Cake Mix That Is Closest To Home Made

Decorating By Londonchic Updated 31 Jul 2013 , 12:05pm by mcaulir

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darkchocolate Posted 27 Jul 2013 , 7:47pm
post #31 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by remnant3333 

I always put cling wrap over the cut areas of my cake that has no frosting which helps them to stay moist and fresh.
 

 

Thank you for that suggestion.  My problem was with cupcakes though. 

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mcaulir Posted 27 Jul 2013 , 10:04pm
post #32 of 45

Cupcakes will go stale quicker - they're not really meant to last for 3 days.

 

Try a mudcake recipe for cupcakes, though. They stay fine for days.

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costumeczar Posted 27 Jul 2013 , 10:31pm
post #33 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by darkchocolate 

I love homemade cookies and don't care for the packaged versions.  On the other hand, in my experience a box mix (doctored-my preference) stays fresher tasting much longer than scratch cakes. 

They stay softer longer because they have propylene glycol in them, which is used in laxatives and antifreeze to keep things soft and lower the freezing temp.

 

As far as scratch cake goes, you have to have a balanced recipe, a good mixing technique and the right baking time to get a good result. I doubt that the best bakers in the world use cake mixes, too...A lot of the most well-known decorators do because they're not bakers, but if you went to a pastry competition and brought out the cake mix they'd throw you out after wetting themselves from laughing at you.

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BatterUpCake Posted 27 Jul 2013 , 10:56pm
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I'm really interested to start this pastry school. One of the students at the buffet said they purchased their puff pastry (she was culinary side of the house who dabbles in baking) others told me the chef's make it...still others say the students make it. This is their first year with students who are solely baking/pastry. Already signed my contract for $30K to see what it's all about. Actually that is not a bad price...

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darkchocolate Posted 27 Jul 2013 , 11:28pm
post #35 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcaulir 

Cupcakes will go stale quicker - they're not really meant to last for 3 days.

 

Try a mudcake recipe for cupcakes, though. They stay fine for days.

I have been thinking more about scratch cakes and I guess it is like when I tell my girls that my homemade bread is better eaten within 24 hours because there are no preservatives in it.

 

Do you have a link to a good mudcake recipe?  I have never had mudcake before.

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darkchocolate Posted 27 Jul 2013 , 11:32pm
post #36 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar 

They stay softer longer because they have propylene glycol in them, which is used in laxatives and antifreeze to keep things soft and lower the freezing temp.

 

As far as scratch cake goes, you have to have a balanced recipe, a good mixing technique and the right baking time to get a good result. I doubt that the best bakers in the world use cake mixes, too...A lot of the most well-known decorators do because they're not bakers, but if you went to a pastry competition and brought out the cake mix they'd throw you out after wetting themselves from laughing at you.

No preservatives also is why my homemade bread is better eaten freshly baked or at least within 24 hours.  I'm sure scratch cakes are similar.

 

In my experimenting, the recipe that stayed the freshest, the longest, had sour cream in it.  The other recipes were either butter or oil with milk.  I do know not to overbeat my batter because of the gluten. I also always check about 5 minutes early so I don't over bake.

 

I am considering using half oil and half butter in a recipe that we liked the flavor and texture, it just went dry too soon.  I also want to stir a little sour cream into my milk to see if that helps.

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costumeczar Posted 28 Jul 2013 , 12:00am
post #37 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by darkchocolate 

No preservatives also is why my homemade bread is better eaten freshly baked or at least within 24 hours.  I'm sure scratch cakes are similar.

 

In my experimenting, the recipe that stayed the freshest, the longest, had sour cream in it.  The other recipes were either butter or oil with milk.  I do know not to overbeat my batter because of the gluten. I also always check about 5 minutes early so I don't over bake.

 

I am considering using half oil and half butter in a recipe that we liked the flavor and texture, it just went dry too soon.  I also want to stir a little sour cream into my milk to see if that helps.

