Do you use ready made cake mixes?

[TastyReuben]

I'm no expert baker, but I don't think I've ever used a box cake mix. I'm intrigued though....all the cake mixes I've seen you have to add eggs, fat and water, so what exactly do you get in the box apart from flour, baking powder and flavourings?

You don’t have to cream the butter and sugar, which is a frequent downfall in from-scratch cakes (butter not soft enough or too soft).

Also, I think most box mixes use cake flour, so it saves from having to keep a specialty flour around (or making up a cheat version).

Having made both many times, I will say, regardless of the final results, box mixes come together much, much faster, and you don’t need the eggs to be room temp, you don’t need to weigh/measure things (minus water and oil), so it’s just faster, and not by a little bit (at least for me).

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

Yes, instructions on a box cake mix are easy, IF you read them

I've made this box cake mix recipe for about 40 years, but for some reason, ever since moving from Sea Level to 4000 ft and now over 5500 feet above sea level - ummm, had I read the instructions ... I'm suppose to add 2 tablespoons of flour and mix for only 2 minutes, not FOUR!
I've finally figured this all out in the past 4 years

 

[TastyReuben]

Yes, instructions on a box cake mix are easy, IF you read them
View attachment 91084
I've made this box cake mix recipe for about 40 years, but for some reason, ever since moving from Sea Level to 4000 ft and now over 5500 feet above sea level - ummm, had I read the instructions ... I'm suppose to add 2 tablespoons of flour and mix for only 2 minutes, not FOUR!
I've finally figured this all out in the past 4 years

I had a similar problem, ignoring for years the special instructions for dark pans!

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

There!
Now that's more like it.
I just tipped these cakes out of their pans and they came out just as they should.

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

Yes, instructions on a box cake mix are easy, IF you read them
View attachment 91084
I've made this box cake mix recipe for about 40 years, but for some reason, ever since moving from Sea Level to 4000 ft and now over 5500 feet above sea level - ummm, had I read the instructions ... I'm suppose to add 2 tablespoons of flour and mix for only 2 minutes, not FOUR!
I've finally figured this all out in the past 4 years

Took me 10 years to FINALLY figure out the issue ... mind you now, I went to private school for (14 years) - edit - oops, 13 years, I have a College degree and am a certified "elder" ... WTH!!!

 

[MrsDangermouse]

You don’t have to cream the butter and sugar, which is a frequent downfall in from-scratch cakes (butter not soft enough or too soft).

I guess that's why they a lot of them specify oil rather than butter (just been looking at the instructions on few on an online supermarket).

Also, I think most box mixes use cake flour, so it saves from having to keep a specialty flour around (or making up a cheat version).

I rarely use cake flour for cakes, I just use normal self raising flour. Unless cake flour is another of those things which is slightly different? Over here its an extra-fine self-raising flour, often with slightly less protein.

I think its pretty normal to find both plain and self-raising flours in most people's store cupboards, even for people who don't bake very often....or at least it was when I was growing up.

Having made both many times, I will say, regardless of the final results, box mixes come together much, much faster, and you don’t need the eggs to be room temp, you don’t need to weigh/measure things (minus water and oil), so it’s just faster, and not by a little bit (at least for me).

I don't keep my eggs in the fridge anyway (I know you need to in the US though), and my scales live on the worktop so

So I guess the box mixes are quicker, more convenient, and probably more reliable too.
I sometimes have a bit of a cake fail but I don't recall any spectacular failures.....if it doesn't quite work as planned then we just laugh about it and eat it anyway.

All this talk of cake makes me want to bake a cake now