Is Using Doctored Cake Mixes More The Norm?

Decorating By meredith1851 Updated 29 May 2010 , 5:12pm by LindaF144a

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JohnnyCakes1966 Posted 25 May 2010 , 5:27pm
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I hope this question doesn't start anything - I'm always hesitant to get involved with this topic, but this one seems nice thumbs_up.gif - but....Does anyone know what the dried, hard bits are in box cake mixes? I usually bake from scratch, but have certainly tried box mixes since people on here rave about how they taste. I have to say, DuncanH makes a pretty darned good white cake and, to me, doesn't have the chemical taste that BC and Pills have.

Anyway...When I've sifted them (all brands), there are always little hard pieces left in the sifter. I assume they're supposed to be there, so I dump them in the bowl icon_confused.gif but I have no idea what they are. Maybe they're dehydrated bits of butter that melt during baking??

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Mama_Mias_Cakes Posted 25 May 2010 , 5:51pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnyCakes1966

I hope this question doesn't start anything - I'm always hesitant to get involved with this topic, but this one seems nice thumbs_up.gif - but....Does anyone know what the dried, hard bits are in box cake mixes? I usually bake from scratch, but have certainly tried box mixes since people on here rave about how they taste. I have to say, DuncanH makes a pretty darned good white cake and, to me, doesn't have the chemical taste that BC and Pills have.

Anyway...When I've sifted them (all brands), there are always little hard pieces left in the sifter. I assume they're supposed to be there, so I dump them in the bowl icon_confused.gif but I have no idea what they are. Maybe they're dehydrated bits of butter that melt during baking??




I love DH too. The others are either a funny texture or chemically tasting for me too. That is just my opinion. icon_smile.gif I never have noticed anything, but I don't sift either. I have to do some cakes this weekend, I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

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Bakersaurus Posted 25 May 2010 , 7:47pm
post #63 of 82

I do mixes all the way. First I have a full time job and making cakes is just a side thing for family and friends mostly ( Though lately it's starting to spread so I'm considering expanding to a real business! ) And so being that I only do cakes on the weekends or after work. Easier/Quicker is so much better!

Not only that but everyone raves about my cakes and how moist and awesome they are.. Why change it? If I baked from scratch it'd be more expensive, take more time, and wouldn't be as tasty ( unless I find a miracle recipe... so far I have not lol ). Truly love cake mixes.

Also I went to baking school and although we learned how to do the scratch cakes... even our teachers said you won't use 90% of this as most places use mixes now to save on costs and time etc..

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LindaF144a Posted 25 May 2010 , 8:12pm
post #64 of 82
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnyCakes1966

I hope this question doesn't start anything - I'm always hesitant to get involved with this topic, but this one seems nice thumbs_up.gif - but....Does anyone know what the dried, hard bits are in box cake mixes? I usually bake from scratch, but have certainly tried box mixes since people on here rave about how they taste. I have to say, DuncanH makes a pretty darned good white cake and, to me, doesn't have the chemical taste that BC and Pills have.

Anyway...When I've sifted them (all brands), there are always little hard pieces left in the sifter. I assume they're supposed to be there, so I dump them in the bowl icon_confused.gif but I have no idea what they are. Maybe they're dehydrated bits of butter that melt during baking??




I get those lumpy bits when I sift sugar and flour too. I think it is just from the process. I don't think it is what you find in the mix. I just dump them in too.

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JohnnyCakes1966 Posted 25 May 2010 , 8:27pm
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What I'm asking about is different than the lumps you find when sifting powdered sugar or flour. Those are just "balls" of sugar/flour that can be broken up and sifted through. What I'm talking about in the box mixes are very hard pieces that can't be pressed through the sifter.

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Minstrelmiss Posted 25 May 2010 , 8:29pm
post #66 of 82

Johnnycakes- me too! It's not flour or sugar or anything like that. It's HARD bits. I have even tried dissolving them to see if I can figure out what they are but they don't even dissolve! I only use DH so I can only speak for that mix.

