Personally, I like pie. Lemon Meringue Pie. Apple Pie. Berry Pie. Cheesecake. Yeah, that’s a pie more than a cake in my book. And since I’m a food snob, I’ve been making pies from scratch for a long time, since I was 10 and my dad conned me into it.
But, awhile ago I found out that my husband and children prefer cake. Humph! I was a little putoff — for several reasons.
1. I think pie’s better. And since I’m a know-it-all, bossy-big-sister, everyone should agree with me.
2. I bake good pies. (I think that goes along with the second half of #1)
3. I’m not that good at cake baking. I almost told them they were never eating cake again when my first attempts at a from-scratch layer cake ended like brick saucers.
Then, I put my food snob tendencies aside and tried a boxed cake mix. And it wasn’t bad. Yes, I know, it’s not as good for you as baked from scratch, but for birthdays when things are crazy and children are hyper, they are the way to go. Plus, I found this great cookbook called The Cake Mix Doctor. It lists tons of recipes that take a boxed mix and make it more. As if ease and convenience weren’t enough, if you combine sales and coupons, you can get a cake mix for a few quarters.
Two thumbs up for the cake fans in my house!
Related:
For more kitchen tips, visit Tammy’s Recipes every Tuesday.
For more cake-ish fun, come back on Thursday for The Birthday Cake Round Up.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I have a secret to share. Boxed cake is normally moister. My friend made me a cake from scratch for my birthday. Being a self-professed food snob, she said that she wouldn’t “stoop” to use a boxed cake mix. Well, her cake was a bit dry :-/.
Though, boxed cake mix has the evil “partially hydrogenated soybean oil” in it.
You already know this is one of the only things we don’t have in common… I’m not a pie person!
I’ve made cakes both ways and have come to the conclusion that I can make good homemade cupcakes, but my homemade cakes kind of flop. So to the box I go! I’ve yet to hear a complaint…
I’m all about a boxed cake mix. I doctor it up according to the recipe. The VERY BEST wedding cake I’ve EVER had starts with a box… hmmm.
YEA, thank you. I can’t believe I won. I hadnt been over in a little bit, as school kept me pretty busy last week. So thanks for letting me know.
I think all those women of long ago would have used a cake mix if there had been one. I too like to play with them. But I am with you… pie rules!
Happy Tuesday from
Roberta Anne
I’ve really enjoyed all these cakes posts as someone who can’t bake or decorate cakes. At all.
This was my first attempt at a two-layered cake. Needless to say, it didn’t turn out.
http://tinyurl.com/by4c8x
You are WAY too good of a cook to use a box! I like you strive to feed my kids as healthy as possible and with all the persevatives, trans fats, food coloring and high fructose corn syrups box mixes are out of the question at our house.
Try The Joys of Baking website! There are a lot of cake recipes (the Banana Chocolate Cake is a personal favorite) and pie recipes
as well. I think it would really help in your quest to make heathier cake for your family!
Good Luck!!
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