How do you decide when to deviate from baking ratios? I've just started studying baking ratios. I like to learn to cook/bake on Youtube, and as I've been analyzing alot of the cooking/baking ratios I notice that quite a few of these youtube chefs do not follow the baking ratios. For example, in a muffin recipe, instead of the 2:2:1:1 ratio with flour:liquid:fat:egg, it was a 1:.6:1 (no liquid but add sugar) ratio (flour:butter:egg). Also does a ten percent deviation between ratios make a major difference? I also noticed that most people are making cupcakes when they make muffins.
Also: Does something like cream cheese fall under a &quot;fat&quot;?
As you asked more than one question here, I'm going to focus on the title: &quot;How do you decide when to deviate from baking ratios?&quot;.
And the answer is: when you want a different result.
Ratios are useful guidelines when coming up with new recipes.  They're not laws that need to be followed exactly.  If you think something came out a little dry, then you make a note to add a little more liquid or fat the next time around.