Anyone have any ideas on what the hard bits are?

(After I couldn't dissolve them, I started tossing out whatever was left in the sifter...piece of mind...

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LindaF144a Posted 25 May 2010 , 8:37pm
post #67 of 82

Interesting. I'll have to sift my cake mixes then and I'll toss them too.

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Melissa_B_Cakes Posted 25 May 2010 , 8:38pm
post #68 of 82

I thought it was powered milk or something along those lines??

I remember using a strawberry cake mix (doctored cake recipe) and I saw the red hard chunks...I thought that was more like strawberry flavor 'crystals' (if you will) sorta like flavored 'pop rocks' ...I hope this makes sense lol I may just be rambling? icon_redface.gif

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Minstrelmiss Posted 25 May 2010 , 8:49pm
post #69 of 82

Powdered milk would dissolve....

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sweetreasures Posted 25 May 2010 , 8:51pm
post #70 of 82

I get those bits in Betty Crocker too. I toss them out as well.

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Shalott Posted 26 May 2010 , 7:23am
post #71 of 82

Earlier I posted this:

I generally make scratch cakes, but that's partially because I'm a hobbyist only and just make cakes for family and friends. I recently tried making a cake with an extender and I was personally quite disgusted with the strong boxed cake flavour I still tasted. I have a chocolate cake recipe I love to use, but am still searching for the perfect white cake.


But I thought I should add that some people did rave about the cake, so it's hard to know what people will like.

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sister340 Posted 29 May 2010 , 4:05am
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I can't find out what the Cake Doctor variations are. I've searched for it. Can someone let me know where to find something explaining it?
Thanks;
Jackie

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Loucinda Posted 29 May 2010 , 4:20am
post #73 of 82

They are recipes that are in a cookbook called the Cake Mix Doctor - it is a paperback, you can get it for about 10 dollars. It has some great recipes in it!

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sister340 Posted 29 May 2010 , 4:29am
post #74 of 82

Thank you!!

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chefjulie Posted 29 May 2010 , 4:58am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LindaF144



Last week I was in a little town in NJ - Somerville. There is a bakery I happened upon called The Dessert Plate. They advertise that everything is made using real flour, butter, sugar and eggs. At the time I thought it was making an obvious statement, but now I see why she advertises this. I had no idea there was a industry cake mix. I am truly learning a lot now that I have delved into this whole foodie thing.

Thanks for sharing.




When I make my WASC cakes, I'm also using real flour, sugar, eggs (sometimes I "cheat" and buy the egg whites in a carton icon_biggrin.gif), etc. Hell, I even use VERY high quality vanilla extract. Just because I use a mix, doesnt mean I'm not using "real" ingredients! Also, while I don't use straight box mix (hence the addition of the eggs, sugar, etc), I still wouldnt say the mix was using "fake" ingredients.

Basically, I'm saying that just because the sign says they use *real* ingredients DOESNT mean they're not also using a mix thumbs_up.gif

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CarolAnn Posted 29 May 2010 , 5:15am
post #76 of 82

I sift all my cake mixes. When it gets down to lumps I use a small whisk to break them up and throw out those tiny balls.

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indydebi Posted 29 May 2010 , 5:31am
post #77 of 82
Quote:
Originally Posted by chefjulie

Basically, I'm saying that just because the sign says they use *real* ingredients DOESNT mean they're not also using a mix thumbs_up.gif



My husband watches the Food Network way more than I do. I happened in there one day during a show about a small diner-type of operation where they were famous for their breakfasts and "everything is homemade!" they said, as they stood in front of some shelves that had a box of Aunt Jemima pancake mix sitting right there, front and center.

I burst out laughing and had to point it out to hubby!

