topic Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again in Kitchen

Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

adoreqvc — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 06:34:01 GMT

This has really irritated many people since we are all paying more for less, and our cakes are so much smaller.

Many cake flour companies have unfairly decreased the size of the cake flour product used, and I have already sent dissatisfied consumer letters to many brands.

I think the way they may finally go back to the original weight they used to originally offer is for consumers to sent them dissatisfaction letters so they are shamed into either reverting back to the original weight of their cake flour products, or loose many loyal customers, and passing this to family and friends helps for them to also send letters to various box cake flour brands.

Paying more for less of the cake mix is just so unfair, causes a smaller cake in cake pans and tube pans, and is definitely not a decent thing for any company to do to its loyal consumers.

In view of that I now make my own cake flours and the end result is absolutely more natural, flavorful, and delicious.

For those who do not wish to make their own cake flour for their cake recipes I have enclosed this link below which discusses how to add to the boxed product to get back the original weight of the past, which gave us fluffy delicious normal sized cakes we became accustomed to.

http://rosebakes.com/smaller-cake-mixes-how-to-adjust-recipe-recipes-fix/

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

divine — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 08:26:41 GMT

Thank you for the link. I just sent an email to Pillsbury. If enough of us email these companies maybe they'll return these mixes to their original size. One can hope.

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

adoreqvc — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 09:14:23 GMT

On 2/3/2015 Divine said:
Thank you for the link. I just sent an email to Pillsbury. If enough of us email these companies maybe they'll return these mixes to their original size. One can hope.

You are very welcome Divine.

Yes I agree.

I hope many people contact all the boxed cake mix manufacturer's and voice their disgust at being taken advantage of by the manufacturer's.

Making us pay more money for less cake flour mix is not a reputable honest tactic, and is highly offensive.

I also informed them if they continue they will loose many more of their loyal customers.

I told them making my own cake mix is so easy, no preservatives, no chemicals, no excessive salt, and home made cake flour is very all naturally delicious and tasty, since the home made cake flour is made fresh for each cake.

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

flickerbulb — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 09:25:25 GMT

I want to lose weight so that my pants will be loose.

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

adoreqvc — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 09:26:02 GMT

Here are some internet web site links to make your own home made cake flour if anyone desires, and there are quite a few links to choose from.

There are more but that holds my interest as well as all the extra tips listed always come in handy.

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Cake-Flour

(This one above has how to step by step video's).

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/kitchen-tip-how-to-easily-make-your-own-cake-flour-two-methods/

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/makeyourowningredients/r/Cake_Flour_Sub.htm

http://baking.about.com/od/bakingingredients/r/howtomakecakeflour.htm

http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2011/09/kitchen-tip-diy-homemade-cake-flour.html

http://addapinch.com/cooking/how-to-make-cake-flour/

I hope your homemade cakes are delicious, and being natural with no preservatives added chemicals and salt is so much more healthy.

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

echoscream — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 10:18:28 GMT

I have two of the Cake Doctor Cookbooks. A year or so ago, I found the answer for making up for the lack of cake mix, now found in cake mixes. You simply add 6 tablespoons of flour.
Just everyday flour - to any boxed mix that is in the 5.25 oz. category.

Because the Cake Doctor replaces some ingredients listed on the back of boxed mixes - adding 6 T. of flour isn't noticed - and the volume output looks the same to me.

I also contacted those cake mix companies and never heard anything back. I just figure, it is a man running that operation. I doubt that a woman would slack up on the amount of cake mix.

Well wishes for healthier baking with natural ingredients! Rosebakes.com had a rather complicated method for overcoming the lack of cake mix. Adding 6 T. of flour (per box) is much simpler.

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

Meezerpleezer — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 13:18:04 GMT

A year ago or so, when the cake mix companies decided to lower the amount of cake mix in each box, I was furious. I almost never make cake as printed on the box, but rather use it as an ingredient in other cake recipes. The change "ruined" all the tried and true dessert recipes that I had been using for years. I called and wrote each company.

