So I've been on a long, long, long journey trying to find a cake recipe to replace my doctored white cake mix recipe. I mean it's been years.
I am SOOOOOO close I can taste it. Really, I'm munching right now...mmmmm.
I WANT it to taste like cake mix, since that is what I have offered my customers for years. Just without all the crappy chemicals that you can smell when you open a box!
So, I was checking out the back of the good old Pillsbury box mix and it includes Xanthan gum. I'm like- HEY I thought you used that for glutne free cakes, not REGULAR cakes!!! And I just happen to have some.
Anyone use this in regular recipes? Any idea what the flour to gum ratio would be?
I've never used it in cakes before -- it is a thickener and used in a variety of food products. I use it in place of cornstarch or flour to make gravy. In that case I just sprinkle a little onto the liquid as it's cooking and give a little stir. I did notice that a little goes a long way! Will be watching to see what the others have to say.
well, me being impatient, I tried it already. Figured I was in the bakery anyway, and what else to do on a non wedding saturday.
My developed recipe is one that uses the cake mix principle- making a large amount of homemade "cake mix" then dividing it and bagging it. Then adding liquids and some fats when I'm ready.
So, I added 2 tbsp xanthan for 8 mixes. The batter was WAAAY more emulsified than in the past. It came together just like a cake mix. It also suspended the fresh strawberry puree beautifully.
The cakes baked up lovely, and are cooling. I couldn't wait, so I tried a sample warm and it is beautiful. We'll see once it is cooled and assembled.
I'm thinking I may be able to have gotten the same result with 1 tbsp, so that may be the only change- the batter might be a little TOO emulsified- it pulled away from the sides of the pan more than I'd like.
I know nothing about putting xanthan gum in a wheat based recipe, but the rule of thumb used in Gluten-Free baking is 1 Teaspoon Per 1 Cup Flour Mix. You could try that or even less, 1/2 Teaspoon per Cup of Flour. Interested to hear how it works for you.
Good Luck & Have fun, Hope the result is Yummy!
well, I was right, I put too much in- the first try was too "gummy"
I reduced it by half, removed another egg, and then baked a comparable sample of my white cake mix recipe.
Voila, if I hadn't labeled them, you wouldn't have know which was which!!
I still have to do some more research- baking it in large sizes, storing and freezing, etc, but I think the gum really, really helps give the texture I was looking for.
So for every homemade cake mix (which is roughly 2.5 cups of flour) you would add 1/3 teaspoon xanthan gum? I tried 1/4 teaspoon and it seemed to make my cakes too firm. Did you use cake flour or all purpose flour? Do you use the creaming or reverse creaming method of mixing?
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