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Special Edition: Cake Mixes
This is a special issue of “FCLO”, devoted to chocolate
cake mixes. What’s this? The woman who constantly advocates
making everything from scratch is working with cake mixes? Well,
I’m not unsympathetic to the time crunches in which almost
all of us find ourselves these days. If it isn’t extra hours
at your job, it’s soccer practice for the kids or getting
the cat to the vet or trying to find time for your significant other
(or yourself). Cake mixes are usually quick, easy, and convenient;
in some cases, they’re less expensive than baking your own
cake, too. My objections to them involve the use of ingredients
that you don’t need to be consuming (ranging from trans fats
to propylene glycol), and the fact that, in the past, I hadn’t
thought any of them tasted very good. But I decided to start from
the proverbial Square One here. I bought a box or package of every
kind of chocolate cake mix I could reasonably obtain (there weren’t
as many as I’d thought there would be). If a chocolate frosting
mix was sold with the cake mix, I bought that, too; otherwise, I
used a canned, ready-to-spread frosting of the same brand as the
cake mix (in one case, the only frosting mix available with the
brand of cake mix was a vanilla frosting mix, so I used that). All
of the mixes were prepared according to package directions, using
my KitchenAid stand mixer fitted with a paddle beater. I used the
same brand of eggs (graded “large”) for all of the mixes.
Where oil was called for, I used one brand of corn oil; where butter
was required, I used one brand of butter. Similarly, I used one
brand of whole milk where milk was required; any water used was
tap water. All of the mixes were baked in a doubled foil pan (I
won’t use a single foil pan to bake a cake, as they simply
don’t bake well); each pan was of the same brand and measured
12-3/4 by 9 by 1-27/32 inches (the label states they can be used
for 13 by 9 recipes). Pans were rotated 180 degrees in the oven
every 10 minutes while baking. After recording my reactions to all
of the mixes, I then set out to make up one of my own.
One statement to which you’ll see numerous references is
“contains ingredients people don’t need to consume”.
Just what does that mean, you ask, given that, strictly speaking,
nobody really needs to be eating chocolate cake? This is a reference
to ingredients, and it’s one of my biggest problems with any
type of convenience food. When I make a cake from scratch, I don’t
see a need to put in any preservatives or artificial flavors/colors.
I understand that the dry ingredients I’m using won’t
be boxed and held for who knows how long on a supermarket shelf,
and I know the manufacturers of these mixes cannot use ingredients
the FDA hasn’t approved. I also recognize that ingesting a
minute quantity of propylene glycol or polysorbate 60 probably won’t
harm you (although I’m not prepared to say what happens if
you continue to ingest these substances). But for how long are American
consumers going to continue to trade good taste and healthier foods
for convenience? Additionally, I am concerned about the presence
of “trans fats” (the partially hydrogenated oils) found
in so many of these products. As I was writing this edition, the
FDA finally issued an order that food manufacturers must list the
presence and quantity of trans fats on their food labels; too bad
the regulation won’t take effect until 2006. In any case,
there now appears to be overwhelming evidence that trans fats are
as artery-clogging as saturated fats. In addition, trans fats may
cause cells to be less responsive to the insulin manufactured by
your body. Occasional ingestion of a small quantity of trans fats
likely wouldn’t be an issue for most people, but too many
Americans have a steady diet of partially hydrogenated oils, which
are hidden in many kinds of foods.
Mixes are listed in the random order in which I prepared them. Following
each listing are my reactions. Please remember that these were my
experiences, and yours may be different. And, if you’ve never
considered making your own chocolate cake mix before, do give it
a try; I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
**Betty Crocker SuperMoist Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix and Rich
& Creamy Dark Chocolate Ready-to-Spread Frosting
(purchased at local market). Cake Mix: $1.19 (18.25 ounces), Frosting:
$1.59 (16 ounces). Fat used: oil.
*General description: a thin batter of a medium chocolate
color that rose nicely during baking. Cake baked within time frame
specified on package. Baked cake had a dark chocolate color with
an airy texture and a taste that was mildly chocolate but mostly
sweet. Frosting was a dark chocolate color; amount was adequate
for the top of a 13 by 9 cake but would be scant for a layer cake.
Frosting taste was mostly salty-sweet, with a bit of a metallic
aftertaste, but no chocolate flavor.
*What I Liked: cost, convenience.
*What I Disliked: both cake mix and frosting contain ingredients
people don’t need to consume, frosting had no chocolate flavor,
sodium level in cake was high, cake mix instructions not suitable
for mixer fitted with a paddle beater (instructions call for beating
all ingredients “on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly”.
