topic Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal in Kitchen

Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

milkbone — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 17:39:00 GMT

I want to add raw oatmeal to my boxed cake mixes, to give more fiber to them. Maybe a cup or two.

How much extra water, oil, eggs do I need to add to the boxed ingredients intructions?

I am also thinking of adding carrots to them.

Maybe add raw raisins?

I guess I need to shred and carmelize the carrots first.

Best to spray PAM on the muffin pans?

Thanks

Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

RedTop — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 18:07:02 GMT

The idea as you have presented it sounds like a waste of a good cake mix.

My suggestion would be to make an Oatmeal Cake, and add your raisins and carrots to it. To make the oatmeal cake, pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over 1 cup quick oats, let cool. Mix 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup oil, and 2 eggs. Sift 1 1/2 cups self rising flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture and mix well. Add oatmeal, mix well. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan, bake @ 350 for 35-40 min.

If you add raisins, I suggest adding them in with the flour mixture to coat them, so they distribute more evenly in the cake. I would add the grated carrots to the sugar mixture.

Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

milkbone — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 19:37:52 GMT

Thank you for the Oatmeal cake, I will try it.

My local grocer has Betty Crocker Cake Mixes for 77 cents, I bought six boxes !

I am new to baking, I have been away from the oven too long !

I made my muffins according to the box.

I then added 1 cup of raw oatmeal, 1/2 cup of water.

I mainly wanted the texture to look the same

They came out great, five were quickly gone ..... LOL

I think next time, I will add the raisins, and maybe use part butter, part oil. Maybe shred the carrots to.

Maybe some brown sugar to.

This time I used 2/3 cup of oil, as per box.

Thanks again

I am getting back into cooking because of QVC, AND The Food Network !!!!

Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

milkbone — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 19:41:23 GMT

""If you add raisins, I suggest adding them in with the flour mixture to coat them, so they distribute more evenly in the cake. I would add the grated carrots to the sugar mixture.""

Great tips

thanks

Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

Kachina624 — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 23:28:59 GMT

You say next time you'll grate the carrots... What form were the in this time. No, you don't pre-cooked carrots. When you start adding ingredients, you upset the carefully formulated balance of solids/liquid, leavening, fat and binding ingredients. It's better to start from a scratch and forget using mixes.

Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

milkbone — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 23:58:41 GMT

I did not add any carrots to the first batch.

Thanks for the tip on not precooking the carrots.

milkbone

Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

sfnative — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 02:34:23 GMT

@milkbone

Baking is chemistry. It's best in the beginning to use a recipe close to what you want vice guessing at adding ingredients. It takes a deft hand and experienced baker to truly do that well and with confidence.

Please know that if you are adding 1-2 cups of your oatmeal, that's a lot and may provide you with a very dense product. For that reason, I would advise against using a cake mix from a box: difficult to stand up to that much oatmeal and raisins (plump your raisins before folding them in at the last minute.

Use the carrot cake recipe to create muffins. It is a hearty cake.

Carrot Cake

Cake

3 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

1 lb carrots, grated finely

2 sticks butter, softened

1 c brown sugar, packed

1 c cane sugar

4 eggs, room temp

2 Tbs grated lemon peel

2 Tbs grated orange peel

2 Tbs lemon juice

2 Tbs orange juice

1 c coarsely chopped walnuts

1 c raisins, plumped

Optional Glaze:

Simple Cream-Cheese Glaze

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 Tbs lemon juice

1 tsp grated lemon peel

1-1/2 c powdered sugar

½ c coarsely chopped walnuts

(This is not the original frosting I used on my bakery cakes, but is much easier to make.)

Lightly grease & flour a 10x4 tube pan or 9x13 pan. Sift flour with baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside. Wash and pare carrots; finely grate. Should measure about 4 cups. Put grated carrots in a bowl and cover with Plastic wrap. Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl of mixer, at high speed beat butter and brown and regular sugars, scrapping sides as needed, until light and fluffy-about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition, until smooth and light.

In measuring cup, combine lemon and orange peels and juices. At low speed, beat flour mixture (in 4ths), alternately with lemon-orange mixture (in 3rds), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until smooth-about 1 minute.

With a wooden spoon, stir in grated carrot, nuts and raisins; mix well. Turn into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 60 minutes in middle of oven or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Cool on rack 20 minutes to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, make cream-cheese glaze. In medium bowl, combine cream cheese, lemon juice, lemon peel and powdered sugar. With mixer at medium speed, beat mixture until smooth. Set aside.

