Boxed Cakes w/ a Little Extra!

[ChristmasElf]

There is a difference in the measuring cups??? What about measuring spoons?

Well, no wonder why my quinoa muffins didn't work out. I thought they were missing way to much brown sugar and vanilla, made according to the recipe.

Do you have a recipe that gives you weights of each ingredient? ie: 8 oz flour, 4 oz sugar, etc?
To see why weighing your ingredients rather than using a measuring cup,
measure a cup of flour in two ways:
a. Sift the flour and using a fork, put the flour into a dry measuring cup. Level the top off and weigh the full measuring cup.
b. Scoop unsifted flour into the same measuring cup and lightly tap it down. Level the top and then weigh that flour. There will be a big difference.
(this is why many chocolate chip cookies don't always turn out)

The same is for liquids-1 cup of water in a dry measuring cup. Pour that water into a liquid measuring glass and it will look like not quite enough water. Where.......................
Weighing 8 oz of water in a small container on a digital scale is always going to be the most accurate measure. (just for example)

 

[Conservative Hippie]

Also, this is the number 1 reason why the chefs on Top Chef, nay be brilliant chefs, who are used to improvising and tossing in a pinch here and a splash there, but are horrible bakers for the dessert challenges. Cooking, being able to toss in a handfull her and there and making substitutions at will is a totally different mentality and personality from baking, which requires precision levels of ingredients to bake and re-molecularize and puff up correctly. Unless the chef has an assortment of baking recipes memorized, which improvisational cooking does not require, (and i their forte,) that's the reason they fail during the dessert/baking challenges.

"Baking is science for hungry people."

 

[Imzadi]

Do you have a recipe that gives you weights of each ingredient? ie: 8 oz flour, 4 oz sugar, etc?
To see why weighing your ingredients rather than using a measuring cup,
measure a cup of flour in two ways:
a. Sift the flour and using a fork, put the flour into a dry measuring cup. Level the top off and weigh the full measuring cup.
b. Scoop unsifted flour into the same measuring cup and lightly tap it down. Level the top and then weigh that flour. There will be a big difference.
(this is why many chocolate chip cookies don't always turn out)

The same is for liquids-1 cup of water in a dry measuring cup. Pour that water into a liquid measuring glass and it will look like not quite enough water. Where.......................
Weighing 8 oz of water in a small container on a digital scale is always going to be the most accurate measure. (just for example)

Hmm, I never thought to really look at recipes, whether they state "1 cup" vs, 8 oz. I do know that there is quite a difference in when a recipe says to pack down the flour and level off the top that it will be quite a difference in how much will be in there. (I remember that from Home Ec class, a bazillion years ago.)

I didn't know there would be a difference in the weight/volume of sifted vs unsifted flour.

I know that a liquid 8 oz cup would be heavier than an 8 oz cup of flour. I guess, I always assumed that when the recipe says 1 cup of flour, they went by the volume of an 8 oz cup, instead of the actual weight.

THIS is why I stick to cake mixes. It's hard to mess up: add 1/4 cup oil, 1 cup water/milk and 2 eggs, beat for 2 minutes.

 

[Molliday]

Thank you! We are having a bake sale at the beginning of November, and I am anxious to make a bunch of cakes and cupcakes!

I'd make it in a bundt pan if you can. It's more attractive that way. It won't hold as much icing though. That's why I like making it in a 13x9x2, lol.

 

[rszdtrvl]

Thanks! I will add "bundt pan" to the recipe.

 

[C.Ann]

Also, don't use a liquid measuring cup for dry ingredients or vise versa, don't use a dry ingredient measuring cup for liquids as they do measure differently.

I'm always surprised by the number of people who don't know this.. It's one of the first things I taught my DGD when she was so little she was kneeling on a chair so we could do our Christmas Cookie Baking Marathon..

My mom taught me that when I was a kid - and then it was taught again in Home Ec class in junior high..

 

[OceanAnnie]

Here you go!

Lemon Glazed Cake

Cake

1 package white cake mix
1 3.4 oz package of instant lemon pudding mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup lemon-lime soda (Sprite, 7-Up, Sierra Mist - do not use diet soda)

Glaze

1 cup confectioners sugar
2 T lemon or orange juice

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil and eggs and beat on medium speed for one minute. Gradually beat in the soda. Pour into a greased 13x9x2 baking dish. Back at 350 degrees, for 40 - 45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in the center.

(I usually make more glaze. The more icing the better, is my motto!)

Thank you! The kids like lemon (and orange) flavors and they'll get a kick out of knowing there is soda in the cake!

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Baking soda, I usually only use for cleaning.


And no, I wouldn't use the same basic, multipurpose cake recipe and just toss in cocoa powder for a chocolate cake or a red velvet cake. If I'm going to take the time & effort to make one from scratch, I'd also make sure to get the BEST chocolate cake recipe on the planet. What's the point of making it from scratch just to end up with a so-so cake, that tasted like a yellow cake with a 1/4 cup of cocoa added?





Yes, even I was taught this, amateur baker that I am, and mentioned it earlier.


There is a difference in the measuring cups??? What about measuring spoons?

Well, no wonder why my quinoa muffins didn't work out. I thought they were missing way to much brown sugar and vanilla, made according to the recipe.

Not sure why you responded to me. I didn't quote you. Whatever.

 

[rndmr2]

I have never heard of the add milk instead of water and an extra egg thing either, I will have to try it next time I make a cake.

Maybe a stupid question, but does it matter if the milk is skim, whole, etc?

 

[Imzadi]

Not sure why you responded to me. I didn't quote you. Whatever.

