Smaller Volume Cake Mixes

Decorating By steplite Updated 27 Sep 2012 , 8:20pm by tigerhawk83

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steplite Posted 24 Sep 2012 , 2:49am
post #1 of 18

How is everyone fairing with the new smaller cake mixes? I had noticed that the bag seemed lighter but really saw it when I made a sheet cake and got very thin layers. I had to do another mix and make three layers just to get the hight I wanted. I Think this is terrible. What about all the recipes that call for the 18.25 box? Does anyone know how much more mix to add to make up the difference? I'm really thinking about just going scratch all the way. How can they say the mix still makes a eight inch cake when they've reduced the ounces.

17 replies
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icer101 Posted 24 Sep 2012 , 3:26am
post #2 of 18

Hi, there is another thread on this and i will try to find it. This is exactly why i went to scratch cakes. and i love baking from scratch. It is fun. I will try to find the thread that tells how much more from another box to add to the smaller ones now.

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cakemaker2 Posted 24 Sep 2012 , 2:52pm
post #3 of 18

I saw the thread too, and it said to add 1/3 cup more mix to wasc cake recipes. HTH.

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WeezyS Posted 24 Sep 2012 , 3:57pm
post #4 of 18

Would adding the extra 1/3 cup mix apply to all the cake mixes? I've noticed that different brands reduced to different weights. For instance, DH weighs more than BC.

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icer101 Posted 24 Sep 2012 , 11:25pm
post #5 of 18

Kakeladi(c/cer) is a great person to talk about this. I can,t find the thread that she posted to on this topic. I hope she sees this one. You could p/m her. She is nice to answer.hth

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steplite Posted 25 Sep 2012 , 2:54am
post #6 of 18

Thanks Ladies. I kind of thought this subject has been addresed somewhere on the site. I haven't been on CC for a while and wasn't baking due to knee surgery. Now that i've started back, and was shocked at my small sheet cakes.

I wonder if the Cake Mix doctor will change some of her recipes in her book.
I am really tick'd about these small mixes. And they still say the new mixes make a 8 inch cake. I did two scatch cakes today. But I'll try the 1/3 cup . I always use the extender with DH mix.

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dawnybird Posted 25 Sep 2012 , 3:42am
post #7 of 18

I use Duncan Hines and I weighed out the amount it would take to bring the new mix back to the original 18.25 ozs and it was exactly 1/3 cup. I use extended cake mix recipes, not just WASC, and I just keep an extra mix on hand to get the additional 1/3 cup. It's a bit of a pain, but it works.

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happyascanbee Posted 25 Sep 2012 , 3:57am
post #8 of 18

Yes, we all noticed that. and YES, Duncan Hines is trying to rob us all.. Rip off and, swindle. I hope their business will close down in the near future.. icon_cool.gif

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WeezyS Posted 25 Sep 2012 , 4:46am
post #9 of 18

O.K......I just thought of something. If you add 1/3 cup more mix, do you have to add more water and oil?

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wildflowercakes Posted 25 Sep 2012 , 5:08am
post #10 of 18

Pillsbury went smaller as well. Not near the product it use to be. I do some scratch buy just can't get the same texture or full layers I get from a mix.

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dawnybird Posted 25 Sep 2012 , 1:11pm
post #11 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by WeezyS

O.K......I just thought of something. If you add 1/3 cup more mix, do you have to add more water and oil?




Yes, if you use just a cake mix, you'll have to put the original amount of oil and water. Google the original amounts if you don't have an old box to look at. Since I use the mix as just one ingredient in extended cake mix recipes, I just follow their amts. of liquids and eggs, etc.

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inspiredbymom Posted 25 Sep 2012 , 2:47pm
post #12 of 18

Keep in mind that these smaller boxes have been reformulated with different ingredients and you may not get the best results just adding the 1/3 cup from a new box. I do not like the taste of texture of the new Pillsbury and have been trying different mixes, DH signature, Hy Vee, Baker's Corner, Gold Meldal......on and on. Nothing compare to the old Pillsbury! Now, having said that, I just posted on another forum about an online survey from another baker Dianne Rockwell, that she is compiling to take to Pillsbury representatives in October. If you or know someone who uses their product (or in some cases, used to use their products before they changed) and would like to help her collect data to give to them, please click on the link and fill it out. It may be our only shot to have these businesses listen to us!

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

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steplite Posted 25 Sep 2012 , 10:29pm
post #13 of 18

Thanks DawnyBird. Yes this is a real Pain!

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travmand Posted 26 Sep 2012 , 1:25am
post #14 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by happyascanbee

Yes, we all noticed that. and YES, Duncan Hines is trying to rob us all.. Rip off and, swindle. I hope their business will close down in the near future.. icon_cool.gif




Wish we had a "like" button icon_smile.gif

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diannethecakelady Posted 26 Sep 2012 , 1:41am
post #15 of 18

Regarding the shrinking cake mixes, 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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DeniseNH Posted 26 Sep 2012 , 1:53am
post #16 of 18

I can vouch for Dianne. She's a member of our cake club in NH. Her letter to Pillsbury was passionate, succinct and included photos of her cake failures. No one was more surprised than Dianne when she was contacted by them to become part of a research team. Please help us all out by taking the quick survey. I did and if we can wow them with surveys - who knows they may even offer huge boxes of cake mix at WalMart for those of us who empty their shelves on a weekly basis (well, that's what I suggested anyway). Like the commercial says "Can you Hear me Now". With Dianne at the helm, .................they'll be hearing from a lot of us.

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diannethecakelady Posted 26 Sep 2012 , 2:06am
post #17 of 18

Denise, you're da best. Strength in numbers! icon_smile.gif

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tigerhawk83 Posted 27 Sep 2012 , 8:20pm
post #18 of 18

For what it's worth - if you live in the Midwest near a Hy-Vee grocery store - their store brand mixes are still 18.25 oz and right now are on sale for 99 cents. Don't know how long the bigger size will last - Aldi mixes have recently changed to the 16.5 oz size too.

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