Irritated With Pillsbury

Baking By Danielle1218 Updated 6 Jan 2014 , 1:14pm by mercycake

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jason_kraft Posted 20 Jul 2012 , 8:50pm
post #61 of 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by inspiredbymom

All I wanted was a sample to see if I liked it. I'm not ready to order 50 #'s of something that is nasty. They also said that this new place took over Pillsbury cake line for the bulk and tweaked it to their liking. Again, why mess with a good thing? Now I really don't know what to do. I have read on here that you can get samples but I can't get any info on where to get them. Any suggestions?



I recommend buying the 5# Gold Medal mix, Amazon has it for $15 with free shipping. If you like it, your local distributor should sell a 50# bag.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00469VDTI/?tag=cakecentral-20

GM's other professional cake mix, Pillsbury Bakers Plus, is not available in 5#.

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inspiredbymom Posted 20 Jul 2012 , 9:17pm
post #62 of 84

Figures, the plus was what I was looking into. Does this ever become good news? icon_smile.gif

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cupcakesnbuttercream Posted 20 Jul 2012 , 10:01pm
post #63 of 84

WOW!
I used to use doctored mixes all the time, but since I've moved to AZ I usually bake from scratch. I have noticed a difference the few times I did use a doctored recipe, but I thought it was possibly due to the higher elevation here.
The cakes come out spongy & full of holes! and when I make cake pops with it, the texture is off.
I've had some boxes sitting in my pantry for a while so I decided to check them out. The Pillsbury is 18.9 oz & the Betty Crocker is 15.25.

....this is a problem

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trinaf Posted 21 Jul 2012 , 2:41am
post #64 of 84

More has changed with the box than just the size. Where the old box said "1 cup of pudding in the mix" it now says "As always, pudding in the mix". I think this may be the key to getting the denser product that we Pillsbury users are used to achieving. The ingredient list also states cornstarch further down the list than it used to be, which is a main ingredient in pudding.

I need to do some experimenting, but I think I'll start by adding a small package of pudding. I have a few of the good mixes left so I can compare it to the new and doctored mix.

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Danielle1218 Posted 21 Jul 2012 , 2:30pm
post #65 of 84

I hear alot of people on here talking about a doctored cake mix vs. a regular cake mix. Who cares? They are obviously not coming out the way we are used to doing either method. For whoever made the comment that customer service says not to play around with the mix..."we are still working on it"....UGH. DO you know who many cookbook I have that Pillsbury and Betty Crocker have made in which the recipe starts with a BOX MIX??????? They should have known that it would CHANGE EVERYTHING!!!! These companies should have thought of that before they went a messed everything up.

Now what are they going to do????????????? Re-write all their cookbooks they have made over the last 30 years??? Dumb move on their part!!!!

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jason_kraft Posted 21 Jul 2012 , 3:35pm
post #66 of 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by Danielle1218

Now what are they going to do????????????? Re-write all their cookbooks they have made over the last 30 years??? Dumb move on their part!!!!



Not so dumb if it means selling more cookbooks.

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Danielle1218 Posted 23 Jul 2012 , 12:39am
post #67 of 84

Well....I won't buy anymore.

I did buy some store brand cake mixes from Tops today to see how they work out. I know it is inevitable that they will switch too.........but one can only hope.

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JackieDryden Posted 23 Jul 2012 , 3:08am
post #68 of 84

I noticed some said the water, oil, eggs were the same as before. On DH it is not. The cakes all require the same ingredient amounts whether it be white, chocolate, or french vanilla. ! box, 1c water, 3 eggs, 1/3 cup oil. Before the change they were different, 1 1/4c water, 3 egg whites, 2 tbs oil, for white, 1 1/3 c water 3 eggs, and 1/2 c oil for chocolate, etc. I am now trying to make everything from scratch. I tried using the new boxes on a cookies and cream cake I make, using the WASC method and the cake was awful. I am just glad it was for my neice. I'm switching to scratch, but I wonder how these companies can do this. When you go to their site, and even on the sides of the boxes they have recipes using their cake mix but using either the old box amount or using the old boxes ingredients~not the new ones.

