According to Laurae, the answer will depend on what you’re baking. “Mixing by hand will allow you full control, which can prevent overmixing and allow you to achieve a specific consistency,” she says. “Mixing with an electric stand mixer can save you quite a bit of time, tends to be incredibly efficient, and allows you to lean on the strength of the mixer for more intensive tasks like whipping egg whites or kneading your homemade doughs.”