One company actually answered the phone and I spoke with a woman. When I told her what their decision to lower the cake mix had done to me, she was unperturbed. She said that there should be no difference with rising and volume since the company had added other ingredients to make the cake rise more (I would suppose that means more baking powder). She said my cakes would be fluffier than ever (meaning more air instead of actual cake).

I told her that I HATE light and fluffy cakes which is totally true. I told her that the cake mix was an ingredient in a recipe and NOT the final product. She told me that I could buy 2 boxes and upsize to the 18.5 oz.--REALLY? No way!! She was indifferent and I was very irritated.

Like Echoscream, I learned to add 6T to a 15.25 oz package of cake mix and then make my doctored up cake mix recipes. For chocolate cakes, I had always keep a container of flour mixed with powdered chocolate to be used to flour the pans. Now, I just keep more on hand and add 6 T of the chocolate/flour to the cake mix.

I believe that Duncan Hines cake mixes were reduced a little less but cannot remember at the moment--16+ oz, instead of 15.25 oz like Betty Crocker or Pillsbury. I just worked up a formula for that since you don't need 6 T of flour. Now I keep the formula and the amounts that I need to add on an index card in my recipe box so I have it handy.

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

PamelaSue72 — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 13:34:05 GMT

I gave up. We didn't use cake mixes that much anyway, only if specifically called for (i.e. Snickerdoodle Cake, Honey Bun Cake, etc.). So I gave them up completely. If I have to add another part of a cake mix to the mix, it's not worth it. If I have to add flour or whatever to a cake mix to get it to work properly, it's not worth it. I can simply make my own cake using my own ingredients and not deal with the cake mix at all.

DH loves a Honey Bun Cake, so I simply make my own vanilla or yellow cake and do what needs to be done to that....add the sour cream and brown sugar....and take it from there. If he really wants a Snickerdoodle Cake, I make my yellow cake and add the extra ingredients to that. If I want a chocolate cake, the best recipe for a really delicious chocolate cake is Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake; IMO, it's better than any cake mix out there. Easy to make, too.

OTOH, the price of baking chocolate has remained the same, while the weight of baking chocolate has been cut in half. I used to buy 8 ounces of baking chocolate in a package. Now it's 4 ounces. So we're paying the price, no matter how you look at it.

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

gkelly — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 13:50:33 GMT

Thank you PamelaSue72 for your opinion about the chocolate cake! I "PINNED' it and won't be long before I give it a try.

I am like you, never have liked the box mixes (unless in a tight squeeze) and have always made my cakes from scratch..so much better! I wouldn't mind the adding 6 T. of flour but that link seems to be very complicated...lol. Just easier for me to do it from scratch, yes it costs a little more but the outcome outweighs the cost!

This "size down" is nothing new,(it has discussed many times on these boards), this has been going on for several years now (and not just with the cake mixes) and anyone that thinks..writing/emailing a company with their displeasure is, IMO, "barking up the wrong tree"! It's the way of the world and nothing is going to change that..it's all about the bottom $$.

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

PamelaSue72 — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 15:14:42 GMT

On 2/3/2015 gkelly5744 said:
Thank you PamelaSue72 for your opinion about the chocolate cake! I "PINNED' it and won't be long before I give it a try.

I am like you, never have liked the box mixes (unless in a tight squeeze) and have always made my cakes from scratch..so much better! I wouldn't mind the adding 6 T. of flour but that link seems to be very complicated...lol. Just easier for me to do it from scratch, yes it costs a little more but the outcome outweighs the cost!

This "size down" is nothing new,(it has discussed many times on these boards), this has been going on for several years now (and not just with the cake mixes) and anyone that thinks..writing/emailing a company with their displeasure is, IMO, "barking up the wrong tree"! It's the way of the world and nothing is going to change that..it's all about the bottom $$.

You're very welcome; it's a good cake. The recipe is on the back of the Hershey's cocoa can. There's also a recipe for Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Frosting, but I cannot vouch for that as I always frost a chocolate cake with whipped peanut butter frosting. That chocolate-peanut butter thing gets me every time!