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throwingsugar Posted 27 Jul 2012 , 3:14pm
post #69 of 84

you can not just add the 3 oz back into it, they have changed the formula of the mix inside that box, the cake is not coming out right at all! To may air holes, to thick, and a bad after taste! Call the company and complain they need to hear for all of us so we can get the good pillsbury we all grew up with back! I can not serve this crap to my customers, I am sitting here looking at 10 layers of cake that is falling apart and tastes aweful! Not sure what I will be doing for my client tomorrow I am just sitting here in tears! icon_cry.gif

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mbowers Posted 28 Jul 2012 , 10:39pm
post #70 of 84

I bake my stuff from scratch so I can't really relate to all these issues.. I agree with another poster... everyone switch to scratch baking. These large companies will eventually feel this loss in their bottom line (if everyone buys these mixes in the large quantities that are being mentioned on here).

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bakechef Posted 29 Jul 2012 , 9:30pm
post #71 of 84

Webstaurant store carries bulk mixes in 5lb. Bags they are not a brand that I've heard of, but the prices are good (shipping is high for just one item to a residence), but if you can ship to a business or order multiple items, the shipping seems more reasonable.

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/9601/ready-to-use-cake-mixes-and-cookie-mixes.html

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Danielle1218 Posted 2 Aug 2012 , 2:24pm
post #72 of 84

I am officially done with Pillsbury. As someone previously stated....you can't just add 3 oz to the mix because it is a different formula. I am sick of worrying if my cakes will come out or not....cupcakes are AWFUL with the new formula/size.

I don't know if any of you have an Aldi's around you....but I am using their cake mixes from now on. They sell a chocolate, yellow and white for 99cents a box AND it has pudding in the mix already. I have made 3 cakes this way so far (and I have 2 in the oven as I type this) and they come out great. I will note that the batter is a little thin when you put it in your pan, but it bakes up great. Maybe it feels thin to me since Pillsbury is now so thick.

If you have an Aldi's near you....give it a try.

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mbwcakes Posted 10 Aug 2012 , 12:27am
post #73 of 84

For those frustrated bakers out there thinking you may try the Pillsbury Plus White cake mix in bulk.... It was a waste of money and time for me!! I purchased a 25# bag from my supplier about a year ago thinking I would be saving money and not having to chase down the single boxes at the grocery stores.. Well it is not the same cake mix that "was" on the shelves. It only called for adding oil and water ... no egg or egg whites...
The cakes did not come out white... it was closer to a french vanilla cake. It did bake fine but was a hassle to simplify the formula to a 6quart mixer ... directions on bag are for commercial mixers.
If you don't mind the cake not being a white cake then you may want to try the bulk.
I also found out that the bulk cake mixes are not made by the same company that makes the single store box mixes. Smuckers company bought the store mixes and not the bulk side of the company...

I hope this info helps someone...

I myself am still a frustrated baker!!!

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Susie112562 Posted 11 Aug 2012 , 3:32pm
post #74 of 84

After using Pillsbury for years, once they changed the formula, my cakes started collapsing on the sides and had tunnels all through the cake...and did not taste good at all. Tried the Gold Medal mixes. After MANY batches of cake and cupcakes, my boss and I found a concoction we like: 3 cups mix, 1 stick of butter, 1 cup of water, 3 eggs, 1 box of pudding, 1 tsp. vanilla exract, and 1/8 tsp. of any of the following: caramel, coconut, rum, almond or hazlenut. I had to lower my baking temp to keep the crust from being too dense. The only problem I have is the middle sinks slightly as the cake cools. Still working on that.

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galliesway Posted 18 Aug 2012 , 10:24am
post #75 of 84

Country Kitchen SA carries mixes. has anyone tried the CK brand? They also have a 9lb in white, chocolate & yellow but unsure if it is also the CK brand.

