Hi all, I need to ask this because am so new at all this cake baking. A friend and I have been doing some baking and learning how to make the icing and all. At first we were unsing imitation vanilla. Later when I saw a pure vanilla on e-bay I got it thinking it would be better to use. The name of it was Danncy vainilla from mexico. My friend say it makes the icing smell funny and it do not taste the same. She say ahe has had someone say something to her about her cakes. Is there a reason for useing imitation vanilla that I missed? Do you think it may just be the brand of Vanilla? Please help!

I always use pure vanilla. I've never used imitation so I can't really tell you if there's a difference but pure vanilla tastes great in my icing. Maybe someone else can elaborate a little more on this subject.

I would have to think it's that brand because I always use pure vanilla except when I want really white icing, and then I use the clear imitation vanilla. All my baked good get pure vanilla though, I think it tastes so much better!

I use danncy vanilla and think it adds a woderful flavor. It is stronger than regular vanilla so you do not need to use as much. I have the clear and dark. There are other brands of mexican vanilla that are good with a different flavor than danncy. You might want to try another brand. Good luck and happy baking!
traci

For baking I make my own extract. For frosting, I use clear imitation extract. Here's my recipe for vanilla extract.

PURE Vanilla Extract

One fifth of vodka

6 vanilla beans (look for sticky looking ones as they will be fresher)

Take 3 beans and cut them in half and split lengthwise exposing the seeds. Drop them in the bottle of vodka. Shake bottle everyday for a month.

Drain the vodka on a bowl and discard the beans, refill bottle. Halve and split 3 more beans and drop in vodka. Shake daily for another month. By the end of the next month, you will have PURE vanilla extract!!


Joe

dragonwarlord1969, where can you find vanilla beans? I want to try to make my own vanilla but I can't find vanilla beans anywhere around here... any suggestions?

Awesome! Your own vanilla flavoring? Certainly more costly, but sounds like it would taste pretty darned good

Be careful with using Mexican vanilla. Some of them advertise as pure vanilla but in fact are cheap imitations with a dangerous substance called coumarin. Coumarin is banned by the FDA.

I don't know if the vanilla you used is in this category. But be warned...if you get a large bottle of Mexican vanilla (e.g. a quart size) and it's really cheap - then it's probably an inferior product.

hmmmm I use it all the time Kris and haven't ever encountered a problem with any that I've used ... I'd hardly think if it were banned by the FDA that you could bring it across the border ... I've had friends of mine bring me some from Mexico and not one time were they ever told they could not cross the border with it

I have seen vanilla beans at HEB and Fiesta.
traci

Thanks AgentCakeBaker, I was thinking pure was better too. CIndymm4 I was thinking it might be the brand also but like traci said and others who has use it, they do like it and has no trouble. Do you think I got a bad bottle? Now dragonwarlord1969 am going to have to try that for sure. I guess I will be hunting for those Vanilla beans soon. Kris that is realing scare. How can I tell if it is or not? the bottle was not open.

Thanks all, I was wondering this too because I also see were most of Walton recipes tell you to use imitation vanilla.

Thanks again

S_S_SweetTooth

I have used both pure and imitation...have decided that pure is better. I have not made dragonwarlords recipe yet but that sound good too.

About Mexican vanilla...be forewarned that a lot of times their vanilla is an inferior product which costs a lot less than the vanilla in the stores. I live in Douglas which in on the border of Mexico and I go across at least 5 times a week. I myself wouldn't trust mexican vanilla and the only vanilla I use is homemade vanilla with vodka and vanilla beans. I get these from a health co-op or store.

As far as customs not letting things come into the united states if it were banned...is false. They normally just want you to declare what vegetables and fruit you are bringing across. Here is an example...many people go into mexico wanting to get their air conditioner recharged with freon because of two reasons 1) its legal there to buy cans...in US illegal 2) the cost is a lot cheaper than converting your cooling system to US standards.
The US customs don't have a problem with this.

Hope this helps anyone!

Annette in AZ

Cooks magazine did a recent taste test on real vanilla extract (several expensive brands) and several brands imitation vanilla. It was a shock to the pastry chefs that they chose items with IMITATION over real.

If it is not cooked, real has a more natural flavor. But in baked goods, the imitation vanilla holds the flavor better.

Who would have thought?

PS: I have made my own vanilla, very tasty but with beans at $3+ each and the cost of vodka, it isn't really worth the cost.

JoAnn

I use the pure vanilla in recipes and the imitation for the buttercream icing. In my buttercream I use double the amount since it is imitation and not as strong and cut back on the milk.

It's funny cause I bought a week ago or so a bottle of pure vanilla, I have always used imitation (is it only me ) used the pure one two days ago and didn't like the taste as much as the imitation, I don't know if it's just that my taste buds is used to the imitation stuff or what...

