If I Mix This Batter Tonight, Can I Bake The Cake Tomorrow

Decorating By Hollandy Updated 23 Jul 2010 , 4:13pm by Joyfull4444

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Hollandy Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 2:42pm
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I am working from a small home oven and need to bake 2 caked. Each cake takes 50-ish minutes to bake, so by time I get home, have dinner with my daughter, give her a bath, put her to bed and mix up the batter, I don't have the energy to wait for both cakes to bake. Can I mix up all of the batter and then use the second half tomorrow (so i don't have to make the mixing mess twice?) It's not a box cake, it's a vanilla butter cake.

39 replies
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kansaslaura Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 2:58pm
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I wouldn"t trust it. Instead what about having everything premeasured, sifted and ready to go? You could have all the eggs cracked in a container, the dry ingred. in a bowl combined and ready to add. HTH

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kansaslaura Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 3:00pm
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Adding... if it were all premeasured and ready to go you could mix it while dinner cooks and pop it in the oven and let it bake while you do all your other mommy chores.

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sweet-thing Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 3:04pm
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I wouldn't. I would be afraid that it wouldn't rise. If you decide to try it, let us know how it turns out.

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hollys_hobby Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 3:15pm
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I made a wedding cake last week and had to bake 4 18" half rounds and by the time the last pan went in the oven it had been about 2 hours since I had made the batter. The cake didn't rise and I had to make a new one. I was told after that, that the levening agents start to break down after about a half hour. So, I would do what Kansaslaura suggested and just have everything ready to go. HTH

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GHOST_USER_NAME Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 3:28pm
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I wouldn't either. I would just do what kansaslaura said, in the long run I think her way will work out better for you icon_smile.gif It will save time and money if you had to redo.. Off-topic sorry..but kansaslaura just wanted to let you know I love you avatar every time I see it I laugh icon_lol.gif ..It reminds me of my grandmother when I was little, I can laugh now icon_lol.gif then I just wanted to run

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Hollandy Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 6:19pm
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Thanks so much for your input ladies! I will just make the mess twice because the last thing I want to do is make a 3rd cake!

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DeeDelightful Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 6:31pm
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Pre-measuring for a wedding cake was the best thing i've ever done. I had all the dry ingredients for each recipe in separate ziploc bags. It was so quick and easy i felt like i was missing something...i was...missing the extra work and mess to clean up. Sometimes I do all my mommy chores first, then save the baking for when the kids are more settled down. I'm tired by then, but I know what I have to do and I am not so stressed out about trying to do it ALL.

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sweet_honesty Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 6:58pm
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Refrigeration will retard the action of the raising agent. If you do decide to mix the batter the day before then put it in the fridge.

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JulieMN Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 9:33pm
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Great info--thanks!

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kpry Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 9:43pm
post #11 of 40

I have made batter and put it in Tupperware overnight in the refrigerator with no problems. I just greased the pan measured out the batter and baked as usual. I used pound cake, I don't know if that makes a difference.

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leah_s Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 9:58pm
post #12 of 40

Are you guys serious? I do this ALL the time. I have batter in my fridge right now, and I only bake from scratch. It works fine. I'm not sure that there's a bakery anywhere that could survive without mixed up batter on hand.

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4realLaLa Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 10:04pm
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I wouldn't try it.

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GGFan Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 10:10pm
post #14 of 40

Leah, Do you need to let the batter come to room temp before put in the oven or you just put in the oven right away after you remove from the fridge? What oven temp should I use? Would it be the same if I freeze the batter? This is great tips. I would save so much money. I used to bake cupcake and end up throwing away anyway. Thank you icon_biggrin.gif

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sillywabbitz Posted 19 Jul 2010 , 10:32pm
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I remembered this post. It's one of my favorites. I want to try it some dayicon_smile.gif

https://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-6251758-.html

Other posts have said you can freeze and thaw and bake without issues but I think in most cases these are doctored box mixes. Not sure.

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hsmomma Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 1:41am
post #16 of 40

I do it quite frequently. Many times I make my recipes up the day before I want to bake them and put them in the cooler overnight. Then all I have to do is grease and flour pans and pour in the batter. Especially helpful when I have multiple wedding cakes due on the same day. Did it for one of my weddings and tastings last weekend...no problem as usual.

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leah_s Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 1:43am
post #17 of 40

Nah, I usually beat it a bit with a hand mixer just to stir it up some, throw it in the pan and bake as usual. No special handling needed.

