You should, you was a pretty good cook.
Honestly, it's not that hard to cook. People seem to think it's this mastercraft here when really, the most complicated it gets is when you need to add something new to a dish that compliments it well. (Which, to be fair, can get really hard depending on how much quality you want and/or the tastes of your guests.) Otherwise, it's just following a list of instructions.
I can't remember where my pet spider found this but,
Group 1 (the naive baker): They know they need to add sodium bicarbonate to the batter because the recipe book tells them to. They are totally dependent on full guidance from the recipe otherwise their cake will be a disaster!
Group 2 (the practical baker): They know to add sodium bicarbonate to the batter because it is needed to make the cake rise. They know the practical value of adding this ingredient without understanding how it works. If baking soda is missing from the recipe then they might question how the cake will rise. Further deviation from the recipe may be a problem though.
Group 3 (the savvy baker): They know that sodium bicarbonate decomposes when heated to release carbon dioxide gas which helps the cake to rise. They know the practical value of baking soda and also have a general understanding of how it makes the cake rise. Knowing this they can experiment with the recipe to optimize the final product.
Group 4 (baker bees): They understand not only that sodium bicarbonate gives yields carbon dioxide gas but also the reactive mechanism involved. They are also aware that a byproduct of this reaction is sodium carbonate which may make the final cake's pH too basic. This full awareness allows them to experiment fully with the method, substitute baking soda for other suitable leavening agents, and even explore novel methods for making a perfectly risen cake.
