If you sometimes end up with dry or dense baked goods, and don't know what went wrong, I may have an answer for you! People often don't realize that liquid and dry ingredients should be measured using different vessels. Liquid ingredients -- such as water, milk and oil -- should always be measured using a liquid measuring cup. So why bother measuring this way? The answer is simple. It's very difficult, if not impossible, to fill a dry measuring cup to the very top with liquid. If you do it will spill, and if you don't, you won't be using as much liquid as your recipe calls for. The proper technique when measuring is to place the cup on a flat surface and pour in your liquid while crouching down so that your eye is level with the measuring marks-- it's the only foolproof way to ensure you're adding an exact amount of liquid. In recipes where the exact ratio of ingredients is essential, this can make or break a recipe's success. Photography by Jennifer Bartoli