I have a kitchen aid mixer and why is it everytime I mix cakemix batter the batter has lumps as to say it not mixing throughly. This happens everytime I use my kitchen aid but not when I use the regular mixer. What is everyone else doing about this or will this effect the cake. I know someone has to know what I am talking about because it only happens when I use my kitchen aid mixer.

I never have problems with my KA. Are you using the paddle attachment?

Maybe it needs adjusting...

Well, I am not sure if this pertains to just KA mixers, or any, but I put the dry ingredients in first (whether cake mix, enhanced, or scratch), and use the whisk attachment to "sift" everything, then add the wet ingredients all at once, and stir on the lowest setting (using the paddle) for half a minute or so, scrape down the bowl, then mix for 1-2 minutes at two clicks past the slowest speed. Hope this might help...good luck! Tina

yes, When i finshing mixing the batter the batter has lumps . I using the ducan hines cake mix.

I always seem to have the same problem, tame. I remember reading in the instructions that the mixer is designed such that you don't have to scrape the sides, but I usually turn it on a low setting for long enough to get everything wet, then scrape and mix some more. But I still end up with lumps too. Maybe using the whisk attachment, as BJsGRL suggested, would make sense (but in my mind that's one more thing I have to clean when it's all said and done).

I always seem to have the same problem, tame. I remember reading in the instructions that the mixer is designed such that you don't have to scrape the sides, but I usually turn it on a low setting for long enough to get everything wet, then scrape and mix some more. But I still end up with lumps too. Maybe using the whisk attachment, as BJsGRL suggested, would make sense (but in my mind that's one more thing I have to clean when it's all said and done).


**computer froze up when I hit "submit" and then my post was duplicated - guess that should make me feel guilty about being on here at work??

I have two mixer and this does this on both of them. The batter is just not as smooth as is with the regular blender . I use to just mix my cake mix in the regular blender and mix my frosting in the kitchen aid. Yet now I need the bigger bowl the kitchen aid has.

Thanks Afolk



I know I was not going crazy.

I use a Sunbeam stand mixer when I mix up my DH or BC Cake mix and I have been getting little lumps in mine too. I went ahead and baked the cake anyway and it turned out Wonderful!

Connie

I have that problem too, sometimes. I have started use the whisk attachment and I use the lowest setting for about 20 seconds and move it to the next settng for 1 min 30 sec. My KA instructions say that it will not take as long to mix things as with a hand mixer, but that's not always true.

connieb


thats what i needed to know if the cake would be okay

if you never adjusted your mixer, you may need to slightly lower the beater/paddle/whisk attachment. Likely it isn't reaching all the way down to the bottom of your bowl. Check your instruction manual for directions.

I always mix in this order:
Beat (on medium high to high) butter until fluffy, scrape bowl.
Add sugar 1/4 C. at a time, scrape bowl occasionally.
Add eggs one at a time, scraping bowl occasionally.
Add flavoring (vanilla, etc.)
Beat on low:
Add dry ingredients (flour/baking powder, salt - already mixed together in a bowl), alternating with other liquid (buttermilk, water, milk, whatever), only until incorporated.

After all ingredients have been added, scrape bowl one last time and mix for another 15 seconds on low.

Never any lumps. I don't think a hand held could do as well as my KA.

jennie


So do you use the whisk all the way thru and not the paddle.

I've always used the whisk attachment when mixing a cake in my kitchen aid. I use the paddle attachment when making icing. I've never had a problem with lumps in the cake mixes.

Here is a tip for those of you who have KitchenAids. I learned this from a chef who posted on a culinary website who does this all the time.

If you want to use the wire whisk and get all the ingredients at the bottom, un-latch the wire whisk and let it drop all the way to the bottom of the bowl. It will still be on the metal pole/prong, but not locked on it as you normally would. Then just turn your KA on and it works perfectly, catching everything at the bottom.

This method works great for meringue type buttercreams where you are pouring in hot liquid, especially caramel, into eggs and some of it stays in the very bottom.

I really don't like to use my KA for mixing cake ingredients. I find the bowl essentially too large, unless I'm mixing up enough for one huge layer or multiple layers of the same flavor--and that seems to rarely be the case.

I still use a lowly hand mixer for my cakes--as a matter of fact I just bought a new one with elongated blades that allow me to do large amounts of batter. I like the fact that I can continually scrape down the bowl sides and rotate the bowl as I do it.

Just my .02
Rae

I have that same problem, so I normally stop the mixer and then scrape the bowl.

Another problem that I have been having is at the bottom I have like a grey film that is coming off the paddle.. Does anyone have that problem? Am I doing something wrong, or is something wrong with my paddle?

jmt



it just that this is doing this with both my kitchen aid mixers I just got the professional 600 and its still doing this. I have been doing a lot of cakes and just wanted to make sure the lumps where not still in the batter after it was done because the cakes are for someone and I can't test all of them . Now I love my Kitchen aid for mixing the icing it just that I am having problems with the batter. I will try the suggestion given

I have had this problem too. My husband bought me a Kitchen Aid for my birthday last year and I use it when he is around so I don't hurt his feelings, but I prefer my old hand mixer. I think it does a much better job on both cake mixes and buttercream icing.

butternut


I was going to just use the whisk also it just in the book it says to use the paddle. I will use the whisk- are you saying the batter turns out okay with the whisk.

I always put all liquid ingredients in first. Then when I start to mix, I mix for like 30 seconds, then turn off. Then scrape all sides & bottom, then let er rip!! Never have a problem!

tame - yep, the batter comes out very smooth, never any lumps. I really thought that I had read on my Kitchen Aid instructions to use the whisk when mixing a cake mix but now I'm second guessing myself. I'm going to go try to find my booklet. But yes, I've never had a bit of problem using the whisk on my cake batter. Good luck....
Margie

tame - alrighty, I stand corrected. I found my Kitchen Aid book. It says to use the flat beater for cakes and the Wire Whip for sponge cakes and angel food cakes. Therefore, I was told elsewhere to use the Wire Whip (whisk) on all cakes. I'm sure that it was someone on this forum. Sorry, I just don't recall. Anyway, you might want to try to use the whip and see what happens. This probably doesn't make much of a difference but I also sift my boxed cake mixes. I sift all of my dry ingredients first. The batter ALWAYS come out very smooth.

I do the dropping of the whisk thing. I have done it for years working in Restaurants and home. I was told that it can wreck the mixer and the whip. If you notice it is scraping the whip against the bowl and it can cause more wear on it. I find that adding my liquid to the bottom and then adding my dry I never have to scrape my bowl!

MaryAnn

mamas510 - are you putting the beater in the dishwasher? The reason I ask is that I didn't have that problem when I handwashed the beater. But after the first time putting it in the dishwasher I got this weird grey film on the paddle. So now I just handwash it.

As for the lumps, I either sift the cake mix first or put it in the bowl and use the whip to sift up the dry ingredients before I add any of the wet. Never had a problem, and wouldn't trade my KA for anything.

What kind of lumps are we talking about? I always use a hand mixer for cake batter and depending on the type of mix it is, I often have lumps. I get the most lumps when using a butter recipe. But, the cake has always come out fine. Maybe it's not meant to be totally smooth? The only time I have no lumps at all is when I've made scratch cakes and I imagine that's because the ones I make you add the dry ingredients a little at a time.

I use a hand mixer to make the cake batter. That way I can have icing mixing up in the KA at the same time.

I prefer the way the batter mixes up with the hand mixer and unlike the KA my hand mixer has 2 beaters... very important since I have 2 kids who each *need* to lick off a beater.