I respectfully disagree with your opinion about writing the manufacturers. I do think that it pays to show them when we're frustrated about anything. Even if they don't respond (and chances are, they won't), at least they know. I realize it's about the money and profit. But consumers need to show their displeasure and their frustration when it's merited. And in this, it's very well merited. I'm not saying anything is going to change. But I still think it's important to let them know we are not happy.

Unfortunately, the only way to get any point across about anything is to stop buying the products. And I'll be the first to admit, that's difficult to do, whether it's a cake mix for other people or baking chocolate for me.

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

RespectLife — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 16:06:44 GMT

PamelaSue72...

Would you mind sharing sometime your recipes for the Honey Bun Cake, Snickerdoodle Cake and Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting?

I would be ever so grateful!!

I make dessert every other Saturday for our Church Group and I am in desperate need of some new ideas! And that frosting...I am dreaming about a whipped PB frosting!

TIA!!

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

PamelaSue72 — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 16:53:45 GMT

Sure....here you go. (I warn you, however, that the peanut butter frosting does call for shortening. I know how that goes over around here.)

Snickerdoodle Cake

Shortening to grease the pans
Flour for dusting the pans
1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) plain white cake mix
1 cup whole milk

8 Tbsp. (one stick) butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon (taste the batter, you might want more)

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans (or 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan).

Place cake mix, milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for one minute. Stop mixer and scrape down bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again, if needed. The batter should look well-combined. Divide the batter between the pans, smoothing it out with the spatula. Place the pans in the oven, side by side.

Bake the cakes until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 27 to 29 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each pan, then invert on the rack. Invert them again onto another rack so the cakes are right side up. Cool completely, 30 minutes more.

Prepare the Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting.

Place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with clean, smooth strokes.

Place the cake, uncovered, in the fridge, for 20 minutes until the frosting sets a bit. Cover the cake with waxed paper and store in the fridge for up to one week. Or freeze it, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the fridge before serving. Serves 16.

Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

8 Tbsp. (one stick) butter, at room temperature
3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted (I didn't use this much)
3-4 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (I used 2)

Place butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with a mixer on low speed until fluffy. Stop mahine and add confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, the vanilla, and the cinnamon. Blend on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, about 1 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy. Blend in up to 1 tablespoon milk, if the frosting seems too stiff. Use to frost the top and sides of the cake.

Honey Bun Cake

1 (18.25 oz.) pkg. yellow cake mix
3/4 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
8 oz. sour cream
1 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 c. confectioners' sugar
1/4 c. milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs, and sour cream. Stir by hand approximately 50 strokes, or until most large lumps are gone. Pour half of the batter into an ungreased 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the batter in the cake pan. Spoon the other half of the batter into the cake pan, covering the brown sugar and cinnamon. Swirl the cake with a knife until it looks like a honey bun.

Bake in the preheated over for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Spread frosting on the cake while it's still warm. Serve warm.

Yield: 24 servings.

Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting (I believe this is also called Red Velvet Peanut Butter Frosting, but I'm not sure why.)

For the Thickener:

1 cup milk

1/4 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Before you even bake the cake, cook the above ingredients together until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and place plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the mixture, pressing down right onto the mixture. This will prevent the formation of "skin". Let cool. Go ahead and bake the cake of your choice and cool.

For the Frosting:

1 stick butter or margarine

1/2 cup Crisco (not butter-flavored)

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

Blend butter, Crisco, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cooled thickener and the vanilla and beat well. Add the peanut butter and beat until fluffy.

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

LoriMI — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 16:56:06 GMT

I find Dunkin Hines has the highest rising cake mix. Pillsbury and Betty Crocker mixes have thin layers after baking.

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

KYToby — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 17:13:24 GMT

Cake flour and cake mix are two entirely different things. Neither the terms nor the products are interchangeable.

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

RespectLife — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 17:21:59 GMT

Thanks so very much Pamela Sue!

That sure is a different frosting recipe w/ the peanut butter than I have ever tried...but I have huge PB lovers in my family..and can just imagine how delish it would be w/ a chocolate cake.

Again...many thanks!!!!

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

Jolexi — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 17:28:24 GMT

On 2/3/2015 KYToby said:
Cake flour and cake mix are two entirely different things. Neither the terms nor the products are interchangeable.

