Boxed Cakes w/ a Little Extra!

[beaucoup]

I'm gaining weight just reading this thread.

 

[cornflake]

What ChristmasElf said above is correct. Recipes from scratch require precise measurements as it throws off the chemistry to change or haphazardly add ingredients.

On the other hand, box cake mixes are designed and rigorously tested to come out right, regardless of the millions of different conditions it's customers put it through. They realize that they will be baked by professional to amateur to child bakers, in new or barely working ovens in which the temperatures are completely off, by people who over-beat the heck out of the batter to people who barely mix it at all.

Don't ask what's in those boxed cake mixes for them to consistently work out.

That's why all the cookies on my cake mix cookie thread work out, without precise measurements of the add-ins.

Unless one has tested a whole bunch of scratch recipes to find one they really like and bakes up beautifully, it's easier to to doctor a cake mix.

The ones I've tasted taste just... awful. Like the frosting in a tin, tastes like chemical stew.

I get the amateur thing, though cakes are easy to make, but past that, especially if someone is confident enough to be messing with the box mix... I don't get it.

 

[Imzadi]

The ones I've tasted taste just... awful. Like the frosting in a tin, tastes like chemical stew.

I get the amateur thing, though cakes are easy to make, but past that, especially if someone is confident enough to be messing with the box mix... I don't get it.

Again, it goes back to needing a bunch of different scratch recipes for all the different flavors and having tested all of them or having chased down someone whose cake you liked. People can't use the same cake recipe for yellow cake as for chocolate cake or lemon cake or red velvet, etc.

But you can have all four boxes and just swap in the milk and add an egg and your good to go for all flavors.

Also, many people get into the mood to bake a cake once they are at home. For scratch cakes, if you are out of baking powder or the cocoa powder, you can't make the cake. But, most people usually have all the ingredients anyway for a cake mix cake without needing to plan ahead to make sure they have all the ingredients.

 

[cornflake]

Again, it goes back to needing a bunch of different scratch recipes for all the different flavors and having tested all of them or having chased down someone whose cake you liked. People can't use the same cake recipe for yellow cake as for chocolate cake or lemon cake or red velvet, etc.

But you can have all four boxes and just swap in the milk and add an egg and your good to go for all flavors.

Also, many people get into the mood to bake a cake once they are at home. For scratch cakes, if you are out of baking powder or the cocoa powder, you can't make the cake. But, most people usually have all the ingredients anyway for a cake mix cake without needing to plan ahead to make sure they have all the ingredients.

In large measure, you can though. Same as cookies and muffins, you know? I mean sure, there are a zillion different recipes but the general chocolate, lemon, red velvet (which is just chocolate cake with food colouring and I cannot understand the popularity, heh), etc. like general drop or general shortbread or etc., cookies are just a basic ratio and once you kind of get how it works, it's simple to swap flavours and such.

Which, I realize is a thing that happens if you bake, same as the ingredients. If you bake from scratch, you have all those ingredients on hand as a matter of course.

I'm not saying like, everyone should bake everything from scratch, people can do whatever, no skin off my snout, heh. I just ... they taste terrible to me and like I said I get people who have no baking experience or confidence using them but when people are fussing with them and adding bunch of ingredients, it seems at least just as simple as making the cake.

 

[C.Ann]

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

My late MIL used to make chocolate mayonnaise cake all the time.. Best cake ever! When I feel like making a chocolate cake from scratch, that's the recipe I use..

 

[luvthatduke]

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

I'm pretty sure that all you do is ADD 1 cup mayo,
you do NOT substitute it for anything in the recipe.
Anyone know for sure?

Also, by substituting half of the oil with applesauce,
I've made some great-tasting oatmeal cookies.
People at the group I brought them to ate them all.
I recall being advised that when it was a cookie recipe
the applesauce could only be used for half of the oil, not all of it.
Oops! Forgot to say the half applesauce trick can be used
for brownies, too!
Again, anyone know for sure?

I can't wait to try out the tips on this thread! ..

 

[C.Ann]

I'm pretty sure that all you do is ADD 1 cup mayo,
you do NOT substitute it for anything in the recipe.
Anyone know for sure?

That would depend on if you were making the entire cake from scratch or doctoring up a mix.. Either way, you're going to get one heck of a moist cake!!

 

[luvthatduke]

That would depend on if you were making the entire cake from scratch or doctoring up a mix.. Either way, you're going to get one heck of a moist cake!!

Yes, it would definitely matter!
I've only heard about adding it to box cake,
I wouldn't know how to figure out how much
to use from scratch.

 

[Poohforyou]

The ones I've tasted taste just... awful. Like the frosting in a tin, tastes like chemical stew.

I get the amateur thing, though cakes are easy to make, but past that, especially if someone is confident enough to be messing with the box mix... I don't get it.

I buy Trader Joe's vanilla and chocolate cake mixes. They don't have extra junk in them. I like boxed mixes for the speed and convenience. I can get a boxed mix in the oven in about 10 minues whereas a homemade one will take a 1/2 hour or so.

I'm making cakes (actually cupcakes) mostly for kids so I do care about the none chemical aspect but not so much the better flavor of a homemade one. The kids won't notice or appreciate the difference.

If I'm serving cake in my home for something it'll be from the great bakery down the road.

 

[leight]

If you are adding the mayo to the cake mix- just make sure that you do not add it to one with Pudding in the Mix. It really tastes weird! That said, I've done this for years and my chocolate cakes are always asked for over and over. Dh just hates the idea of mayo in cake tho- so I told him I stopped doing it!

