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Thread Number: 73172
/ Tag: Recipes, Cooking Accessories
Betty Crocker's New Cake Mix |
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Post# 966467 , Reply# 2 11/6/2017 at 19:36 (2,355 days old) by ea56  (Cotati, Calif.) |
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Russell, the only cake mixes that I recall that didn’t require eggs were Jiffy Cake Mix, they are single layer size. I haven’t used one in over 30 years, so they may require eggs now, but at one time they didn’t.
I started making cakes with mixes, by myself when I was about 11 in 1962. All the mayor brands, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury and Duncan Hines called for eggs and water, some oil. It wasn’t until the late 60’s or so that oil also became an expected addition by the baker. And I’ve seen in old magazine ads where in the late 40’s/ early 50’s milk was a required addition in Betty Crocker cake mixes. I often use milk in place of water when using a mix, which is seldom. Just because the instructions call for water doesn’t mean you can’t substitute milk, the cake will be richer. Eddie | ||
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Post# 966482 , Reply# 3 11/6/2017 at 21:36 (2,355 days old) by appnut (TX) |
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Post# 966492 , Reply# 5 11/6/2017 at 22:05 (2,355 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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John,
I’m not crazy about greasing cake pans either. I use baking spray with flour in it most of the time, unless I particularly want the flavor of butter on the crust. Its so much easier.
I prefer to make my own cakes from scratch too most of the time. Once in a blue moon I’ll use a mix, but I always doctor it up, use butter and milk in place of the oil and water. And I’ll often add an extra egg too. And when I make a butter type cake from scratch I use the reverse creaming method, instead of creaming the butter and sugar the traditional way. The cakes come out better this way in my opinion and its almost as easy as making a mix. Just add the dry ingredients to your mixing bowl, use the mixer on low to mix them together, add the softened butter and mix with the dry ingredients on low until uniformily incorporated, should look a little like wet sand. Now add the eggs and other liquid ingredients and mix on low for 30 seconds, increase speed to med and continue to beat for another 2 mins. Then just bake as per recipe directions. Couldn’t be easier. Most of the time I don’t even use the stand mixer for this, just pull out the hand mixer. When I make cakes this way they seem to rise higher and retain their height when cooled. The crumb is moist and tender. Give it a try and you’ll really like the results and the ease. Eddie | ||
| Post# 966496 , Reply# 6 11/6/2017 at 22:22 (2,355 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room) | ||
 I, too, am puzzled by cake mixes. They really don't offer a whole lot of convenience as far as I'm concerned.
My mother was not much into baking. She did use cake mixes, I think, particularly IIRC for chocolate cakes. But the #1 cake she made was from scratch--a simple recipe that she was able to do in one bowl. If she'd found that cake onerous vs. a cake mix, I suspect she'd have just used a cake mix.
I will admit that I'm a bit curious about these cake mixes, and I'd be willing to try one just to see what its like. But I can't imagine I'd actually regularly use these even if I started baking regularly again. | ||
| Post# 966501 , Reply# 8 11/6/2017 at 22:47 (2,355 days old) by MixGuy (St. Martinville, Louisiana) | ||
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Betty Crocker Party Cake Mix from the 1950s CLICK HERE TO GO TO MixGuy's LINK | ||
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Post# 966528 , Reply# 9 11/7/2017 at 05:24 (2,355 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage) |
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You have to understand.....
First and foremost until (was it?) Fanny Farmer and others sat down and did the hard work working out measurements, cake baking was much about science. Nearly everything was either done by weight, or worse "a pinch, one teacup full, a spoon full, etc...). Well you can see how that might throw a novice housewife or cook off.
