Though we tend to think of cake mix as a post-World War II innovation, it actually predates that by a few decades. It started when big flour companies — with a surplus not of flour but of molasses — created mixes that only required the addition of water. 주문제작케이크
But after a quick spurt of market growth, sales plateaued. So General Mills hired Ernest Dichter, a consumer psychologist, to learn why.
Ingredients
One of the most important components of a cake mix is flour. It provides the foundation for the rest of the ingredients, creating a flexible structure that stretches to hold air bubbles created by baking powder or baking soda and expands in the oven to make the cake rise.
Sugar is another essential ingredient, providing moisture and flavor to the batter. It also helps improve texture by binding with water molecules to make the batter moist and soft. Sugar also enhances the color and flavor of a cake.
When creamed with butter, sugar traps air molecules to increase its volume and make it lighter and more flavorful. This process is called “creaming.” While shortening or cooking oil can be used in place of butter, it won’t provide the same level of airiness and lightness to a batter. The ingredients in a cake mix also include emulsifiers that help the fat and liquid components of the batter mix together evenly.
Flavor
While cake mixes provide convenience and consistency, they do not offer much in the way of flavor nuances. For that, one must turn to homemade baking.
The good news is that cake mix typically stays safe to use well beyond its “best by” date, if it is properly stored. The key factor influencing longevity is storage conditions, with cool and dry environments offering the best results.
Another important consideration is the product’s leavening agents, which are necessary to achieve a light and airy bake. Over time, these compounds may lose their potency, resulting in a dense and less airy cake.
Other factors to keep in mind include any noticeable changes in color or texture, and the presence of any mold. Any mix exhibiting these signs of spoilage should be discarded, even if it has not passed its expiration date. The same holds true for any mix that displays signs of pests or damaged packaging, which can introduce contaminants to the food.
Texture
Most cake mixes call for water and oil as their primary wet ingredients. Replacing these with a flavored liquid such as whole milk, buttermilk, brewed coffee, or soda (Sprite or 7 Up work well) can make your cakes more flavorful and moist.
If you find your cakes are too dense, they might be suffering from overmixing. When flour is overmixed, it forms elastic gluten strands that create an unpleasantly dense and rubbery texture.
A better way to achieve a soft, airy batter is by incorporating more eggs into the mix. This can help to bind the dry ingredients together and lighten the overall batter. Adding a few chopped nuts can also add texture and richness to your cakes. This is an easy way to upgrade a boxed mix into a showstopper.
Ease of Preparation
While a cake made from scratch has a certain appeal and nostalgic comfort factor, it can be hard to beat the ease and convenience of a boxed mix. Besides the flour that provides the structure and texture of the cake, a good cake mix will also include sugar, eggs, milk and flavorings. To ensure that all the ingredients combine evenly, some cake mixes contain emulsifiers such as soy lecithin.
If your recipe calls for water, swap it out for a dairy product like milk or buttermilk to make the cake moist and richer in taste. You can also add a splash of brewed coffee, sour cream or even soda to your cake mix for extra flavor. If you’re using a lemon cake mix, try adding lemon zest or juice to the batter for extra tartness. Finally, if you want your cake to have the most authentic, homemade taste, sift the dry ingredients before mixing. This will help eliminate lumps and give your cake a lighter, more airy crumb.