Indeed. Not until the fourth paragraph did I realize the OP meant ready-prepped cake mix.

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

PamelaSue72 — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 17:42:02 GMT

On 2/3/2015 RespectLife said:
Thanks so very much Pamela Sue!

That sure is a different frosting recipe w/ the peanut butter than I have ever tried...but I have huge PB lovers in my family..and can just imagine how delish it would be w/ a chocolate cake.

Again...many thanks!!!!

You're very welcome! It is a decadent PB frosting! Oh, and I always use use a chunky peanut butter; then you get the peanuts, too. But if you use smooth, sprinkle a couple chopped peanuts over the top. Yum!

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

gkelly — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 17:44:33 GMT

On 2/3/2015 PamelaSue72 said:
On 2/3/2015 gkelly5744 said:
Thank you PamelaSue72 for your opinion about the chocolate cake! I "PINNED' it and won't be long before I give it a try.

I am like you, never have liked the box mixes (unless in a tight squeeze) and have always made my cakes from scratch..so much better! I wouldn't mind the adding 6 T. of flour but that link seems to be very complicated...lol. Just easier for me to do it from scratch, yes it costs a little more but the outcome outweighs the cost!

This "size down" is nothing new,(it has discussed many times on these boards), this has been going on for several years now (and not just with the cake mixes) and anyone that thinks..writing/emailing a company with their displeasure is, IMO, "barking up the wrong tree"! It's the way of the world and nothing is going to change that..it's all about the bottom $$.

You're very welcome; it's a good cake. The recipe is on the back of the Hershey's cocoa can. There's also a recipe for Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Frosting, but I cannot vouch for that as I always frost a chocolate cake with whipped peanut butter frosting. That chocolate-peanut butter thing gets me every time!

I respectfully disagree with your opinion about writing the manufacturers. I do think that it pays to show them when we're frustrated about anything. Even if they don't respond (and chances are, they won't), at least they know. I realize it's about the money and profit. But consumers need to show their displeasure and their frustration when it's merited. And in this, it's very well merited. I'm not saying anything is going to change. But I still think it's important to let them know we are not happy.

Unfortunately, the only way to get any point across about anything is to stop buying the products. And I'll be the first to admit, that's difficult to do, whether it's a cake mix for other people or baking chocolate for me.

I do agree with you that to stop buying a product(s) is the best way to get the companies attention! I guess that's what I was getting at in my other post, I guess if it makes a person feel better to email the company, go for it but like you said..stop buying is the very best way to show your displeasure!

I got a double bonus when you posted the Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting AND the recipes to your other cakes!!! there are going into my "to make" folder...I have no problems using shortening in my recipes! Thanks again!!

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

scotnovel — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 18:41:09 GMT

I agree that it is frustrating to purchase a product only to find that the one can or box is no longer the amount needed for a particular favorite recipe. However, contacting companies is not likely to result in any change. Those companies have likely spent tons of money reconfiguring their manufacturing process to produce the reduced product and they aren't going to go back. Also, while a lot of us remember the larger sizes, as time passes, a big part of their consumer base will not and will be quite happy with the new product size.

Re: Make your own cake flour or learn how to get the original size cake flour weight again

nc girl — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 19:56:59 GMT

I emailed both Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker over a year ago and received replies from both which were unsatisfactory to me. Basically, they said that there should be no difference in the finished result between the 15.25 oz. cake and the 18 oz. even though that was not my experience and that was what I was writing to them about to begin with. I am the desert maker in my large extended family and make many cakes using doctored up cake mixes. Last year I found some discontinued Duncan Hines mixes at Big Lots and bought as many as I could fit into my freezer. I used the last mix this weekend and am now in a dilemma about how to make my special cakes. I appreciate those of you who have offered up some suggestions about things to try. Isn't it crazy, though, that we would have to make these adjustments on our own???? Baking is an exact science and you'd think the manufacturers would "get" how this downsizing issue messes with our baking. Because of this, I would think that they would sell fewer and fewer cake mixes resulting in a loss on there bottom line. Crazy, huh?!!