Old English bacan "to bake," from Proto-Germanic *bakanan (cf. Old Norse baka, Middle Dutch backen, Old High German bahhan, German backen), from PIE *bheg- "to warm, roast, bake" (cf. Greek phogein "to roast"), from root *bhe- "to warm" (see bath). Related: Baked (Middle English had baken); baking. Baked beans attested by 1803.