Just a bit of history, a "pound cake" in French is "Quarte Quarts", because the original recipes used by bakers called for one quarter each of main ingredients (butter, eggs, flour and sugar). Cake mix has been around since the 1930's (invented as way to use up excess flour a mill had lying about spare), www.icakes.ca/history-of-the-cake... www.bonappetit.com/entertaining-... www.tastingtable.com/cook/nation... The idea was simple; create a standard and easy way for even a young housewife/inexperienced cook to bake a "perfect" cake. Everything needed was measured out and included in the box; all one added was milk or water..... As to eggs; early testing in the USA and later in Europe found that housewives wanted to feel as if they were putting something of their own into the foods they prepared for their family. So cake mixes often left out the eggs, so Madame (or anyone else) could do so themselves and thus feel involved in the process. Canned foods of course had been around since the Victorian era. But by the 1920's and 1930's there was a movement to produce wholesome either ready made or things made from packets/mixes. This was first and foremost introduced as a time saver for the housewife. But also it was felt nutritional value could be standardized and (hopefully)the ingredients pure and fresh. It is around this time you start to see Wonder and other packaged breads. Previously you either went to the bakery daily or made your own. Those of us who make cakes from scratch likely don't think much of it, and can do so with ease. Not everyone however then or now has that sort of time and or skill. Equally they may not wish to bother. Just listen to "Betty Crocker" Or would you rather do this? You see from the last video what one meant. To young housewive/novice baker just what does "cream sugar and butter together" mean? How long does one mix a cake until the batter forms "ribbons" when beater or spoon is lifted? Just what are those "ribbons" anyway? If making an angel food cake or anything requiring egg whites, what are "stiff peaks"? | ||
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Post# 966539 , Reply# 11 11/7/2017 at 06:34 (2,355 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage) |
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Began weighting ingredients for baking
After starting with the "Cake" and Bread Machine" Bible books and haven't looked back. Once you start measuring by weight (which is how all professional bakers do things and have done so for ages), it makes things so much easier, and faster.
Once you've got that bit down it is easy to scale up or down a recipe by merely working out the ratio of various ingredients. Again this is how professional bakers can make two layer cake into four, six or whatever is needed. | ||
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Post# 966604 , Reply# 14 11/7/2017 at 12:47 (2,355 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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I’ve never gotten into the habit of weighing flour for baking, too much trouble for me, I keep it simple. But I do aerate the flour before I measure. I keep my flour in a large Rubbermaid container with a stainless steel 1/2 cup measuring cup. Before I measure I take out the measuring cup, put the cap back on the container and shake it upside down a few times, the volume will increase by a few inches in the container. I then dip the meauring cup in the flour and sweep of the top. This works well for me, not scientific or acutely accurate, but my results are always good, so I’m good with it too. Everyone that bakes has their own methods and tricks. I guess if I’d started out weighing flour when I first began baking over 50 years ago, thats what I’d be comfortable with. But I have the greatest appreciation for bakers that do weigh, shows that they want to do their very best! And I always am learning, especially from members who post here.
Eddie | ||
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Post# 966605 , Reply# 15 11/7/2017 at 12:58 (2,355 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands) |
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Post# 966625 , Reply# 16 11/7/2017 at 15:45 (2,355 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage) |
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Perhaps the biggest development for home baking
Came with ranges/ovens that offered thermostatic temperature control. This gave housewives/anyone else baking a way to accurately control oven temperature which we know is important to baking cakes, breads and so forth.
In ovens of old such as AGA types you had a "baking oven" and perhaps a "roasting oven", with temps controlled more by distance from fire and or using dampers. Not exactly a foolproof way of baking. All this meant you needed considerable skill and experience in baking to produce good results. Cakes back then were a rare treat. The most common would likely have been sponge, Genoise, and pound cakes. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponge_cak... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genoise... What you did get most often were pies, biscuits and other pastries. These are more forgiving once you learn how to work with dough. Then you had fried things like donuts, fritters and so forth. And of course cookies.... All this was assuming one even had an oven. In many communities it was common for housewives to take their baking over to the local baker and use those ovens. | ||
| Post# 966640 , Reply# 18 11/7/2017 at 16:34 (2,354 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room) | ||
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When I'd forgotten the "joys" of measuring for cakes when I commented that it seemed like cake mixes really don't make things more convenient. It's been so long since I baked a cake (probably close to 21 years now)...I got by fine years back with measuring cups. The biggest problem I had with one cake recipe that I worked with (from Fannie Farmer) was adjusting for the all purpose flour we used instead of real cake flour. Fannie Farmer, helpful as ever, had some suggestion that worked. This post was last edited 11/07/2017 at 16:53 | ||
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Post# 966646 , Reply# 19 11/7/2017 at 16:51 (2,354 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage) |
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All purpose flour
Like many things meant to perform for a wide variety of others (cake, bread, etc..) always isn't the best thing for cakes. Or other baked goods for that matter IMHO.
