Have you tried other brands to see if the same if happening? Don't try Pillsbury, they fall apart. I tried to work with Pillsbury after they put on their box that they changed their cake to make it more moist and they insisted that they didn't change it even though it stated so right on the box. After they told me to reduce one egg, the cake still fell apart, but not as easily. It's not worth it after spending all the time and money on cakes. I've tried Betty Crocker and while I like the texture and the way it holds up, I just don't like the cake's flavor even if I add my own to it. Let us know what happens when you try another brand. Good Luck.
Vicky

i have used DH for all of my cakes and when they started baking flat and "holey" i stared playing around...first off i discovered that if i let my eggs warm up a little before mixing that they rise better...and i discovered that sifting and mixing slower gave me fewer holes....hope things get better for yall, best of luck

I have used DH for years and have never had that problem. Sometimes I use applesauce instead of the oil. Makes it moist and less fat. Chrysb

I bought alot of DH cake mixes at Walmart too, they were on sale.
Lately my cakes have not been rising like usual and have bubbles on top. I have alot of cakes that sunk in the middle. Something has changed because I have never had any problem with my DH.

I use Pillsbury white almost exclusively and so far - no problems with any of them falling apart. They're wonderfully moist and tasty too!

Debbie

One of the members of another forum I belong to posted a question and response she sent to Pinnacle Foods, which is now the owner of the DH brand.

Their response was that the mix has been reformulated, and that consumer testing and surveys approved of the changes. I would like to meet the consumers who tested and were surveyed, as apparently they have never baked a cake before in their life.

I have had trouble with DH mixes for a while now, especially with larger pans, like the 10x3 round. They not only sink, but the sides shrink so much that if you are doing a fondant-covered cake with ribbon border, the cake no longer fits the board for it's size pan!

I don't have the time or patience to be stressing over a cake that way. I switched to Betty Crocker. We shall see how that turns out.

Theresa

I thought it was just me! I've only used DH and just this weekend started having problems with it. I used the enhanced recipes and they pitted on the side and didn't rise like they normanlly do. It was so frustrating as I don't have time to bake 24/7 - it's the decorating part that I want to do!!

Makes you wonder why they would mess with something that has such a good reputation. Leave well enough alone. Nothing like cutting off your nose to spite your face!



Debbie

It is a shame that they can't just leave well enough alone! Luckily I haven't had that problem. I won't say "yet" because I don't want that problem! It was actually too moist when I used the sour cream and pudding so now I just follow the instructions on the box substituting milk for water and everyone loves it.

Deb

I baked a couple of 1/2 sheet cake DH cakes yesterday and didn't have any problems (thank goodness), and I live at high altitude (5,280ft). I haven't bought any cake mixes at Walmart, but buy them at my local (large) grocery store. I put instant pudding my mixes and they turn out great.

So has anyone ever taken a post from here and e-mailed it to Duncan Hines? I wonder what their response would be to so many posts upset about their products..... I'd hate to step on anyone's toes or get CC in trouble though by taking all of the posts and just e-mailing - even though no one's real name is used in them - but I would think it would be a good idea to mail them the conversations about DH mix to show them how many GOOD bakers and EXPERIENCED bakers are having trouble w/ their new formula..... I mean I guess if you're just baking for home and you're not a decorator or anything -then yeah, the new mixes might have passed a "taste" test -but what if you want the layers to come out even???? They need to pass a DECORATOR's test too!

I have always preferred DH and stocked up recently when they were 10 for $10. My banana nut have baked beautifully. But my devil's food cake and cupcakes just died. I baked an 8 inch and it was wierd. The cupcakes were wierd too. My husband even asked what happened cause they looked wierd. They didn't bake evenly (never a problem before) and they looked pitted and sticky. He's a chocoholic and was afraid to 'test' the cake. I just threw everything out and baked banana nut instead. It was for a family party so the flavor didn't matter. I had also baked a 12" square white using Pillsbury and had absolutely no problems. The funny thing is my sis-in-law asked if I baked from scratch and I said nope, it's a box from the 99cent store. She laughed and said her's never taste as good as mine. I don't understand how people say that. I don't doctor my mixes. Oh well. It must be the icing and fillings I use.