Works just fine.

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4realLaLa Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 2:04am
post #18 of 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by sillywabbitz

I remembered this post. It's one of my favorites. I want to try it some dayicon_smile.gif

https://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-6251758-.html

Other posts have said you can freeze and thaw and bake without issues but I think in most cases these are doctored box mixes. Not sure.




I never would have guess that! I'm going to have to try that one day with scratch batter and see if it works. Thanks sillwabbitz.

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Loucinda Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 2:15am
post #19 of 40

I have a question for this - Leah maybe you can help?? I don't mean to be sarcastic here, I am being serious. I have heard over and over that there is an exact "science" to scratch baking....and if so, how can the scratch batter be mixed, refrigerated over night, and then re-mixed and used and it rise fine? I am not getting how that can work if the science part is so important in the scratch recipe making. Thank you for any insight into this, I really appreciate it. (I DO refrigerate dr'd mix batter, but NEVER attempted doing this with a scratch recipe for the above reasons)

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karinaleongto Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 2:33am
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i have even poured the batter into the the pans and left them out for a few hours before putting into the oven and they rise even more.

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tinygoose Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 4:08am
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How long can batter keep in the fridge? Couple of days?

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Jeep_girl816 Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 4:15am
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I try to use mine within 24hrs or I toss it, it might still be ok, I just don't want to take any chances.

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mamawrobin Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 5:14am
post #23 of 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by leah_s

Are you guys serious? I do this ALL the time. I have batter in my fridge right now, and I only bake from scratch. It works fine. I'm not sure that there's a bakery anywhere that could survive without mixed up batter on hand.




I agree. We do it all the time. When you mix up 50+ pounds of batter you usually don't bake it all in one day. The cakes bake up just the same. I've never noticed any difference in them.

Also have done this at home many times. I've mixed up batter and decided that I was too tired to stay up to bake. Kept it in the fridge overnight and baked it in the morning. Honestly it doesn't hurt a thing. thumbs_up.gif

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mamawrobin Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 5:17am
post #24 of 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by leah_s

Are you guys serious? I do this ALL the time. I have batter in my fridge right now, and I only bake from scratch. It works fine. I'm not sure that there's a bakery anywhere that could survive without mixed up batter on hand.




I agree. We do it all the time. When you mix up 50+ pounds of batter you usually don't bake it all in one day. The cakes bake up just the same. I've never noticed any difference in them.

Also have done this at home many times. I've mixed up batter and decided that I was too tired to stay up to bake. Kept it in the fridge overnight and baked it in the morning. Honestly it doesn't hurt a thing. thumbs_up.gif

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Rylan Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 6:35am
post #25 of 40

This depends on every recipe. There are some that wouldn't work and some that would work.

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Hollandy Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 7:07am
post #26 of 40

Thanks again ladies for your input, sillywabbitz that link was exactly what I needed to read!

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Loucinda Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 11:39am
post #27 of 40

momarobin - is the recipe you keep like that one that is from scratch or is it a boxed base one? I know it works perfectly (even freezing the box based batter) I am just really interested in how this works for the scratch recipes that don't have ANY boxed mix involved.

For those who use a scratch recipe over a few days....What would be the deciding factor (if it were a scratch recipe) that makes one recipe able to hold for a couple of days over another recipe? Does anyone know why or how this will work with the "science" of scratch baking?

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frankdiabetes Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 11:59am
post #28 of 40

The Whimsical Bakehouse cookbook says you can freeze the batter for their scratch chocolate chip pound cake in the pans and then bake later. If I had to guess, I would say the denser cakes are more amenable to keeping the batter rather than the lighter, airier cakes; pound cake batter would keep better than a chiffon batter? But that's only my guess.

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artscallion Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 12:13pm
post #29 of 40

The difference is whether the recipe uses baking soda or baking powder and whether it's single or double acting.

One begins producing leavening gases when it comes in contact with moisture. These batters cannot be held before baking. The other begins its process only when exposed to heat. So it can be held before baking. Double acting does a little of both. I'm having a senior moment as to which is which right now and I'm rushing off to work. But hopefully this will give you some ammo to google with.

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Loucinda Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 12:20pm
post #30 of 40

Thanks artscallion, I appreciate the input.

franks - I had thought of that too, but still wonder what the deciding factors are.

Leah - are the recipes you hold ones that are more of a pound cake texture or are they one that would be considered a lighter cake?

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