High Altitude Scratch Recipes

Baking By Marla505 Updated 15 Jun 2017 , 6:38pm by Senia0612

Marla505 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Marla505 Posted 4 Jul 2016 , 5:11pm
post #1 of 14

Hello Fellow Bakers!


I am on a search for some fabulous scratch high altitude recipes. In particular I am looking for a good Vanilla, WASC, Strawberry, Lemon and a Pink Champagne cake recipe. We are a small bakery that started out 12 years ago just using mixes. Now some cakes are still mixes that have been altered in some way and some are scratch. Our goal is to eventually be all scratch, but that is easier said than done at high altitude. We are a mile high, like Denver. Does anyone have some tried and true recipes that you would be so kind as to share? Has anyone found a cookbook specific to this issue? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you so very much!

smiley.png

13 replies
sugarbritches Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sugarbritches Posted 4 Aug 2016 , 3:31am
post #2 of 14

I am anxious for more replies!  I live in Utah and have such a problem finding high altitude recipes.  The ones I've somewhat perfected are:

Lemon - I follow the one with modifications listed below: http://www.rockrecipes.com/lemon-velvet-cake/

1. Reduce all purpose flour to 1 1/8 cups

2. Reduce baking powder to 1 1/4 teaspoons

3. Add one egg yolk

4. for purely taste reasons  I sub 1/3 cup oil for 1/3 cup of butter so I have  1/3 butter, 1/3 oil & 1/3 shortening

Pink Champagne - I tried about 5 recipes/variations of recipes last week and this one worked and didn't sink in the middle:

http://www.cakecentral.com/forum/t/382023/the-mimosa-cake

1.  reduced flour by 2 T

2. reduced baking powder by 1/2 teaspoon

3. personal preference - I used 3 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk

4.  added vanilla

I am testing strawberry cake recipes tonight for an order this weekend.  If one works I'll pass it along.  WASC - I use this version:  http://www.cakecentral.com/recipe/2322/white-almond-sour-cream-cake-wasc  but I use melted butter instead of oil and I use 6 whole eggs instead of egg whites.  I never have a problem with it sinking - it's always perfect.  OH and the original recipe calls for 18 oz box but they are now 15.25 oz so I always have a spare mix on hand that I weigh until I have the additional 5.5 oz mix.  Others have said it isn't necessary but I do anyway.

Dar917 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Dar917 Posted 4 Aug 2016 , 7:46am
post #3 of 14

I moved to Utah from Minnesota three years ago and I've made several cake recipes from scratch since I've been here. A general rule is to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe. I usually take out about 1/2 cup of the sugar called for (white sugar; if the recipe calls for both white and brown sugar I reduce the white sugar). I've had good luck with this method. I once read somewhere that you can reduce the sugar by up to half and it will still be fine. HTH!

@sugarbritches ‍ what part of Utah are you in?



sugarbritches Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sugarbritches Posted 4 Aug 2016 , 3:03pm
post #4 of 14

Hey fellow Utahn Dar917, I live in Draper.  Where do you live?

Dar917 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Dar917 Posted 4 Aug 2016 , 6:42pm
post #5 of 14

I'm in Taylorsville now.

Marla505 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Marla505 Posted 4 Aug 2016 , 7:18pm
post #6 of 14

Hey thanks for the info!  How did the strawberry cakes come out ?

sugarbritches Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sugarbritches Posted 4 Aug 2016 , 10:20pm
post #7 of 14

Dar917 that's awesome - we live close by!  Marla505 - I think I found one that works.  No sinking.  I resisted the jello strawberry cake recipes but ended up using part of it to get a good color.  Plain strawberry cakes are scab colored.  Eww.  So I followed Sweeetapolia's old strawberry cake recipe that she doesn't have on her site anymore but here's the link and my modifications below:

https://sites.google.com/site/sweetapolitaprintables/strawberry-layer-cake-with-whipped-strawberry-frosting

1.  First - I wanted a pale pink (for a wedding cake) not a hot pink Barbie cake so I only used a few tablespoons of the jello - just until I had a nice pale pink

2. subbed 1/2 cup of full fat coconut milk  - so 1/2 cup whole milk and 1/2 cup coconut milk - adds a really nice creamy taste

3. added  1/2 of a 3oz box of Jello strawberries and cream pudding mix to the dry ingredients

4.  added 1 teaspoon strawberry extract - high quality - Lorann double strength or Neilsen Massey

5.  added an additional 1/4 cup (1/2 cup total) fresh strawberry puree (literally pureed fresh strawberries - I'd have used frozen too if I didn't have fresh on hand).

*Note - several recipes suggested freeze dried strawberries - I was intrigued but didn't have them.  They said it adds a good natural strawberry flavor that can prob sub in place of jello.

sugarbritches Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sugarbritches Posted 4 Aug 2016 , 10:22pm
post #8 of 14

One more thing - I don't bake my cakes at 350 - I always do 325.  I find it makes them too dark for me.  That's just my personal preference.  Final thing - through trial and error I found 2 thinks affected the outcome of high altitude baking the most for me...too make levening and overbeating my eggs (finally figured that one out).

Marla505 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Marla505 Posted 9 Aug 2016 , 12:09am
post #9 of 14

Sugarbritches I am about to start making your recipes! grin.png Do you have an awesome high altitude vanilla cake recipe? I'll let you know how it goes! 

crnewbold Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
crnewbold Posted 9 Aug 2016 , 2:28am
post #10 of 14

Thank you sugarbritches for sharing.  I'm in Utah as well (West Jordan) and will be following this thread.

sugarbritches Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sugarbritches Posted 9 Aug 2016 , 5:28am
post #11 of 14

Great to have fellow Utahns on this site!  Marla505, no.  I haven't found a vanilla scratch recipe I like yet.  I still just use the Wasc recipe with the only changes.. nook almond extract, extra vanilla and butter instead of the oil.  I also just realized that on the strawberry cake changes..I forgot to list that I reduced the levening by 1/4 teaspoon.. Sorry.


Marla505 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Marla505 Posted 11 Aug 2016 , 5:55pm
post #12 of 14

I am just now trying your recipes Sugarbritches and I notice you do not make any of the usual high altitude adjustments like reducing sugar, increasing liquid and flour. May I ask why? 

sugarbritches Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sugarbritches Posted 11 Aug 2016 , 6:37pm
post #13 of 14

Awww! I looked at my revisions and put "reduced flour" instead on increased!  So sorry!  I add the egg yolk to give more liquid but haven't adjusted sugar.  I'll try that.  If you try any of my recipes and find modifications that work better let me know!! Thanks!

Senia0612 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Senia0612 Posted 15 Jun 2017 , 6:38pm
post #14 of 14

Thank you for the thread! There is tons of info being shared here! I have been on the search for a HA strawberry cake recipe and will be trying yours out sugarbritches ! If anyone is still looking for more HA recipes try http://www.hummingbirdhigh.com/p/series.html I have not had a cake fail me yet using her recipes. I live in Colorado @ 5,000 ft. Happy Baking to all!!

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%