Cake flour is softer which makes for a tender crumb. The only so called *AP* flour one would ever use for baking is White Lily... Of course one must take home economy into consideration. If one rarely bakes then a bag of AP flour will likely suit because it can used for nearly everything. Unless one has large enough freezer storage space, and probably vacuum sealing equipment it rarely pays to lay in large amounts of flour just for one purpose such as cake or pastry. The stuff goes buggy after awhile and or just otherwise isn't up to the job. Being as this man know people who do or did stockpile White Lily and other special flours. This was more because certain flours are only sold in a geographical area. So getting one's hands on the stuff usually means mail order, Amazon.com or something similar. White Lily long known in the South was hardly a "Yankee" cult following until word got out. CLICK HERE TO GO TO Launderess's LINK | ||
| Post# 966649 , Reply# 20 11/7/2017 at 16:57 (2,354 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room) | ||
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Post# 966654 , Reply# 21 11/7/2017 at 17:02 (2,354 days old) by Gyrafoam (Wytheville, VA) |
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White Lily and Martha White makes good quick breads, cookies and crust, IMO. I prefer a good bleached white flour for cakes. Adluh is great. So is Hudson Cream and, of course, cake flour such as Swan's Down. I like to sift plain flour two or three times before measuring for cakes and just once for cake flour.. | ||
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Post# 966684 , Reply# 24 11/7/2017 at 19:20 (2,354 days old) by appnut (TX) |
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Four years ago when I got the big KA, I soon thereafter acquired a digital scale. I weigh flours and sugars when baking as well as chocolate chips, oats, ... I predominantly use King Arthurs White Whole Flour and through research have prettymuch gotten results for cakes, cookies quick breads as well as breads rolls (use vital gluten for lighter rise for these). People were surprised when I told them what flour is used. I also weigh the whole wheat baking mix when I make biscuits or other recipes on the box. Also weigh cereal each morning, frozen veggie proportions, 3 oz. of meat when apportioning leftovers after a roast or meat loaf. Also my baby carrots for snack packed in my lunch. | ||
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Post# 966686 , Reply# 25 11/7/2017 at 19:30 (2,354 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage) |
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@Gusherb
Probably the right answer is to do what you have already done; using a properly calibrated oven thermometer get to know how evenly or whatever your oven heats.
Some ovens are remarkably accurate, others swing widely, and cost is not an indication of quality in that area. Many bakers/cooks will also make a few tests using recipes that *never fail* to get an idea of what a new oven is like. One can tell by how cake turns out if there are any problems with the oven and or if corrections need to be made. www.slate.com/articles/life/food/... | ||
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Post# 966687 , Reply# 26 11/7/2017 at 19:32 (2,354 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage) |
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Anyone remember | ||
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Post# 966690 , Reply# 27 11/7/2017 at 19:35 (2,354 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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I have an absolute aversion to weighing any food, I was tramatized by Weight Watchers, having to weigh and measure everything, LOL!
Cooking and baking are something that I enjoy and I’ve never had any complaints about the results, so I’ll keep it simple. I can eyeball somethings just by site, if I’ve prepared the recipe many times before. Likewise,I won my life long battle with weight control once I lightened up and trusted my eyes to judge correct portion size. When I do measure while cooking and baking standard measuring cups and spoons are working well for me. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Eddie | ||
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Post# 966698 , Reply# 28 11/7/2017 at 20:40 (2,354 days old) by appnut (TX) |
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Post# 966700 , Reply# 29 11/7/2017 at 20:51 (2,354 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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Bob I’m glad it works for you, I know anything that helps you to take good care of yourself is a good thing!