Wandy

I use pure vanilla. Personally I find that all of the clear artificial vanillas I have tried have a coconut taste and I don't like coconut.
The Mexican vanilla, well you have to be careful. Some bottles are labelled "Pure Vanillin" or something similar. They are using another plant from the same family as vanilla but it is not vanilla and it does not taste like vanilla either. If the vanilla you buy is clear, it is not pure vanilla.
Yes, some of the vanillas made from an unsafe and dangerous source, were sold in the U.S. We had a Canadian government warning about them.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

i never use clear vanilla, as i do find it has a chemical flavour i find off-putting. however, i do always use imitation vanilla, and find that i prefer it over natural extract which i find to rather "boozy". however, natural vanilla is better for using as perfume (if you're into that sort of thing).

I love vanilla purfume, but can never find it anymore.

By the way I use mexican vanilla and I love it! I would rather not use anything else. The brand that i use is Molino Real and Boy, I hope they keep selling it

Hi everyone, I too bought the Danncy clear vanilla on ebay thinking it would be great to use instaed of the Wilton imitation clear and had complaints on the taste and smell right away. It claims to be pure but everything I can find on the subject says all clear vanilla is imitation. Anyone know anything about this?

I make my own vanilla, similar to recipe above. I use it in everything except white icing. I read somewhere that the imitation (brown) is made from tree bark. I wish I could remember where I read it. Oh well, I prefer pure to the artificial. I did run out of my homemade at christmas,(too many cookies) and bought Kroger brand pure, It was pretty good too.

I can taste a huge difference in baked goods made with immitation versus pure vanilla extract. Immitation has a different taste to it, not as vanillay more nutty or something. But I have been using clear immitation vanilla in icing when I want a pure white icing. I have found that if you shop around you can find some pretty good sales on pure vanilla. Albertsons just had it really cheap not too long ago, and you can get some really interesting vanillas, like tahitian at Trader Joes for a slightly different flavor.

i used to used "pure" mexican vanilla exclusively since i'm mexican and have many relatives in mexico who are willing to send it to me. however, like kris stated, you can never be sure if its the real stuff and trust me, the borders do not regulate that kind of stuff very well.

like joanne said, if the top chefs from cooks illustrated preferred the imitation, then thats good enough for me and my customers. plus, i did my own taste test in my cakes and i cannot tell the difference.

Disclaimer to start with. This is just my opinion, as was requested. I'm not trying to change anyone's habits.

Many artificial colors and flavors, even FDA approved ones, are made from petroleum distillates. They have been implicated in ADD and ADHD and other disorders, and definitely affect my older son in a related way.. Although there are many natural substances that are also harmful-- hemlock and arsenic come to mind-- when given a choice, I'd rather use natural than artificial ingrdients. My father-in-law gets a swollen tongue from artificial vanilla. That, of course, factors into my decision as well.

The adverse warnings about Mexican vanilla are scary. I lived near the Mexican border in San Diego for many years. The story there was not to use Mexican vanilla unless it was priced comparably to any other vanilla. If it is costly, it is likely to be the real thing and very good. If it is clear, it can't be real vnailla. Vanilla is brown in and of itself.

I really like dragonwarlord's homemade vanilla. Smells good and I get compliments. I find vanilla beans at Trader Joe's and Cost Plus World Markets. Often at the supermarket too, but they are more expensive there.

Shalom,
itsacake!

Well, I think a lot depends on what you grew up with. Personally I cannot stand the taste or smell of artificial vanilla, there is a bit of a coconut scent and taste and since I do not like coconut, I don't like it. I also find it has a chemical taste much like the artificial almond or worse yet, butter flavouring. Perhaps if I had been raised with these, I would find the natural flavourings odd tasting.
I suspect that the chefs may well have been raised with the artificial tastes too. Or it might have been that the artificial vanilla was used in a baked item in which case sometimes you get a stronger flavouring.
There is a big difference in the tastes of real vanillas too. Madagascar is not easy to find here but when I did manage to get a bottle and try it, I could immediately smell and taste the difference, not so much in the baking but in the buttercream icing. Much stronger, I could use a lot less and very distinct. So now I use it for all my icings unless someone wants a true white icing made with all shortening. When I try taste tests people always sacrifice the true white look for the natural vanilla taste with the butter and shortening icing.
Hugs Squirrelly

Thank you for all the replies and I jsut received an email from Nielsen-Massey Vanillas that said "Our FAQ is up to date and correct. You can not make an all-natural, pure vanilla clear. It would be like trying to make a clear cup of coffee. If you're worried about discoloration I would recommend our Pure Vanilla Powder is 100% all natural, pure but with a light tan color that won't noticeable discolor like a pure vanilla extract."
Have you tried it squirleycakes?