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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
On Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:03:22 -0700 (PDT), Bryan
> wrote: >On Mar 14, 1:41*am, "Julie Bove" > wrote: >> Polly Esther wrote: >> > Open a box of cake mix and take a sniff. *There's a peculiar sweet >> > perfume - perhaps arsenic? >> >> It's called vanilla. > >More likely artificial vanilla flavor. So what... modern science makes it so no human can tell artifical from natural. |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
On Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:31:53 -0800, Mark Thorson >
wrote: >Bryan wrote: >> >> On Mar 14, 1:41 am, "Julie Bove" > wrote: >> > Polly Esther wrote: >> > > Open a box of cake mix and take a sniff. There's a peculiar sweet >> > > perfume - perhaps arsenic? >> > >> > It's called vanilla. >> >> More likely artificial vanilla flavor. > >Synthetic vanilla is the same molecule as the one >from vanilla beans. Absolutely true. |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
On Mar 14, 10:01*am, "Janet Bostwick" > wrote:
> "Jean B." *wrote in ... > > ISTR, that one can replace 2 Tbsps per cup of flour with > cornstarch to approximate cake flour? > > -- > Jean B. > Yes, in a pinch. > Janet My problem with cake flour - I buy a box, make one particular cake, then it sits around forever. I wish they'd package it in smaller amounts. |
Posted to rec.food.cooking,rec.food.baking
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
Kalmia > wrote:
>My problem with cake flour - I buy a box, make one particular cake, >then it sits around forever. I wish they'd package it in smaller >amounts. Do your local grocery stores have bulk food bins? Steve |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
On Mar 14, 7:32*pm, Dave Smith > wrote:
*I sometimes came home from work to find my teenage son > baking cookies. Is he married yet? |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
Kalmia wrote:
> > On Mar 14, 10:01 am, "Janet Bostwick" > wrote: > > "Jean B." wrote in ... > > > > ISTR, that one can replace 2 Tbsps per cup of flour with > > cornstarch to approximate cake flour? > > My problem with cake flour - I buy a box, make one particular cake, > then it sits around forever. I wish they'd package it in smaller > amounts. They do. It's called boxed cake mix. |
Posted to rec.food.cooking,rec.food.baking
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
Kalmia wrote:
> On Mar 14, 10:01 am, "Janet Bostwick" > wrote: >> "Jean B." wrote in ... >> >> ISTR, that one can replace 2 Tbsps per cup of flour with >> cornstarch to approximate cake flour? >> >> -- >> Jean B. >> Yes, in a pinch. >> Janet > > My problem with cake flour - I buy a box, make one particular cake, > then it sits around forever. I wish they'd package it in smaller > amounts. That's what used to happen to me. I didn't bake cakes very often. |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message ... > jmcquown wrote: >> >> "Mark Thorson" > wrote in message >> ... >> > This web site makes the bold claim that most home bakers >> > cannot make a cake from scratch better than from a boxed >> > cake mix. >> > >> > http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/cake.html >> > >> > His reasons are that the ingredients are better measured, >> > and they use ingredients that you can't get. >> > >> Who can't get the ingredients for cake? > > The author of the web page was referring to all those > ingredients like emulifiers with long scientific names > you see on ingredients lists. > >> > I think this will come as a surprise to many bakers, >> > that making a cake from a box mix gives a better result >> > than most bakers can achieve from scratch with butter, etc. >> >> Mark, I've always thought you were a bit paranoid. I have some perfectly > > I'm compiling a list of people who say that about me, > and now YOU'RE ON IT! Oohhh I bet she is really scared!!!!!!!!! -- -- https://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/ |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
On Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:11:24 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote: >On Mar 14, 10:01*am, "Janet Bostwick" > wrote: >> "Jean B." *wrote in ... >> >> ISTR, that one can replace 2 Tbsps per cup of flour with >> cornstarch to approximate cake flour? >> >> -- >> Jean B. >> Yes, in a pinch. >> Janet > >My problem with cake flour - I buy a box, make one particular cake, >then it sits around forever. I wish they'd package it in smaller >amounts. It comes in 2 lb boxes - at least that is how I buy it. Enough for about 2 cakes. If I open a box and use half, I tuck the rest in the freezer until the next cake. Boron |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
On Sun, 13 Mar 2011 19:46:10 -0700 in rec.food.cooking, Mort