Years ago when I first started going to WW it helped me too to get a proper perspective on just what a 1/2 cup of rice was supposed to look like, for example. You do this measuring and weighing long enough and you’ll be surpirsed that the portions sizes get to be instinctive for you. Thats when you’ll hopfully trust your eyes to tell you what the correct size should be. Eddie | ||
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Post# 966747 , Reply# 33 11/8/2017 at 02:42 (2,354 days old) by thomasortega (El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles de Porciúncula) |
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... and about buttering the pan... Come on guys... One can do that in 30 seconds using a paper towel, butter and some elbow grease. No dirty fingers! Spray? nah... It's useful in the bedroom, never in the kitchen. | ||
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Post# 966790 , Reply# 34 11/8/2017 at 08:53 (2,354 days old) by mikael3 (Atlanta) |
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I can’t exactly explain why I dislike buttering the pans, but it really gets on my nerves. It must be some childhood trauma that I’ve repressed!! I do use butter, though, since the various sprayed products leave a little taste that doesn’t appeal to me. | ||
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Post# 966883 , Reply# 35 11/8/2017 at 17:55 (2,353 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage) |
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If you bake often enough
A pre-made mixture of Crisco, vegetable oil, and flour for "greasing" baking pans can be made in advance.
iambaker.net/homemade-pan-releas... | ||
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Post# 966885 , Reply# 36 11/8/2017 at 18:09 (2,353 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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Thanks, | ||
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Post# 966902 , Reply# 37 11/8/2017 at 19:29 (2,353 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage) |
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Have always used a folded piece of wax paper to slather on Crisco or whatever shortening, then flour. Takes about a few seconds at best, and leaves one without greasy fingers.
Do not like any of the "PAM" type sprays; they leave a nasty residue on pans/bakeware that not even automatic dishwashers seem to shift. That residue also turns my aluminum and stainless steel pans an odd shade of brown/tan. | ||
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Post# 966921 , Reply# 40 11/8/2017 at 20:40 (2,353 days old) by appnut (TX) |
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| Post# 966935 , Reply# 41 11/8/2017 at 21:43 (2,353 days old) by nmassman44 (Brooksville Florida) | ||
I can tell you first hand that I tried that cake mix at the top of the thread. I was intrigued at first when I saw it at the store. I bought the Yellow Cake and the Chocolate Devils Food one. I made the yellow cake with high hopes that maybe it would be good, but it wasn't. It was bland and OMG so dry. I baked it using a conventional bake instead of convection baking it so that might have caused it to dry out. Not even frosting it helped. Needless to say it went down the pig aka garbage disposal.
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| Post# 966943 , Reply# 42 11/8/2017 at 22:20 (2,353 days old) by Norgeway (mocksville n c ) | ||
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I tried one too It wasn't dry but it wasn't good either it had a artificial taste | ||
| Post# 967011 , Reply# 44 11/9/2017 at 11:04 (2,353 days old) by johnrk (BP TX) | ||
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Cream Biscuits I used to make biscuits intuitively because I made them almost daily for the ones I loved. No measurement. For anyone who loves biscuits, check out James Beard's cream biscuit recipe, where he uses heavy cream instead of milk. They are amazing. | ||
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Post# 967040 , Reply# 45 11/9/2017 at 14:26 (2,353 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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I'm a fan of cream biscuits, as well. Have never made any other kind.
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| Post# 967041 , Reply# 46 11/9/2017 at 14:49 (2,353 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room) | ||
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Baking powder biscuits were somewhat common when I was growing up. My mother would make drop biscuits to round out a dinner. I think chilli was one such time. I think the recipe was probably Fannie Farmer (that was her basic cookbook). I think I even got tired of them at some point...but then later on embraced them again as something that could round out a meal.
I haven't baked them much in recent years. I had a phase of having them a year or so ago, although I'm sure that people in the south would be appalled with the recipe that used cooking oil and whole wheat flour. But it was a good match for the realities of today--whole wheat flour is healthier, and I don't keep solid cooking fat around (options all too expensive--like butter--or too unhealthy--like cheap margarine). | ||
| Post# 967042 , Reply# 47 11/9/2017 at 14:51 (2,353 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room) | ||
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