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Homemade Cake Mix – you will be surprised to see how easy it is to make a substitute for a boxed cake mix from scratch! You will also learn how to make Yellow, White, Chocolate, Spice, Orange and Lemon Cake using the mix.
Cake Mixes are pretty much standard on American market. In the rest of the world it is not so. Many people from all over the world are reading food blogs and find it difficult to follow recipes that use such products. That is why I’m posting a recipe for Homemade Cake Mix.
Also, some people decide not to use store-bought mixes because they contain “secret” ingredients which are not so healthy. To have more control over what you and your family are eating, it is best to make it yourself. Everyone can make a Cake Mix at home and save some money doing it, too. A large batch can be stored for up to a month in refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.
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Homemade Cake Mix
Author: Kitchen Nostalgia
Ingredients
10cupsall-purpose flour1280 g
6cupssugar1206 g
1 1/3tspsalt
5 1/2Tbspbaking powder
1cupbutter230 g, or vegetable shortening or margarine
Instructions
To make cake mix from scratch, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Put 2 cups of the flour mixture in a food processor together with shortening. Process until mixture is very fine.
Add remaining flour mixture and stir well. Divide into four equal portions (1 portion = about 4 cups). Store in covered jar in cool dry place. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Each portion of homemade cake mix (about 4 cups) will make two 8" cakes or one 13×9" cake.
Recipe Notes
To make substitute for just one 1 boxed mix use: 2 1/2 cups (320 g) all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cup (300 g) sugar 4 tsp baking powder 1/4 cup (60 g) butter or vegetable shortening or margarine 1/3 tsp salt
TO MAKE A CAKE:
YELLOW CAKE:
4 cups cake mix 3 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla 1/4 cup (57 g) butter, softened 1 cup milk optional: use 1 more egg yolk to make the cake extra moist; add some lemon juice or zest for flavor
Place mix into a 2 quart (2 liters) bowl. Make a well in center of mix. Add eggs, vanilla, butter and milk to the mixture.
Beat mixture 1 minute with electric mixer at low speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl to be sure all ingredients are mixed. Beat 2 minutes longer until batter is smooth and free of lumps.
Pour into pans and bake in a 350 F (175 C) oven for 20 – 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back up when pressed lightly in center.
Variations:
WHITE CAKE:
Instead of whole eggs use 4 medium egg whites.
SPICE CAKE:
Add to the mix for cake: 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves.
ORANGE CAKE:
Add 1 teaspoon orange zest to mix and use 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract instead of vanilla.
LEMON CAKE:
Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest to mix and use 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract instead of vanilla.
The secret ingredient to making a moist cake is sour cream! That's right. Similar to milk, adding ½ cup of sour cream packs flavor into your box cake mix. It may sound a little crazy, but for the best results, use a full-fat sour cream...
Usually, there are about four to six cups of cake batter in a boxed cake mix. In addition to that, there are typically four cups of batter in a package of Betty Crocker cake mix. Cake mixes are indeed convenient. Talk about making flavorful and moist desserts with ease.
Pure vanilla extract and pure almond extract are great options, but you could also try lemon extract or orange extract paired with fresh citrus zest. Although more expensive, vanilla bean paste or fresh vanilla beans will provide even richer flavor to a boxed mix.
To get an extra rich and moist cake, stir in two extra egg yolks along with the eggs the recipe calls for. Add sugar and flour to the dry mix. Add 1/4- 1 cup sugar and flour to your cake mix. Use coffee instead of water for chocolate cakes.
Adding something rich and creamy is perfect for adding moisture and rich flavor: Adding some sour cream, yogurt or even mayonnaise will add a more dense, rich flavor (as a side note, there was a very popular cake made in the 70's and the secret ingredient was mayonnaise!).
Boxed cake mixes tend to be lighter in consistency, but if you're craving that thicker, moister, denser cake, then all you have to do is add an extra egg to your mix.
Most box cake recipes call for vegetable or canola oil. The only trouble is, these oils have almost no flavor. Replace the oil with an equal amount of melted butter (and a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter), to boost richness. For an extra decadent cake, add two tablespoons of mayonnaise.
The box mix is about $1.50 cheaper and requires less effort, energy, and attention. And really, the flavor isn't that bad…just not that remarkable. Homemade cakes can sometimes be fussy, especially if you don't make them very often, but dang!
Simply add an extra egg and watch your cake's texture turn dense and feather-light. This seemingly small modification will add more moisture and fat, helping you achieve a bite more in line with what your mom or grandmother makes.
For chemically-leavened cakes — that is, cakes calling for baking powder or baking soda — it's OK if you don't remember to add the eggs until the end. Martina says, “Late in the mixing stage, eggs will incorporate better if you lightly beat them before adding to the batter.
Scratch cakes have a distinctively different crumb and mouth-feel from box mixes because box mixes contain ingredients like emulsifiers that are not readily available to the home cook.
One standard boxed cake mix makes approximately 4 to 6 cups of cake batter. Sold at grocery and superstores, cake mixes are available in a variety of flavors. Most 2-inch deep cake pans require only one box of mix.
The Duncan Hines cake was more rich and buttery. The others were slightly less flavorful, despite having great textures and baking evenly. Call me Goldilocks, but the Pillsbury cake verged on too sweet, and the Betty Crocker one wasn't quite sweet enough. Duncan Hines' cake was a perfect middle.
It also helps to provide structure and moisture to cakes, cookies, and bread. In addition to its delicious taste, butter adds richness and flavor to your baked goods. Different types of butter are available, but salted and unsalted butter are the two most commonly used in baking.
"It adds a subtle tang to the flavor or baked goods. The fat contributes to moistness and richness that makes tender cakes," says Samantha Seneviratne, author of The Joys of Baking: Recipes and Stories for a Sweet Life. What's the Difference Between Créme Fraîche and Sour Cream?
The additional fat in the egg yolk helps create a more tender and moist cake that is full of flavor. The extra egg also helps the cake have a more stable texture, which is great if you want to bake it up as a layer cake instead of a sheet cake or cupcakes.
Introduction: My name is Gregorio Kreiger, I am a tender, brainy, enthusiastic, combative, agreeable, gentle, gentle person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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