> wrote, >David Harmon wrote: > >> On Sun, 13 Mar 2011 12:00:19 -0800 in rec.food.cooking, Mark Thorson >> > wrote, >>> His reasons are that the ingredients are better measured, >>> and they use ingredients that you can't get. >> >> It's not that people can't get cake flour, but why bother when they >> already have "all purpose"? > >Because AP has a higher gluten content and will >make a less tender crumb. Yeah, *we* all know that, which is why "all purpose" is in scare quotes. It's not really for all purposes, otherwise it would be the only kind. Not everybody who walks down the aisle at the grocery store knows that. But maybe they were going to buy the box mix anyway. |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
Julie Bove wrote:
> Kalmia wrote: >> On Mar 14, 10:01 am, "Janet Bostwick" > wrote: >>> "Jean B." wrote in ... >>> >>> ISTR, that one can replace 2 Tbsps per cup of flour with >>> cornstarch to approximate cake flour? >>> >>> -- >>> Jean B. >>> Yes, in a pinch. >>> Janet >> My problem with cake flour - I buy a box, make one particular cake, >> then it sits around forever. I wish they'd package it in smaller >> amounts. > > That's what used to happen to me. I didn't bake cakes very often. > > I freeze various flours. -- Jean B. |
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This web site makes the bold claim that most home bakers
cannot make a cake from scratch better than from a boxed cake mix. Wayne Schmidt's Best Tasting Cake Page His reasons are that the ingredients are better measured, and they use ingredients that you can't get. He also says that making certain changes |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
On Mar 13, 1:02*pm, "Janet" > wrote:
> Mark Thorson wrote: > > This web site makes the bold claim that most home bakers > > cannot make a cake from scratch better than from a boxed > > cake mix. > > >http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/cake.html > > > His reasons are that the ingredients are better measured, > > and they use ingredients that you can't get. > > > He also says that making certain changes to the recipe > > on the box results in even better cakes. *He cites a > > book, _The_Cake_Mix_Doctor_, which agrees with him and > > describes some of these methods. > > > Most of his page describes the experiments he did to > > verify the tips in that book, and to compare all of the > > boxed cake mixes he could get his hands on. *Most of > > the tips didn't pan out, but the modifications he > > developed worked very well. > > > I think this will come as a surprise to many bakers, > > that making a cake from a box mix gives a better result > > than most bakers can achieve from scratch with butter, etc. > > "MOST" bakers may be the key point. MOST people are lousy cooks in general. > That doesn't mean that a good cook cannot prepare a dish that outshines > something produced in a mediocre restaurant or a boxed mix. If people bake > cakes from scratch using lousy technique, ingredients, recipes, and > equipment, then indeed a box might be better, because it has been > contstructed to be more or less idiot-proof. > > I can assure you that I can bake a cake that is better than boxed mixes. I > use cake flour and superfine sugar, I use real butter, and I use the > excellent recipes and techniques found in The Cake Bible and some Maida > Heatter books. I measure precisely. I use good cake pans and magicake > strips. I am careful to remove the cake from the over when it is just done > rather than letting it sit for another 5 minutes to dry out. And so forth..- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - But you know what you're doing...I'll wager most people don't! |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
In article <09fd0272-42f3-4caf-ba56-8c56b2429044
@i39g2000prd.googlegroups.com>, says... > > On Mar 13, 1:02*pm, "Janet" > wrote: > > I can assure you that I can bake a cake that is better than boxed mixes. So can I. > But you know what you're doing...I'll wager most people don't! It's hardly rocket science! It's basic cookery skills, one of the first recipes and methods taugh to children here in school cookery. Janet. |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
"Ranée at Arabian Knits" > wrote in message ... > In article >, > "Julie Bove" > wrote: > >> I used to buy the chocolate layer cakes. I too liked them for their >> small >> size. I don't eat cake but I would take them to work for parties and >> things. We didn't have a lot of people in our office. If I were to bake >> a >> cake, it would be too much. > > Can you not halve the recipe? I don't bake cakes any more. Haven't for many years. I would suspect that any cake I would have made from scratch would probably have had to have half an egg in it if I halved the recipe. But most of my cakes were the boxed mix and in those days the boxed mixes in the stores made two layers. Yes, one could have halved it but it would have been a PITA I think. You'd have to either weigh or measure the mix out. |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
> > * Can you not halve the recipe?