 

[wdwmom2]

Ooooohhhh, peanut butter frosting sounds MMMMMM. Mind sharing the recipe?

No problem!! I got this recipe from a friend about 20 years ago and have been using it ever since.

Ice Cream Icing


1 cup 10X sugar
1 egg white
Blend together with mixer

Then add to that...

1 cup 10X sugar
2 T. milk
2 T. flour
1/2 cup Crisco
1 tsp vanilla
Blend together and add peanut butter to taste

Sometimes I want just a little more icing that this. My family likes a thicker frosting. So I just add a little more 10X and milk until I get the consistancy I am looking for. It's really very easy!

Oh, and the cupcakes I made yesterday with the "doctored" box cake, topped with this icing was a hit. We had company over for dinner last night. I gave them each one. They finished it and asked for seconds!!

 

[Bonniec]

I bought some boxed muffin mixes today. Just typical blueberry, lemon poppyseed,etc.

Would you suggest doing anything to doctor these?

 

[OceanAnnie]

I bought some boxed muffin mixes today. Just typical blueberry, lemon poppyseed,etc.

Would you suggest doing anything to doctor these?

I'd probably add about 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1 tsp vanilla to the blueberry. Lemon poppyseed, probably just the 1/2 cup of sour cream.

Now you guys really have me in the mood to do some baking!

 

[Imzadi]

If you are adding the mayo to the cake mix- just make sure that you do not add it to one with Pudding in the Mix. It really tastes weird! That said, I've done this for years and my chocolate cakes are always asked for over and over. Dh just hates the idea of mayo in cake tho- so I told him I stopped doing it!

Mayo is basically eggs & oil. So it makes sense that it would add more richness to the cake batter if adding them separately does the same thing. Although mayo does have that extra tangy taste.

add peanut butter to taste

Exactly how MUCH peanut butter to start with? 2 tablespoons? A cup?

Recipe directions like this really peeve me. There is a pumpkin frosting/dip online and all she says is that she added some pumpkin to her cream cheese frosting and a few other spices. Yeah, that really helps.

 

[DMRick]

My mom's choc mayo cake which I'm now going to make this afternoon!

3 cups unsifted all purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened chocolate
1-1/2 cups sugar
2-1/4 teas baking powder
1-1/2 teas baking soda
1-1/2 cups Hellmans mayo
1-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 teas vanilla

Sift dry ingredients into large bowl. Stir in mayo. Gradually stir in water and vanilla until smooth and blended/ Pour nto prepared pans. 350 degrees about 30 minutes (until inserted knife comes out clean..do not overbake), makes 2 layers.

 

[SaraJayne]

I'm pretty sure that all you do is ADD 1 cup mayo,
you do NOT substitute it for anything in the recipe.
Anyone know for sure?

Also, by substituting half of the oil with applesauce,
I've made some great-tasting oatmeal cookies.
People at the group I brought them to ate them all.
I recall being advised that when it was a cookie recipe
the applesauce could only be used for half of the oil, not all of it.
Oops! Forgot to say the half applesauce trick can be used
for brownies, too!
Again, anyone know for sure?

I can't wait to try out the tips on this thread! ..

I've substituted all the oil for applesauce in brownies for years. No one has ever been the wiser.

 

[OceanAnnie]

My mom's choc mayo cake which I'm now going to make this afternoon!

3 cups unsifted all purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened chocolate
1-1/2 cups sugar
2-1/4 teas baking powder
1-1/2 teas baking soda
1-1/2 cups Hellmans mayo
1-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 teas vanilla

Sift dry ingredients into large bowl. Stir in mayo. Gradually stir in water and vanilla until smooth and blended/ Pour nto prepared pans. 350 degrees about 30 minutes (until inserted knife comes out clean..do not overbake), makes 2 layers.

Thanks for posting the recipe. I've been curious about the mayo ever since I read it.

Thanks to all the posters that have shared their recipes and tips too. Lots of tasty things to try!

 

[Imzadi]

My mom's choc mayo cake which I'm now going to make this afternoon!

3 cups unsifted all purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened chocolate
1-1/2 cups sugar
2-1/4 teas baking powder
1-1/2 teas baking soda
1-1/2 cups Hellmans mayo
1-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 teas vanilla

Sift dry ingredients into large bowl. Stir in mayo. Gradually stir in water and vanilla until smooth and blended/ Pour nto prepared pans. 350 degrees about 30 minutes (until inserted knife comes out clean..do not overbake), makes 2 layers.

Notice this recipe has no oil or butter or eggs. The oil & eggs in the mayo are a direct substitute.

 

[wdwmom2]

Exactly how MUCH peanut butter to start with? 2 tablespoons? A cup?

Recipe directions like this really peeve me. There is a pumpkin frosting/dip online and all she says is that she added some pumpkin to her cream cheese frosting and a few other spices. Yeah, that really helps.

Actually, the recipe is for plain icing. I just add peanut butter to modify it. I just stick a serving spoon in the jar and pull some out. If I had to guess, I would say at least 5 or 6 tablespoons. That is why I say, peanut butter to taste. If you want a hint of flavor, use less. If you want it stronger, use more. Not trying to "peeve" anyone.

ETA: I could use this recipe for just about any flavor. Just add extract. Almond, orange, etc. Start with a small amount and sample it. It it needs more flavor, just add it.

 

[knitster]

I don't get the doctored boxed cake mixes, either. I would think that doing all the doctoring would make it take just as much time and effort as making from scratch. I've never used a boxed mix, though, so maybe I'm way off.