What??? We're only supposed to respond to posters who only quoted us??? That's news to me.

For one thing, you are missing the first three paragraphs to my post where I AGREED with what you said. I even bolded the part I agreed with, that, "ingredients don't fare well from holiday season to holiday season just sitting in your cabinet," and I posted examples of not using my cocoa powder, baking soda & baking powder quickly enough that they go stale.

I thought I was being quite clear on my post:

I found a little tip to make those of us "amateurs" lives a bit quicker.

Those of us that do bake from scratch know ingredients don't fare well from holiday season to holiday season just sitting in your cabinet.

Finally Red Velvet cake is not just cake with coloring. It has a distinct cocoa flavor.

Here are the three paragraphs you left out of your reply when you quoted me:

Yes, there is a scratch recipe upthread, which has the ingredients cocoa powder, baking powder & baking soda and assumes we'd have these around to bake a cake whenever.

Every time I have to use baking powder in something, I end up having to buy a new box as the old one is so old, I'm sure it doesn't have the rising action any more.

My last box of powdered cocoa must have lasted a year & a half. I had to keep wiping off the dust on the top of the lid before using it. I finally used it up on hot chocolate, not baking.

Baking soda, I usually only use for cleaning.

 

[ChristmasElf]

Since the subject of spices has come up, I will add to the conversation once again!

COCOACocoa is the same as using bitter chocolate (only with less cocoa butter) Cocoa contains starch, which absorbs moisture in cake batter.
So if you wanted to change a yellow cake into a chocolate cake, you will need to reduce the amount of flour to compensate. A good rule of thumb would be: Reduce the flour by 3/8 of the weight of cocoa added. So if you were to add 1 lb of cocoa, the flour would be reduced by 6 oz,

SALT People think if they omit the salt in a recipe, it somehow makes it "healthier". Salt is also used as a preservative. Your baked goods will last longer if they have the correct amount of salt added.
Salt also strengthens the gluten structure of bread doughs. It also gives it better texture.

Vanilla extract is not the same as imitation vanilla. If imitation vanilla is all you have on hand, then add extra. If you are using pure vanilla extract you would use what the recipe calls for. Add your vanilla last when making most recipes for the best flavor and results.

When the recipe calls for butter (and always use butter, NEVER margarine)use UNSALTED butter. If salted butter is all you have, reduce the salt in your recipe by 1/8 tsp per stick of butter.

Hope to not come across as a know-it-all, just thought I would share some tried and true tips with y'all since the Holidays are fast approaching!

 

[bas71873]

Question. I searched for "yellow" and came up with nothing. How would I doctor up a yellow cake and still keep the yellow cake flavor? Would I just substitute milk for the water and add and extra egg? I like the instant pudding for the chocolate cake, but don't want to add any flavor to a regular yellow cake and not sure if "unflavored" instant pudding is available??

 

[Mom3girls]

Question. I searched for "yellow" and came up with nothing. How would I doctor up a yellow cake and still keep the yellow cake flavor? Would I just substitute milk for the water and add and extra egg? I like the instant pudding for the chocolate cake, but don't want to add any flavor to a regular yellow cake and not sure if "unflavored" instant pudding is available??

I have used vanilla pudding mix to add to yellow butter recipe cake mix and it was awesome!

 

[tlbwriter]

Question. I searched for "yellow" and came up with nothing. How would I doctor up a yellow cake and still keep the yellow cake flavor? Would I just substitute milk for the water and add and extra egg? I like the instant pudding for the chocolate cake, but don't want to add any flavor to a regular yellow cake and not sure if "unflavored" instant pudding is available??

"Yellow" isn't a flavor. Yellow cake isn't unflavored, it's vanilla flavored. Add vanilla pudding mix.

 

[Molliday]

Thank you! The kids like lemon (and orange) flavors and they'll get a kick out of knowing there is soda in the cake!

You could probably experiment with orange pudding (is there such a thing?) and orange soda.

 

[ChristmasElf]

Ocean Annie,

If you want an Orange flavored cake, you could buy orange extract in the grocery store in the baking aisle.

By the way, a tsp of orange extract in your chocolate chip cookie recipe makes for some awesome tasting cookies!

You can make an almond cake using almond extract (2 tsp) to a yellow boxed cake mix.

If I ever find myself making a boxed cake mix, my must do is Duncan Hines. I add buttermilk in place of the water, 3 eggs and vegetable oil (Crisco)

Chiffon cake I always make from scratch as I have a fantastic recipe.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Has anyone tried lemon curd in a vanilla cake mix?

Thinking I might give it a try. I have 2 lemon cake lovers in this house

 

[tlbwriter]

Has anyone tried lemon curd in a vanilla cake mix?

Thinking I might give it a try. I have 2 lemon cake lovers in this house

Well, that wouldn't work the same was as putting pudding in the mix, because you use the dry mix, not the prepared pudding, and the consistency of lemon curd is like the prepared pudding. I'd search for a recipe that uses lemon curd. Or make the lemon pudding cake, bake it in layers, and use lemon curd as the filling between layers - that sounds fantastic!

 

[ameraumi]

I read an article recently that Hellman's mayonnaise is great for a moist cake. Haven't tried it though.

OMG YES!!!!! My mom has a recipe that uses Mayo and it is the best. We just dust it with powder sugar after it cools.

 

[bas71873]

What brand of butter do you use for baking and making frosting? I am going to "doctor up" a yellow cake this weekend and make the chocolate frosting on the back of the Hershey's cocoa container. So what brand of stick butter do you recommend?