Since I couldn’t do that with a stand mixer, I beat all ingredients
at low speed for 1 minute, stopping every 15 seconds to scrape down
the bowl and beater. This was insufficient; at the end of the beating
time, the batter still contained many large lumps. I whisked the
batter briskly for about 30 seconds; there were still many lumps,
but at least they were smaller. However, the cake baked up well).
**Kitchen Krafts Chocolate Cake Mix and Chocolate Buttrcreme
Icing
(1-888-241-3614 or www.kitchenkrafts.com). Cake Mix: $1.95 (16 ounces),
Icing: $8.95 (sold only in a 3.5 pound tub) (neither cost includes
shipping). Fat used: oil.
*General description: a thin chocolatey-colored batter
with many small lumps. Cake baked within time frame specified on
package. Baked cake was only 2/3 inch high; very low volume. A nice
velvety texture, without the airiness associated with most mixes.
Some chocolate flavor, but it was overridden by a mildly salty/acidic
taste. Icing very fluffy and a bit stiff; not as easy to spread
as some. Resembled chocolate vegetable shortening in appearance,
texture, and taste.
*What I Liked: velvety texture of cake.
*What I Disliked: icing sold only in 3.5 pound tub, must
remember to order cake mix and icing, both cake mix and icing contain
ingredients people don’t need to consume, salty/acidic taste
in baked cake, low volume of baked cake, taste and texture of icing.
**Pillsbury Moist Supreme Devil’s Food Cake Mix and Creamy
Supreme Chocolate Fudge Frosting (purchased at local market).
Cake Mix: $2.19 (18.25 ounces), Frosting: $1.99 (16 ounces). Fat
used: oil.
*General description: a smooth, medium-chocolate-colored
batter that had a lot of tiny, dark flecks in it (undissolved cocoa
powder, perhaps?). Flecks disappeared during baking. Cake baked
within time frame specified on package. Top surface of baked cake
had many small cracks. Cake had a mild but “fake” chocolate
flavor; primary tastes were salty and sweet. Airy texture common
to cakes made from mixes. Frosting, though a chocolatey color, had
no chocolate flavor and tasted salty, sweet, and slightly metallic.
Adequate amount of frosting for top of a 13 by 9 cake, but it might
be scant for a layer cake.
*What I Liked: convenience.
*What I Disliked: both cake mix and frosting contain ingredients
people don’t need to consume, “fake” chocolate
flavor in cake, salty taste in cake, lack of chocolate flavor in
frosting, general flavor of frosting.
**King Arthur Flour Traditional Chocolate Cake Mix and Chocolate-Fudge
Icing Mix
(purchased from catalog by calling 1-800-777-4434, also at www.KingArthurFlour.com).
Cake Mix: $4.50 (22 ounces), Frosting Mix: $4.25 (17 ounces) (neither
cost includes shipping). Fat used: butter in cake mix, butter in
frosting mix.
*General description: a fluffy, rather thick batter (it
might be difficult for an older hand-held mixer to deal with) of
a good chocolatey color that filled the pan nicely when baked. Cake
baked within time frame specified on package. Baked cake had a moderately
chocolate flavor; icing had a mild-to-moderate chocolate flavor.
Frosting was fluffy, of a paler chocolate color than cake, and there
was a very generous amount of it.
*What I Liked: use of unbleached flour in the cake mix,
you add your own salt to the cake batter (this means you can adjust
the amount to your tastes), there are almost no ingredients to which
I can object (although I could do without the artificial chocolate
flavor in the icing mix), neither cake nor frosting were too sweet,
baked cake had a nice velvety texture without the airiness associated
with so many mixes, icing didn’t get too hard when cold.
*What I Disliked: both cake and icing mixes are expensive
and you must remember to order them, the recommended use of half
shortening and half butter in the icing (despite what the package
tells you, the icing spreads beautifully when made entirely with
butter, and I think the taste is much superior).
**Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Devil’s Food Cake Mix and Creamy
Home-Style Classic Chocolate Frosting
(purchased at local market). Cake Mix: $1.19 (18.25 ounces), Frosting:
$1.79 (16 ounces). Fat used: oil.
*General description: a medium-thick batter with many
small lumps that rose much higher in the center than on the edges
during baking. Baked cake a dark chocolate color with a mild chocolate
flavor. Airy texture common to cakes made from mixes. Frosting was
a slightly lighter shade of chocolate brown than the cake, with
an initial mild chocolate flavor and a salty, almost metallic, aftertaste.
Adequate amount of frosting for top of 13 by 9 cake, but might be
scant for a layer cake.
*What I Liked: cost, convenience.
*What I Disliked: both cake mix and frosting contain ingredients
people don’t need to consume, general flavor of frosting.
**Homespunn Originals Chocolate Dreams Cake Mix and Butter Cream
Frosting Mix (1-866-587-3427 or www.homespunnoriginals.net).