What is a "Gallery Suppoorter Member?"
Vicky

Thank you everyone for your responses because I was really starting to doubt myself. I did the DH mix over and over agin. Making sure every step of the way I concentrated on anything that would cause that pitting like holes on the side of the cake. I think I have put way too much time into solving a mystery that it appears from most of your responses is not in my control! I really am read y to switch after all of these years of being a loyal DH baker but I'd love to hear some responses from several bakers using a mix that works for them consistently.Thank you again for all of your responses, I do wonder if DH knows the "havoc" they have created in my kitchen. If they really did change the recipe, which I feel they must have, you wonder why they would do that.

I just had to make two full sets of cakes because the DH french Vanilla tasted funny when I added almond flavor, had an aftertaste.

I too notices bubbles and the cake really shrinking and not fitting my cakeboards...what a pain, I guess that I am going to try BC or maybe mixing two brands.

Stephanie

I've sent questions to 2 other forums to see if I get answers from bakers on them. One is even a DH forum site. We'll see what comes up. Chrysb

OMG- I'm so glad I saw this thread - I baked 4 cakes this weekend and I am a die hard DH user but all of my cakes came out horribly. I too thought it was something I did - like a lot of other posts I bought mine from Wal-Mart and I mixed them the way I normally do, doing everything the same as usual. They tested like they were done and with one of them when I turned the pan over to get the cake out the whole middle was uncooked!! and then another one only baked halfway up the pan while the other pan that was in the oven with it baked all the way to the top. So when I cut into the shorter one to check it out it was almost raw in the middle too! So weird/. I thought it may have been my oven too since I moved and it's a new oven. But why would it test done in the middle but after it is turned out of the pans it's still half raw? I was soooo disapointed. I LOVE LOVE LOVED DH for so long and would only by DH b/c of the great results I would get - hmmmm I do not like Pilsbury so I guess I'll have to move to BC

Ok - I think I will go onto DH website and email them - maybe if they get enough emails they'll do something about it!

I had problems with DH but only when I bought them from Walmart. I dont know if that has anything to do with it. I have since started paying a few cents more at Kroger's and they come out fine.

Cecilia

I do not think it is a problem of a particualr store. I have bought them at Publix my grocery store chain and at Target. The only thing that was consistent was that I was having a problem with my DHmix

Don't know why they messed with a good thing. DH used to be my choice too. Not only did it taste great and bake up well, but because it was the only one made without milk and my nephew is allergic. Now What?

I have email Pinnacle Foods about their cake mix and the problems we are all having with their product. I told them they should listen to us and addres our concerns on cakecentral. I don't know if they will respond but if enough of us complain, something will be done about this. I liked their product at one time and they should have left well enough alone. .
Vicky

http://www.pinnaclefoodscorp.com

I didn't know why my DH cakes tasted funny until I read this thread! They have an almost chemically taste to certain mix flavors now and I had some bubbles and they shrank.

Thank you Vicky I have just e-mailed Duncan Hines with my concerns about the cake mix. I guess they are not really going to know that we are experiencing a problem if we do not let them know. I have used this mix for years and years and I figured it was the right thing to do.

You're welcome. I've already heard from Dunkin Hines and will be calling them back soon with info that they requested. I told them to check out this thread and that they need to address these issues.
Vicky

Wow. I thought it was something that I was doing wrong too. I didn't know what the problem was when i was making my last set of sheet cakes. Both of them had what looked like a reverse air bubble, almost directly in the center of the underside of the cakes. I had to start all over again. I hoped they tasted alright, i never did try them and i gave them away to someone else.

A quick question about adding the pound cake mix to the regular mix, this has been asked several times in this thread, with no response, so I guess I will reinstate the question. If you have a chocolate cake mix, do you add anything else to the poundcake mix to make it chocolate? I would think that the pound cake mix would lighten the choc. cake mix too much, making it a non-chocolate, chocolate cake! Sorry if this is confusing! -B.

bunit-

you are right about the pound cake "lightening" the chocolate cake. I would add about 2 TBS cocoa such as Hershey to make it more chocolatey!!

Thanks for asking again bunit!

Unfortunately I couldn't find pound cake mix today, so I was stuck. I had to bake my 10 inch twice....so here I went to the grocery store.... again! I cut down on the sour cream and pudding in the recipe I was using, and also lowered my oven temp to 325. It takes a very long time for the 10 inch x 3 to bake, 1 1/2hr or so. My first mistake was taking it out too soon.

I'm not too impressed with Ducan Hines cake mix right now.
I almost wish I had just made my cakes from scratch. I just don't have the time to start experimenting this week, so I thought, ya, great , just use a doctored cake mix. WRONG!!! Oh God...I just hope they stack well!

Okay....I'm done venting..