Is Duncan Hines The Best Cake Mix?
Decorating By thecupcakemom Updated 18 Oct 2014 , 12:31pm by vldutoit
I'd suggest trying several different brands until you find what you like, it's all a matter of personal taste. I can't get DH around here much and my husband can tell immediatly if I use Pilsbury so I use BC.
My mom will use Pilsbury some but that's the only one she doctors, she has to because we all seem to have a problem with getting that brand to come out of the pan in one piece.
I like both DH and Pillsbury, although I've gotten pretty darn good at making my own cakes from scratch.
I use Pillsbury! Love Pillsbury. Only problem is they don't carry a great variety at my grocery store. So if I need a flavor that is not carried I use DH. Have not had great results with BC. I also am an avid fan of "The Cake Doctor" book series. There is a mean Bridal White cake recipe and a wonderful Red Velvet cake that my customers always compare as better then a well known (expensive) bakery in the area.
There's my two cents
Well, here's my dirty little secret...I use the Great Value Brand from Walmart! I also use Great Value shortening and sugar for my icing. All I do to my white cake is add whole eggs instead of whites, and some extra oil. It holds up well (I've even carved it), freezes well, and is really moist.
This is what's funny, though...Two other friends and I were discussing cakes, and the friend who had just tasted my cake said, "Wow! Is this from scratch?" And before I could say anything, the OTHER friend said, "Yes it is! Isn't it GOOD?"
I just had to giggle. It's always delicious when YOU aren't the one who had to bake it, I guess!
I prefer DH and BC in that order. Pillsbury makes a smaller cake in my opinion. I also doctor the cake mix.
This question finds it way back every few weeks. It's a great debate. Adding my two cents it's DH all the way.
Well I have flipped and flopped and tried and what I have found is that I like the moistness of Pilsbury but stability of DH. So, for a while now I have been doing two Pilsbury to one DH (since my mixer holds 3 mixes). It's been working great for me. Now I use 11 egg whites, 3 3/4 cups water, and 1 cup oil with that, which makes more oil than the DH calls for, but once again, it's what works for me. I think everyone has their preference and I'm starting to believe that depending on where you live you probably get different results from different mixes. Because of temperature, humidity, ect.
Thanks Janette...every now and then that little light goes off and I actually impress myself....
I like certain flavors from each one. IMHO DH lemon supreme is nasty, but I love their Strawberry and French Vanilla. Cherry Chip from BC is great! I add 1T meringue powder to my mixes, sift the mix, and use milk instead of water. That's all the doctoring I do!
Hey StaceyC3 - my "dirty little secret" is that I use Aldi's brand - it performs the best and tastes great. Also, I use Vegal? for my frosting - the price is only $3.39 for 42 oz. and it is nice and solid (high-density?) - way better than Crisco's old recipe. I get it at a local bake shop.
But, as has been said many times, it is all a matter of taste and personal preference.
Hey, it's cake - that makes it all good to me!!
I mostly use BC and DH and then doctor them up. Can't recall the last time I've used Pillsbury.
Personally I don't like DH esxcept for their Red Velvet.
I use Betty Crocker.. very delicioous and moist. Their Milk Chocolate cake is awesome.
I add 1T Meringue Powder to my mixes, sift the mix, and use milk instead of water. That's all the doctoring I do!
What does the Meringue Powder do in the cake mix?
Thanks,
Christine
I only use DH Butter Recipe cake mix. I always get so many positive comments about how moist and fluffy the cake is. It kind of melts in your mouth. I follow the box directions and mix it for the full 4 minutes. My cakes bake up nice and high. I am doing my first stacked cake so I will see how it works for that.
I add 1T to my mixes, sift the mix, and use milk instead of water. That's all the doctoring I do!
What does the do in the cake mix?
Thanks,
Christine
I wonder the same thing....
I have always used DH....don't seem to have a much luck with other brands as far as moistness and texture....I will sometimes add instant pudding, expecially in chocolate cakes..
I was wondering too what does the Merinque Power do to the cake....
I
I add 1T to my mixes, sift the mix, and use milk instead of water. That's all the doctoring I do!
What does the do in the cake mix?
Thanks,
Christine
I wonder the same thing....
Meringue powder is powdered egg whites with stablizers which causes the cake to have volume without the extra richness an egg would add. I personally use 2 TBSP powdered egg whites per box mix which does the same thing and doesn't add the (in my opinion) weird aftertaste that meringue powder can add. Basically they both do the same thing though, add volume. Hope that helps some!
That's why some people prefer DH - there is no pudding in the mix, so you can add a box of pudding mix. BC already has pudding in it! Double pudding doesn't work!
I use dh most of the time and bc every now and then both work good and you can always add your things to it to enhance the taste.I do scratch cakes sometimes I mainly do box cakes once you doctor it up you can't really tell the difference
Whatever the local grocery store sells.
I still miss that box of white mix that all you had to add was water and beat. Got lot's of practice cakes from those boxes.
I have always used Duncan Hines but I am so mad at them right now! For the last month or so my cakes have been flat and hard and slumped away from the pan after they come out of the oven. I have been frantically troubleshooting - checking my oven, mixing more, mixing less, using different pan, etc. Then I found out the French Vanilla I usually use is a smaller package size - 16.5 oz. instead of 18.25 oz. NO change to the box size or the packaging to indicate I was getting something different than what I normally use. Once I added 1/3 cup of flour to my regular doctored recipe (8 oz. cream cheese, 2 eggs, 1/4 oil, 1 cup water) it came out great. Finally! I know the other brands had already reduced the amount in their mixes and the classic line of Duncan Hines got smaller a while back but the Signature line (which costs more per box) was still the bigger size. So underhanded!
AI use the DH almost exclusively, and they always turn out great. Love the French Vanilla and Swiss Chocolate the best, however, only a few stores sell the Swiss Chocolate. Don't know why it's so hard to get, but it's the best, and I ALWAYS get compliments on it, especially when I ice it with chocolate ganache and buttercream.
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