Cake Mix: $6.99 (38 ounces), Frosting Mix (Vanilla): $3.99 (10 ounces)
(neither cost includes shipping). Fat used: butter in cake mix,
butter in frosting mix.
*General description: a huge quantity of a rather thick,
fluffy batter of a light chocolate color that baked into a very
solid cake slightly above the edges of the pan. Batter problematic
for a hand-held electric mixer, something not specified in instructions.
Cake contained a couple of pecan pieces; could cause problems for
people with allergies. Cake mix instructions too vague. Package
stated that cake would require 30 to 35 minutes to bake; cake required
70 minutes. Heavy top crust on much of baked cake, probably due
to extended baking time. Baked cake tasted mostly of applesauce
(mix requires two cups of applesauce). Frosting mix contained pecan
pieces but this was not specified on website or via phone; could
cause problems for people with allergies and during mixing process.
Once pecan pieces had been sifted out, frosting mix yielded a very
generous amount of a cream cheese-butter vanilla frosting. Texture
of frosting a bit “loose”, but this was not a problem
for the top of a 13 by 9 cake. Frosting not too hard to cut well
even when cold.
*What I Liked: no artificial ingredients, taste of frosting.
*What I Disliked: both cake and frosting mixes are expensive,
you must remember to order them, vague instructions, excessive quantity
of batter, excessive baking time of cake, overly-solid texture of
cake, lack of chocolate flavor in cake, sloppiness of manufacturer
in allowing nut pieces into cake mix and not informing consumers
that frosting mix contains nuts.
**Dr. Oetker Simple Organics Chocolate Cake Mix and Chocolate
Icing Mix
(purchased at local market). Cake Mix: $2.69 (17.1 ounces),
Icing Mix: $2.69 (11.3 ounces). Fat used: oil in cake mix, butter
in frosting mix.
*General description: Both mixes use mostly organic ingredients.
Smooth batter of medium thickness. Package instructions specified
30 to 35 minute baking time for 13 by 9 inch pan; cake tested done
in 27 minutes. Bake cake sank moderately in a palm-sized patch halfway
between center and one short edge of pan. Baked cake a dark chocolate
color. Texture less airy than that of most cakes from mixes. Cake
of a mild yet dulled chocolate flavor. Icing mix instructions vague;
no beating time specified. After icing was beaten at high speed
for one minute, it was still slightly gritty and too thin to spread
neatly (not a problem for top of a 13 by 9 cake, but would be difficult
for a layer cake). Icing not as dark-colored as cake but still chocolatey-looking.
Initial sweet-chocolate taste of icing fades to salty/sour/strong
metallic aftertaste. Cake and icing seem mismatched; icing too sweet
for cake. Amount of icing adequate for top of 13 by 9 cake; might
be scant (and would be runny) for layer cake.
*What I Liked: use of many organic ingredients, lack
of preservatives and artificial ingredients, convenience.
*What I Disliked: flavor of cake, flavor of icing, vague
instructions on icing, icing texture, mismatch of cake and icing
flavors.
**ShopRite Deep Chocolate Cake Mix and Creamy Fudge Frosting
(purchased at local ShopRite). Cake Mix: $0.97 (18.25 ounces), Frosting:
$1.19 (16 ounces). Fat used: oil.
*General description: A medium-thick, mostly smooth, mud-colored
batter. Cake baked within time frame specified on package. Baked
cake a dark chocolate color with airy texture common to cakes made
from mixes. Very mild chocolate flavor with salty/slightly acidic
overtones. Frosting a very dark chocolate color. Mild chocolate
flavor, mostly tasted of sweetness. Amount of frosting adequate
for top of 13 by 9 cake; might be scant for layer cake.
*What I Liked: cost, convenience.
*What I Disliked: chocolate flavor too mild in both cake
and frosting, salty/acidic flavor notes in cake, frosting too sweet,
both cake and frosting contain ingredients people don’t need
to consume.
**My Chocolate Cake Mix
Tips: This contains no partially hydrogenated fats or preservatives
or artificial colors/flavors; it’s just a basic mix for a
basic chocolate cake. If you’re going to make this, I’d
suggest making up several batches of the mix at one time. Store
it in an airtight container (or a doubled airtight plastic bag)
in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator!) for up to two months.
I have used unbleached all-purpose flour; my assumption is that
it would work with bleached all-purpose flour, but since I never
have that in the house I haven’t tried it. You’ll need
unsweetened, Dutch process (also referred to as “alkalized”)
cocoa powder. I have used both Hershey’s and Droste successfully.
Make sure your baking powder is dated as far ahead as possible.
This cake can be made with either unsalted butter or a tasteless
vegetable oil (I used corn oil in my tests). For instructions with
oil, see Note. The baked cake will keep at room temperature for
a couple of days, if stored airtight; it also freezes. If you frost
the cake, you’ll need to store it in the fridge.
