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Cake Mixes...getting away from major store brands

post #1 of 11
12/30/12 at 6:37am
Thread Starter 

This is for anyone but especially for small, home-based operations/hobbyists:

 

Since DH, BC & PB changed their pkg. sizes and formulas (stinko, IMHO), I've been playing around with cake extender recipes, etc.,  to get even close to the results I used to get with the 'old' mixes. So far, I'm not a happy camper.

 

Have any of you used the bulk mixes from online restaurant supply stores? The customer reviews I've seen are all five-star, but I wanted to hear from my cake friends before deciding whether or not to purchase this way. 

 

One place in PA sells the brand "Mill Creek" (hope I'm not breaking any rules here!) and 5 lbs of yellow cake mix sells for $4.59 (not counting S&H). When I bake, I bake A LOT and freeze, so this seems like it would be a great deal.

 

If you've tried this brand or any other, I'd be most appreciative of you opinions.  

 

BTW, I always used DH Classic mixes and added pudding mix, extra egg, oil/sour cream & addt'l liquid with great results...that is until we were hit with cake-mix armaggedonicon_cry.gif

 

TIA guys!

In my opinion, cake should be at the base of the Food Pyramid.
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In my opinion, cake should be at the base of the Food Pyramid.
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post #2 of 11
12/30/12 at 6:50am
LOL- cake mix armageddon!

Hero of the month:   Edward Snowden

 

The Christian right is neither.

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Hero of the month:   Edward Snowden

 

The Christian right is neither.

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post #3 of 11
12/30/12 at 7:04am

If you have an Aldi store near you, try their mixes.  I've been lurky-loo here for a bit and had read about the mix problems.  I saw their mixes and out of curiosity checked the weight.  The white was 18.xx ounces.  I've used their mixes just as is in the past and they were always good...the same as name brand to my tastes.  Of course, I've been on a personal challenge/quest of finding "perfect" scratch recipes and didn't pick any up to try LOL!  I should have!
 

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post #4 of 11
12/30/12 at 7:16am

Another idea is commercial mixes. Check around in your area for places that mostly sell to restaurants--they will likely sell to home bakers now. But you gotta buy bulk. Worth a try. Maybe they can request a sample from the manufacturer/salesman for you that you can play with. I don't know.

 

And of course just consider the original but less weighty cake mix another ingredient and weigh out the correct amount, open two mixes and get the 18.5 or whatever it was.

 
 

 

 

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post #5 of 11
12/30/12 at 7:34am

Bake from scratch, that way, you know exactly what is in your cakes. 100 grams of flour will always be 100 grams of flour, same goes for sugar, vanilla and butter or oil.

regards from Shanghai, China
Ursula
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanghai-schroeder/
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regards from Shanghai, China
Ursula
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanghai-schroeder/
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post #6 of 11
12/30/12 at 8:50am
Thread Starter 

Thanks so much for your replies!

 

Gena575: No Aldi's in this neck of the woods...and I haven't seen a store around here that even has it's own brand. I did fiddle around with a 'dollar aisle' mix the other day but wasn't thrilled with the results. I've also looked for some of the old Jiffy mixes to no avail.

 

-K8Memphis: I tried making up the difference from another box of mix, but it seems that the package volume is not the only thing that changed! I only tried it once with a DH Devil's Food mix and the results were that of a mass-produced, dime-store brownie and the flippin' thing wouldn't rise worth a doodle! The sole restaurant supply place around here doesn't carry consumables (go figure) but will order for me...might as well cut out the middle man by finding reliable products online, right? Even the local highly respected & sought after designer cake 'bakery' here has a secret! Yep...see them regularly in Wal Mart at 4:30 a.m.(when they think no-one else might see) buying up scads of mixes, canned icing and Wilton fondant!!!

 

Ursula40: Unfortunately, I'm in the same boat as Gena575...looking for the 'perfect' scratch recipes. Actually, I don't think it's the recipes I've tried as much as it it my lack of talent for bakingicon_redface.gif...that's the reason I gave up trying...may need to re-visit that option though when my caking Zen is restored icon_smile.gif

 

I really appreciate you all.

In my opinion, cake should be at the base of the Food Pyramid.
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In my opinion, cake should be at the base of the Food Pyramid.
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post #7 of 11
12/30/12 at 8:58am

You can do it!!! As you're making whatever recipes you choose--watch and look for that emulsion to come together as you go. Don't proceed if it looks still broken--must look smooth at each step. Make your scratch cake like you would a box mix. No worries.

 

Baking angels dispensed to hover near.

 
 

 

 

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post #8 of 11
12/30/12 at 9:37am
Thread Starter 

Thanks for the vote of confidence -K8Memphis!

 

All hovering angels ae welcome in my kitchen (with hairnets, of course) but be forewarned...I curse when frustrated and sometimes sh..., oops I mean frosting... fliesicon_biggrin.gif

In my opinion, cake should be at the base of the Food Pyramid.
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In my opinion, cake should be at the base of the Food Pyramid.
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post #9 of 11
12/30/12 at 10:04am

No worries they've heard it all before!!! Not to mention they wear 'wing' nets too. icon_biggrin.gif

 
 

 

 

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post #10 of 11
12/30/12 at 2:10pm

When you make from scratch you can mix all of the dry ingredients together for each recipe and store it in a container or zip lock storage baggie. When you need to make a cake then it will be like a box cake only mixed up from scratch and all you need to do is add the eggs, milk, vanilla extract just like you would a cake mix.  Maybe someone else here has a better solution!!!
 

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post #11 of 11
12/30/12 at 3:49pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks Remnant...when I'm over my fear terror of scratch-cake failure, I may just give that a try.icon_smile.gif

In my opinion, cake should be at the base of the Food Pyramid.
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In my opinion, cake should be at the base of the Food Pyramid.
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