Recipes

[sarahpanda]

Cooking cakes are not new to me...been doing it for 40+ years....but recently, when I buy a box cake mix, I've noticed that the cakes do not RISE as high as usual.  At first I thought I'd left something out when blending the eggs/oil/water...but after several more tries, THEY STILL ARE FLAT LOOKING.  Has anyone else noticed this???   Thanks.

[Nightowlz]

I noticed that quite a while back. Must be because the cake mix box size is smaller then it used to be. I also noticed less frosting in a can. Used to I did not need the whole can & now there's not enough. Have not made a cake in a long time. Only 2 of us & anything I make in a 13 x 9 pan gets dry before we can finish eating it.

[DoneTryin]

I haven't baked any kind of cake lately, so I can't address your specific question.  Here's a little trick I learned years ago to make my cakes a little higher & lighter.  I do this for both box & scratch cakes.  Separate the eggs & stir in the yolks into the batter.  In a separate bowl, whip the whites to soft peak stage, then gently fold them into the batter.  Whipping the whites puts more air into the mixture.  I can't guarantee you'll get the results you want, but you've got nothing to lose by trying.

[RedTop]

I don't have the same results from the BC cake mixes as I do with the DH brand.   No more BC mixes in this house.   

[BExplorer]

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@Nightowlz wrote:

I noticed that quite a while back. Must be because the cake mix box size is smaller then it used to be. I also noticed less frosting in a can. Used to I did not need the whole can & now there's not enough. Have not made a cake in a long time. Only 2 of us & anything I make in a 13 x 9 pan gets dry before we can finish eating it.

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I have the same issue in my house--cake doesn't get eaten quickly enough.  The last time I made a (frosted) cake, I froze half of it in a Tupperware unsure how it would turn out.  When I took it out of the freezer a month or so later, it was as good as if it had just been baked.  😊

[HerRoyaLioness]

There is less mix in them now and they don't fill up the pan like they used to.  I think pretty much all the brands have gone that way. You can try using a smaller pan next time.  I think they are almost 20% smaller than what they used to be. Same price of course.  I don't use them anymore.  Greed and stupidity on their part.

[FunkyHulaGirl]

I don't use cake mixes except when I make a recipe from Lizzie Early (awesome cupcakes) or The Cake Mix Doctor; both involve adding things that aren't in the regular instructions (sour cream, extracts, etc.).  I haven't had a problem, but if you're making the mix using the directions on the box, try adding 1 tsp. of baking powder.  I do that with mixes past the "best by" date and it works well.

[FunkyHulaGirl]

I don't use cake mixes except when I make a recipe from Lizzie Early (awesome cupcakes) or The Cake Mix Doctor; both involve adding things that aren't in the regular instructions (sour cream, extracts, etc.).  I haven't had a problem, but if you're making the mix using the directions on the box, try adding 1 tsp. of baking powder.  I do that with mixes past the "best by" date and it works well.

[NJgirl 1205]

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@Lannie wrote:

There is less mix in them now and they don't fill up the pan like they used to.  I think pretty much all the brands have gone that way. You can try using a smaller pan next time.  I think they are almost 20% smaller than what they used to be. Same price of course.  I don't use them anymore.  Greed and stupidity on their part.

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I noticed the same thing some years ago.  Don't use them anymore either and from scratch seems just as easy now and with better results.

[CountryMusicGal]

Does anyone have a really good recipe for a white or yellow cake made from a mix? I searched Cake Doctor but didn't see an old-fashioned white or yellow cake.  I have a recipe for a cranberry mousse filling I'd like to use with one.  TIA!