping up some ingredients, and scraping your work surface clean after you’re done mixing and kneading. 
  • Lame - A double-sided blade used to score breads just before they get baked. Our lame of choice is a thin metal stick that uses disposable razor blades; we have included three blades so you have spares handy.
  • Oven Thermometer - Not every oven dial is true to temperature! To ensure that your baked goods are baking at the correct temperature, an oven thermometer is a great investment. It sits on or hangs from a rack in your oven, giving you a more accurate reading so you can adjust your baking temp accordingly.
  • Digital Thermometer - Great for bread baking. Taking your bread’s internal temperature is a great way to ensure that you have fully-baked loaves that aren’t over-baked and dry.

Our Everything Bread Baking Kit is great for the more experienced bread bakers, or those looking to expand their world of breads. It contains all of the equipment from the Basic Bread Baking Kit (bowl scraper, bench knife, lame, oven thermometer, digital thermometer), plus the following:

  • Proofing Basket - A willow basket that supports your bread dough as it rises, giving it a distinct shape and structure. Proofing baskets come in all shapes and sizes; we’ve chosen a simple round 9” basket that’s great for many of the loaves we teach at BAKE!. 
  • Couche - A linen cloth that can be folded to create individual pockets for proofing baguettes. The couche keeps the shape of the dough intact and prevents the loaves from growing into each other as they rise. It also helps create the delicious crackly crust of a traditional baguette!
  • Cheesecloth - Great for suspending ingredients in your rye sour starter.
  • Parchment Paper - Unbleached parchment paper, sized for a half sheet pan. These allow for even heat distribution during baking and make for easy cleanup afterwards. We have included ten sheets of parchment paper. 

Our Basic Pastry Kit is ideal for newer pastry bakers, and includes tools we typically use for baked goods like scones, cookies, and brownies. It comes packed with the following equipment:

  • Bowl Scraper - A flexible plastic card with a curved side and a straight side. Kind of like a spatula made to fit in your hand; great for bringing ingredients together, kneading doughs, and scraping every last bit of delicious batter out of a mixing bowl.
  • Bench Knife - A straight-edged metal scraper with a plastic grip. Useful for dividing doughs, chopping up some ingredients, and scraping your work surface clean after you’re done mixing and kneading.  
  • Oven Thermometer - Not every oven dial is true to temperature! To ensure that your baked goods are baking at the correct temperature, an oven thermometer is a great investment. It sits on or hangs off a rack in your oven, giving you a more accurate reading so you can adjust your baking temp accordingly.
  • Parchment Paper - Unbleached parchment paper, sized for a half sheet pan. These allow for even heat distribution during baking and make for easy cleanup afterward.
  • Pastry Brush - A soft, flexible brush--a bit like a paintbrush, but for food. We use ours for things like egg wash, glazing, moistening cake layers, and dusting excess flour off of rolled doughs. 
  • Small Offset Spatula - An angled metal tool that’s great for spreading and smoothing batters, making pretty swirls in frosting, and depanning stubborn baked goods.
  • Scoop (1 oz) - A great multi-purpose scoop. Ideal for scooping cookies, portioning doughs evenly, and transferring batter neatly from bowl to pan.
  • Rolling Pin - We prefer a lightweight French-style rolling pin that’s tapered at the edges. It makes for easy and smooth rolling, and the tapered shape helps to control the pressure during the rolling process, so you can get your pie crusts and laminated doughs rolled out to the right shapes with ease.

Want to elevate your baked goods to baked greats? Our Everything Pastry Kit adds further handy tools we like to use for baking, decorating, and displaying your delicious works of art. In addition to everything from the Basic Pastry Kit (bowl scraper, bench knife, oven thermometer, parchment paper, pastry brush, small offset spatula, 1 oz scoop, rolling pin), it comes packed with the following equipment:

  • Pastry Blender - A blunt-bladed tool with a handgrip, used to cut solid fats into dry ingredients without overworking the dough. We like to use ours for baked goods like scones, biscuits, and pie doughs to create those tender, flaky textures.
  • Scoop (⅓ oz) - Great for portioning smaller cookies.
  • Whisk - A balloon whisk, good for whisking air into batters or blending ingredients together quickly.
  • Oven Thermometer - Not every oven dial is true to temperature! To ensure that your baked goods are baking at the correct temperature, an oven thermometer is a great investment. It sits on or hangs off a rack in your oven, giving you a more accurate reading so you can adjust your baking temp accordingly.
  • Piping Bags - Disposable cone-shaped piping bags for cake decorating, pastry piping, doughnut filling, and more. We include three small 12” bags and three large 21” piping bags so you have the right size for the job.
  • Decorating Tips - We’re including a big star tip and a big circle tip. These are great for decorating cakes and cupcakes, piping choux pastry, filling baked goods, and more.
  • Cake Boards - Once you’ve made some beautiful cakes, it’s great to have something to display them on. You’ll get a variety of disposable cake boards that can fit cakes of different shapes and sizes: a 9x13 rectangle, a small gold foil board we use for our Hungarian cakes, a 9” size small circle, and a 12” size big circle.

Have another question?

CONTACT US

(734) 761-7255
[email protected]