Gently loosen edge of cake with a spatula. Turn out of pan onto rack. Spread glaze over top of the warm cake, letting it run down the sides of the cake. Carefully remove cake to a cake platter or plate. Sprinkle chopped walnut around top edge of cake. Serves 12. Keeps well stored in a tightly covered cake tin.

Enjoy!

Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

milkbone — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 03:18:52 GMT

Looks good !

Thank you !

Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

ECBG — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 05:59:56 GMT

I taught Advanced Foods and the measurements are very precise in a cake mix because it is chemistry. Each ingredient has a specific function, it may be form, tenderness, moisture, and others. When you add something else, especially to "scratch" recipes you may throw the balance off and affect the product, in some cases, the cakes won't rise.

Mixes are more forgiving and come from company test kitchens and they expect people to use heaping measures and the like and they slightly allow for that to give you an acceptable product.

There are some differences that have been developed such as using mayonaise in place of eggs in some cakes oe using oil in place or shortening. You may want to google some of these things first.

Have fun!

Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

IamMrsG — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 06:22:43 GMT

@milkbone I presume at least some of those cake mixes are spice cake. Have you considered making an oatmeal struesel topping for your muffins? You could crumble together a little oatmeal, brown sugar and butter to sprinkle to the top of your muffins before baking.

It should not hurt to add either a few raisins or nuts to the batter, but, as already suggested, coat them first with some of the cake mix before adding them to the batter. The 'flour' coating on them will be caught onto by the batter, keeping them suspended instead of sinking to the bottom of the muffin cup.

Merry Christmas!

Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

Mominohio — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 13:49:16 GMT

You have received some really good tips here.

But I get a sense of some negative reaction to you experimenting.

While baking is a bit of an art, it really lends itself well to experimenting. And when your cake mixes are so inexpensive, if there is something you are wanting to try, that is the time to do so. All new recipes were once an 'experiment' into the unknown.

There is also a series of cookbooks called 'The Cake Doctor' with tons of recipes starting with a cake mix, then adding other things. Some really good and easy cakes and cookies come from these.

Best of luck, and have fun with it.

Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

YouGoGirl1 — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 19:27:03 GMT

Someone may have posted something about how to increase the new 15.25 oz cake mixes to 18.25 oz, like the older "models," but just in case, I thought I'd share. The person who created this mix swears it works to give more quantity of cake and is good! http://www.jillcataldo.com/cake_mix_upsizer_1525ounce_to_1825_ounce *I saw someone post once that the companies said they reformulated the mix, but I might have to try this with those recipes for using cake mixes!! Three-Ounce Cake Mix "Upsizer" Adapted from the Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book white and yellow cake recipes: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda Whisk all dry ingredients together and store in a clean mason jar. When you wish to increase a 15.25 ounce cake mix to 18.25 ounces, add three ounces of this mix (6 tablespoons) to your existing cake mix. Diamond Girly posted this awile back, it works great, I keep it in the freezer til I need it.

Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

milkbone — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 19:38:00 GMT

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Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

‎12-14-2015 08:49 AM

You have received some really good tips here.

But I get a sense of some negative reaction to you experimenting.

There is also a series of cookbooks called 'The Cake Doctor' with tons of recipes starting with a cake mix, then adding other things. Some really good and easy cakes and cookies come from these.

Best of luck, and have fun with it.

Thanks !!!!

I will look for the book.

Like I posted first time, the 77 cent cake mix promotion caught my eye to begin cooking.

I love the Food Networks Cupcake Wars type shows.

Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

Mothertrucker — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 23:53:00 GMT

I say, Experiment Away! That's how new recipes are developed..what have you got to lose? Time and 77 cents?! Go for it! That's how you learn!

Re: Baking newbie question, Cake Mix boxes, and ADDING oatmeal

milkbone — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 23:58:50 GMT

This is kinda what I am looking for:

Experiment -

Keep it simple for my 77 cent cake mix !

Cake Mix Carrot-Pumpkin Cookies

Prep Time10min
Total Time1hr20min
Servings32

Ingredients

1 box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ carrot cake mix 3/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 1 egg 1 container Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting 36 candy pumpkins

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease cookie sheets. In large bowl, mix cake mix, pumpkin, butter and egg; stir until well blended. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets.
Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until puffed and set in center. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
Frost cookies with cream cheese frosting. Press 1 candy pumpkin onto each cookie. Store covered.

Notes