I wouldn't substitute oil for butter, but I think that I did have a recipe that I subbed out the milk for sour cream and that worked well. If you start messing around with the butter just remember that it's not 100% fat, it also has some water and milk solids, so you have to adjust for that. I think it's something like 80% fat and 15% water, so if you're multiplying it a lot you have to adjust the liquids to a certain extent.

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darkchocolate Posted 28 Jul 2013 , 12:06am
post #38 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar 

I wouldn't substitute oil for butter, but I think that I did have a recipe that I subbed out the milk for sour cream and that worked well. If you start messing around with the butter just remember that it's not 100% fat, it also has some water and milk solids, so you have to adjust for that. I think it's something like 80% fat and 15% water, so if you're multiplying it a lot you have to adjust the liquids to a certain extent.

You are right about the butter and oil.  In fact, I was just reading today about how you could interchange Crisco/vegetable shortening for butter because it is a solid fat but that wouldn't work for oil and butter because of the water content.  I guess I was remembering how some interchange oil for butter in cake mix recipes.

 

Thanks for the reminder.

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costumeczar Posted 28 Jul 2013 , 2:47am
post #39 of 45

A

Original message sent by darkchocolate

You are right about the butter and oil.  In fact, I was just reading today about how you could interchange Crisco/vegetable shortening for butter because it is a solid fat but that wouldn't work for oil and butter because of the water content.  I guess I was remembering how some interchange oil for butter in cake mix recipes.

Thanks for the reminder.

You still have to adjust the liquids if you use veg shortening instead of butter, but just slightly. It won't taste as good, either!

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darkchocolate Posted 28 Jul 2013 , 10:33am
post #40 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar 


You still have to adjust the liquids if you use veg shortening instead of butter, but just slightly. It won't taste as good, either!

Thank you for letting me know about adjusting as well with shortening and butter.  I agree that I like the taste of butter much better.

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sarahgale314 Posted 28 Jul 2013 , 1:46pm
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AHomemade cakes are hard to make - it took me a long time to figure out a recipe I liked. I highly recommend the Cake Bible by Rose Levy Berenbaum if you want to really learn about scratch baking. You must be sure to use the ingredients she recommends for best results - cake flour, good quality butter, real vanilla, cake strips on your pans, a calibrated oven, a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients, having them at the correct temperature.

Box mixes have chemical stabilizers, preservatives, and softeners that make them foolproof. Scratch baking takes work and practice, but you'll find that after you get a good recipe and start eating scratch cakes, you can then taste the chemicals in the box mix if you try to go back.

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darkchocolate Posted 28 Jul 2013 , 7:23pm
post #42 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by sarahgale314 

Homemade cakes are hard to make - it took me a long time to figure out a recipe I liked. I highly recommend the Cake Bible by Rose Levy Berenbaum if you want to really learn about scratch baking. You must be sure to use the ingredients she recommends for best results - cake flour, good quality butter, real vanilla, cake strips on your pans, a calibrated oven, a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients, having them at the correct temperature.

Box mixes have chemical stabilizers, preservatives, and softeners that make them foolproof. Scratch baking takes work and practice, but you'll find that after you get a good recipe and start eating scratch cakes, you can then taste the chemicals in the box mix if you try to go back.

 

Thank you for the book recommendation, I'll check into that book.

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mcaulir Posted 31 Jul 2013 , 4:42am
post #43 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by darkchocolate 

I have been thinking more about scratch cakes and I guess it is like when I tell my girls that my homemade bread is better eaten within 24 hours because there are no preservatives in it.

 

Do you have a link to a good mudcake recipe?  I have never had mudcake before.

http://www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/2006/07/chocolate-mud-cake-recipe.html

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darkchocolate Posted 31 Jul 2013 , 9:03am
post #44 of 45
Quote:

Thank you for sharing that link, I appreciate it.

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mcaulir Posted 31 Jul 2013 , 12:05pm
post #45 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by darkchocolate 

Thank you for sharing that link, I appreciate it.

No problems - if you google mud cake plus this site, there's a long thread with tips etc.

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