> > I don't bake cakes any more. *Haven't for many years. *I would suspect that > any cake I would have made from scratch would probably have had to have half > an egg in it if I halved the recipe. *But most of my cakes were the boxed > mix and in those days the boxed mixes in the stores made two layers. *Yes, > one could have halved it but it would have been a PITA I think. *You'd have > to either weigh or measure the mix out. Dividing the mix doesn't make sense to me. I will make the entire recipe and freeze the extra layer for use within the next month. A yellow cake layer is invaluable for a quick dessert. So easy to split the layer, add a filling and top with a ganache. |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
"Dave Smith" > wrote in message m... > > On 13/03/2011 4:05 PM, Boron Elgar wrote: > >> As a market researcher of 35 years' experience, I say hooey to the >> broad conclusions. >> >> The major flaw is that most folks were raised on mix cakes - doctored >> or otherwise - and that sort of taste and texture is what gets >> established as the gold standard in the mind of these beholders. Same >> reason that McD's usually wins in French fry contests. > > > My mother usually made cakes from scratch, except for chocolate. She > figured that she would have had to pay extra for chocolate to flavour the > cake, so chocolate cake mixes were a bargain. > One of the best ones though I ever had was 1 I actually made from scratch for a birthday. Both the cake & frosting were made following some Hershey cocoa recipes. Does that make it a cocoa cake, chocolate, or what? Recipe said chocolate. It was rich, dense, moist. I'm not sure about the cost but taste.... yum. Every year now I give him the choice of the chocolate one or cheesecake. |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
"nobody but us chickens" > wrote > One of the best ones though I ever had was 1 I actually made from scratch > for a birthday. > Both the cake & frosting were made following some Hershey cocoa recipes. > Does that make it a cocoa cake, chocolate, or what? Recipe said chocolate. > It was rich, dense, moist. I'm not sure about the cost but taste.... yum. > Every year now I give him the choice of the chocolate one or cheesecake. > My wife makes that one too. Very good with a nice chocolate taste. She makes a butter cream icing for it. Since there are two of us, it is a bit much to eat while fresh so I take some to work where it is well received. Deep, Dark Chocolate Cake INGREDIENTS: 1 3/4 cup flour 2 cup sugar 3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa 1 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup boiling water Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients except boiling water; beat at medium speed for two minutes. Remove from mixer. Stir in boiling water. (batter will be thin) Pour into two greased and floured 9" or three 8" layer pans, or one 13 x 9. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35; minutes for layers, 35 to 40 min for 13 x 9. Cool 10 minutes on rack, remove from pans. SOURCE: Hershey Advertisment A moist rich chocolate cake for all chocolate lovers |
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Boxed Cake Mix Better Than From Scratch ???
"Ed Pawlowski" > ha scritto nel messaggio > Deep, Dark Chocolate Cake > > INGREDIENTS: > 1 3/4 cup flour > 2 cup sugar > > 3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa > > 1 1/2 tsp baking soda > 1 1/2 tsp baking powder > 1 tsp salt > > > 2 eggs > 1 cup milk > 1/2 cup vegetable oil > 2 tsp vanilla extract > 1 cup boiling water Now you've done it. Now I'm jonesing for that cake and I'm on a low carb diet. Devil! |
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