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CarolAnn Posted 29 May 2010 , 5:42am
post #78 of 82

It's funny how many cake pics I see posted with all kinds of "stuff" around and behind it. My dh has laughed at me for clearing up to have a nice background for my cakes in pics. There have been a few cakes I didn't even take a pic of before delivering it because I was too pooped to clear up for pictures. In most cases I enjoy getting a gander into your homes. Thanks! LOL

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chefjulie Posted 29 May 2010 , 5:46am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CarolAnn

It's funny how many cake pics I see posted with all kinds of "stuff" around and behind it. My dh has laughed at me for clearing up to have a nice background for my cakes in pics. There have been a few cakes I didn't even take a pic of before delivering it because I was too pooped to clear up for pictures. In most cases I enjoy getting a gander into your homes. Thanks! LOL




I do the same thing!!! If I don't have the time to stage the photo, I don't even bother!!! I've had too many disappointing, distracting photos and every time I look back on them, all I see is the bad stuff that shouldnt be there, lol!

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JohnnyCakes1966 Posted 29 May 2010 , 7:29am
post #80 of 82

Debi, I was in New Orleans a few months ago and ate at a well-known restaurant. I had the best meal, so I asked the server to compliment the chef. Well, the chef came to our table to thank me.....blah blah...told him I bake...got invitation to the kitchen. I walk in and see boxes and boxes of Zatarain's rice mixes. (The very same thing they sell at the grocery store, except huge boxes.) He saw the look on my face and before I could say anything, he said, "Everyone here uses them as a base. Just look in the dumpster behind any restaurant. It tastes good, so why not? Besides, it's what we add to the mix that sets it apart."

Sound familiar? icon_lol.gificon_biggrin.gif

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indydebi Posted 29 May 2010 , 9:27am
post #81 of 82

johnnycakes, that is classic! icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

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LindaF144a Posted 29 May 2010 , 5:12pm
post #82 of 82
Quote:
Originally Posted by chefjulie

Quote:
Originally Posted by LindaF144



Last week I was in a little town in NJ - Somerville. There is a bakery I happened upon called The Dessert Plate. They advertise that everything is made using real flour, butter, sugar and eggs. At the time I thought it was making an obvious statement, but now I see why she advertises this. I had no idea there was a industry cake mix. I am truly learning a lot now that I have delved into this whole foodie thing.

Thanks for sharing.



When I make my WASC cakes, I'm also using real flour, sugar, eggs (sometimes I "cheat" and buy the egg whites in a carton icon_biggrin.gif), etc. Hell, I even use VERY high quality vanilla extract. Just because I use a mix, doesnt mean I'm not using "real" ingredients! Also, while I don't use straight box mix (hence the addition of the eggs, sugar, etc), I still wouldnt say the mix was using "fake" ingredients.

Basically, I'm saying that just because the sign says they use *real* ingredients DOESNT mean they're not also using a mix thumbs_up.gif




I'm assuming by your name here that you bake professionally. So she uses "real" or "natural" ingredients and you don't. It is no big deal. I used the wrong word in my haste to type out a message. I believe my point was made without having to hammer in on the word "real".

Hydrogenated shortening is a real food. So everybody uses "real" ingredients. And her brochure may have not used the word "real". It has been over a month since I was there. But hydrogenated shortening is not "natural". And that was the point of her statement. So I used the wrong word to describe what she was trying to market as a bakery. And more power to her for doing it too. I had a long discussion with the owner about getting back to baking from scratch. No she does not use a mix. They also do a baking contest once a year and all ingredients have to "natural" and made from scratch. Last year it was an 8 year old boy.

We can get this conversation to spiral down into a debate/argument about cake mix or not. Personally I don't care what others use, I just care about what I eat and what I use. If WASC works for you and your business, don't change it. You don't have to defend your choice to me. Nor does it belittle your expertise or make the other bakery business superior to yours. I was just making an observation. And seeing how there seems to be a lot of bakeries that bake with various different ingredients, I can see why she would use that as a marketing tool. It's like the commercial that says that Ginger Ale is made with real ginger.

If you don't like it, then write her, not rant off to me.

I will say that there is a local bakery here that uses a mix and I could tell the difference immediately between the two. I prefer to eat the natural ingredient cake over mix or doctored mix. So I'll make it myself or wait until the next time I can get to Somerville.

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