Why do you mix dry ingredients first when baking?

* To ensure even distribution: Dry ingredients like flour, sugar, and baking powder often have different densities. By mixing them together, you ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter, leading to consistent texture and leavening.

* To prevent lumps: Dry ingredients like flour can clump together if they're added directly to wet ingredients. Mixing them first helps break up any clumps, resulting in a smoother batter.

* To avoid overmixing: When you add wet ingredients to dry ones, the gluten in the flour begins to develop. Mixing the dry ingredients first reduces the amount of time the wet ingredients are in contact with the flour, which helps to prevent a tough, chewy texture.

* For better incorporation of leavening agents: Baking powder and baking soda need to be evenly dispersed throughout the batter for proper leavening. Mixing them with the other dry ingredients ensures they are properly distributed.

In general, the process is:

1. Mix dry ingredients: Combine flour, sugar, salt, and leavening agents in a bowl.

2. Mix wet ingredients: Combine wet ingredients like eggs, milk, and butter separately.

3. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Overmixing can lead to tough baked goods.

Following this order of mixing will generally result in better texture and consistency in your baked goods.