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inspiredbymom Posted 25 Sep 2012 , 1:59pm
post #76 of 84

I hope this link works on here! I was sent this survey last night by Diane Rockwell, the Cake Lady. She has been invited to speak with the kind folks at Pillsbury in October about the problems with their new product. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, fill this out if you will. She is trying to get feedback from as many people as she can before she goes. This is a wonderful opportunity to be heard!


http://www.facebook.com/l/LAQGdCpkxAQHZqRbsjQsWWdRMf6pvR0dA0vNHHvHtmi9Zgg/https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.google.com%2Fspreadsheet%2Fviewform%3Fformkey%3DdEJ2Z3FSbDhTLVZUZFYwQXFpV29qNXc6MQ

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diannethecakelady Posted 26 Sep 2012 , 1:44am
post #77 of 84

Thanks so much Inspiredbymom! The FB link came up with a caution message for me... so I've posted a different link below. In response to a letter I sent regarding the newly reformulated cake mixes that were introduced in July, the Smuckers® company, owners of Pillsbury®, has responded and invited me to meet with their marketing and research and development teams in October. While the company knew that many bakeries buy their wholesale bulk cake mix for volume production work, they were surprised to learn that so many small home businesses and bakeries used the 18.25 oz. boxed cake mixes for their cakes. They assumed that grocery store sales reflected household consumers, and the outpouring of unhappy responses they received from business owners regarding the new product was unexpected. In an effort to give them a more accurate picture of how we use cake mixes in our cake decorating businesses, Id appreciate your feedback in the following questionnaire if youd like to participate. Feel free to sign your name or reply anonymously, and thanks so much for your response! Sincerely, Dianne Rockwell [email protected]

I've invited you to fill out the form Cake Mix Survey. To fill it out, visit:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dEJ2Z3FSbDhTLVZUZFYwQXFpV29qNXc6MQ

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inspiredbymom Posted 26 Sep 2012 , 1:48am
post #78 of 84

Best of luck Dianne! I am in your cheering section! I would be turning cartwheels, but I may break something at my age. icon_smile.gif

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jeanneinaz Posted 4 Mar 2013 , 11:08pm
post #79 of 84

It's not just cake mixes and ice cream that are shrinking, it is coffee, toilet paper, and the size of the eggs in the carton.  These are just the things that I have noticed.  I'm sure that there are more.  I believe that we need to boycott these large companies and utilize as much as we can the small business person that our wonderful country was built on.  My belief is that these huge conglomerates are killing us financially and other ways too and we just sit back and let them.  My motto is "support your neighbor and not the big box stores".  We have the power because we have the money that they need.  Boycott these people and let them know what you want.  

 

I just made a yellow butter cake and it just does not taste right.  The batter was very thick and my mixer had a hard time beating it.  Whatever they are putting in these new mixes can't be good for us!  I agree - I am going back to basics and baking from scratch.  I started doing this about a year ago for frosting and it is amazing how much better it tastes!  

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shanter Posted 5 Mar 2013 , 1:56am
post #80 of 84

Were there any results from the Pillsbury meeting in October 2012?

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Kathy107 Posted 5 Mar 2013 , 9:48pm
post #81 of 84

Everything is in a smaller amount now but you are still paying the price it was at the larger size.  More examples:  candy, cereal, cookies, chips.  I would rather pay more money for a full size product.

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peppercorns Posted 8 Mar 2013 , 6:49am
post #82 of 84

I am confused, if I order a special cake for any special day, I would expect the cake to be baked from scratch, since when did  scratch baking changed to cake box baking? icon_surprised.gif I must have been living under a rock, will someone explain this to me?icon_confused.gif Please........

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fearlessbaker Posted 8 Mar 2013 , 7:26am
post #83 of 84

I only buy two  flavors devils food and lemon. So I think I am just going to get a large airtight canister for each and dump the mixes in those and weigh out what t need. 

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mercycake Posted 6 Jan 2014 , 1:14pm
post #84 of 84

I think the disingenuous side of the change, is two-fold:  1)  Nowhere on the smaller boxes is there any statement mentioning the reduction in mix size.  It simply gives the 15.25 oz. at the bottom of the box, in hopes bakers just don't notice the change.  2)  The smaller, 15.25 oz. boxes still tout 24 cupcakes, filled 2/3 full.  With 3 oz. less mix and 1/4 cup less liquid, who are they fooling?  This is very deceptive and should not be tolerated by consumers.  It may seem like a small matter, but take this deception and apply it to the many other practices in the food industry.  If no one is watching out for the consumers here, we will certainly begin to get shoddy products of all kinds, with all types of lies attached to them.  Today it's lying about the number of cupcakes one gets from their cake mix.  Tomorrow it will be inferior ingredients, with the claim of all sorts of quality.  It's a slippery slope and needs to stop now!

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