Approximate cost of dry ingredients: $1.50, about 23 ounces
of mix
Ingredients:
- 2-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, stirred before measuring
and spooned lightly into measuring cup
- 1-2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- Large pinch of salt
Method: Sift or strain all ingredients into large bowl.
With large spoon, blend well until of an even color. Carefully pour
or spoon into airtight storage container. Seal; store at cool, dry
room temperature for up to 2 months.
To make a cake, you’ll need:
- One package or container of cake mix
- 1-1/4 cups water
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (butter must be soft
but not melted)
- 3 eggs, graded “large”
- Optional (but good): 2 tsp. vanilla
Method:
Adjust rack to center of oven; preheat oven to 350 degrees F. This
can be made with a stand mixer or a powerful hand-held mixer; if
stand mixer is used, fit with paddle beater, if available.
Select and prepare pan(s). To use a doubled foil pan as described
above, simply place one empty pan inside another; pans need not
be greased. To use layer pans, choose pans either 8 OR 9 inches
in diameter, and at least 1-1/2 inches deep. Grease pans, line bottoms
with circles of wax paper cut to fit, grease paper, and dust entire
inside of pans lightly with flour, knocking out any excess. I usually
use solid vegetable shortening to grease my pans. Yes, this is partially
hydrogenated, but you’re using a very small quantity and I
use it almost exclusively for that purpose these days. You can substitute
additional butter to grease the pans if you wish.
Pour cake mix into a large bowl or large bowl of electric mixer.
Add remaining ingredients. Beat at lowest speed until dry ingredients
are moistened (if using a hand-held mixer, beat at a low speed).
Thoroughly scrape bowl and beater(s) with rubber spatula. Beat two
minutes at medium speed. Batter may appear slightly curdled, but
will bake up fine. Pour into prepared pan(s).
Bake in preheated oven for 27 to 35 minutes, turning pan(s) back-to-front
once about halfway during baking time (if using layer pans, switch
their positions in the oven as you do so). Cake is done when toothpick
inserted in center emerges with a few moist crumbs still clinging
to it. Do not overbake!
Remove pan(s) to cooling racks. For doubled foil oblong pan, allow
cake to cool completely before serving or frosting. For layer pans,
cool 10 to 15 minutes. Gently loosen cakes from edges of pan; invert
onto cooling racks. Carefully peel off wax paper circles from cake
bottoms; re-invert to cool right side up. Cool completely before
frosting.
Note: to make cake with oil, use a tasteless vegetable oil (such
as corn oil), and use only 1/2 cup (yes, 1/2 cup oil instead of
3/4 cup butter). Prepare cake as directed above with stand mixer,
hand-held mixer, or by hand using a whisk EXCEPT: after dry ingredients
are moistened and bowl beater(s) scraped, beat only one minute at
medium speed. Bake and cool as directed above.
**My Chocolate Frosting Mix
Tips: A simple, confectioners’ sugar frosting. Again,
you’ll need unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder. If there
is a trick to this, it lies in the beating. It’s important
to scrape the mixing bowl and beater(s) thoroughly and often as
you beat this frosting, as a darker mixture of cocoa and butter
likes to hide on the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Approximate cost of dry ingredients: $1.70, about 16 ounces
of mix
Ingredients:
- 3-1/2 cups unsifted confectioners’ sugar
- 2/3 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
- Few grains of salt
Method:
Sift or strain all ingredients into large bowl. With large spoon,
blend until of an even color. Carefully pour or spoon into airtight
storage container. Seal; store at cool, dry room temperature for
up to 2 months.
To make frosting, you’ll need:
- One package or container of frosting mix
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened (butter must be soft
but not melted)
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Method:
This can be made with a stand mixer or a powerful hand-held mixer;
if stand mixer is used, fit with paddle beater, if available. Pour
frosting mix into a large bowl or large bowl of electric mixer.
Add remaining ingredients. Beat at lowest speed until dry ingredients
are moistened (if using a hand-held mixer, beat at a low speed).
Thoroughly scrape bowl and beater(s) with rubber spatula.
Beat at medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until fluffy and
well-blended (stop mixer a few times during beating process to scrape
bowl and beater(s)). Check consistency; if frosting is too stiff
to spread well, add a few more drops of warm water and beat again
until it’s incorporated. Use frosting immediately on thoroughly
cooled cake.
Store frosted cake airtight in refrigerator. To serve, use a large,
sharp knife to cut serving pieces. Allow to stand at room temperature,
loosely covered, 20 to 30 minutes before serving (cake and frosting
will both have a much fuller flavor if served with the chill off).
Each frosted cake will yield about 12 servings.
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