If you’re a frugal baker looking to make the most of your cake mix, you might have noticed a sneaky change in recent years. A few short years ago, cake mix manufacturers decided to reduce the quantity of their standard cake mix from 18.25 ounces to 15.25 ounces instead of increasing the price.
This may not be an issue if you follow the instructions on the box, but if you enjoy experimenting with cake mix hacks to create waffles, cookies, or improved cakes, it becomes a problem.
Many recipes, like my “Quickie Italian Almond Biscotti” cookies, assume an 18.25-ounce cake mix because that’s what we’ve been accustomed to for decades.
Why does it matter?
Well, baking relies on precise measurements due to chemical reactions, unlike dishes like pot roast or lasagna where exact amounts are not critical.
In older recipes, when cake mixes shrink, it can matter because those recipes were typically developed and tested based on the standard size of cake mixes available at the time, which was 18.25 ounces. The ingredients and proportions in these recipes were specifically designed to work with that standard size.
When cake mixes shrink in size, the reduced quantity of mix can affect the overall outcome of the recipe. Baking, unlike cooking, relies on precise measurements and chemical reactions.
The balance of ingredients, including the ratio of dry to wet ingredients, plays a crucial role in achieving the desired texture, taste, and consistency of the final baked goods.
By using a smaller cake mix without making any adjustments, you might end up with a different texture, density, or flavor than what the recipe intended. The baked goods could turn out smaller, less moist, or not rise as expected.
Therefore, for older recipes that assume the standard 18.25-ounce size, it’s important to address the shrinking cake mix issue to ensure that the recipes produce the desired results.
This can be done by using methods like the Cake Mix Upsizer or other strategies mentioned earlier to adjust the quantity of the cake mix and maintain the intended balance of ingredients.
How to Fix Shrinking Cake Mixes
But don’t worry; there’s good news! I’ve got three simple options to help you address this issue:
Method #1:
- Purchase two 15.25-ounce cake mixes and add 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) from the second mix to make up the difference.
- Store the remaining portion of the second mix in a tightly sealed container for future use.
Method #2:
- Buy a plain yellow cake mix and transfer its contents into a glass mason jar.
- Keep it covered and stored in the pantry.
- Whenever you need to supplement any flavor cake mix to reach the full 18.25 ounces, remove 3 ounces of the yellow cake mix and add it to the 15.25-ounce mix.
- Since yellow cake mix has a neutral flavor, it won’t negatively affect your results.
Method #3: Create your own “Cake Mix Upsizer” to have on hand in the pantry any time you need to increase or fix a store-bought cake mix.
Cake Mix Upsizer is a homemade mixture used to increase smaller cake mixes to the standard size. It ensures recipes designed for the standard 18.25-ounce mix yield the desired results. By adding this mixture to smaller mixes, you maintain consistency and avoid compromising texture and flavor.
Benefits of Making Cake Mix Upsizer
Making a Cake Mix Upsizer offers several benefits:
- Cost-effective: Using a Cake Mix Upsizer allows you to make the most out of smaller cake mixes without needing to buy multiple boxes or larger sizes. It helps you save money by avoiding unnecessary purchases.
- Versatility: With the Cake Mix Upsizer, you can adapt various flavors of cake mixes, including white, yellow, and chocolate, to match the standard 18.25-ounce size. This versatility ensures that you can still follow recipes or create your own custom variations without compromising the desired outcome.
- Consistency: By upsizing smaller cake mixes to the standard size, you can maintain consistency in your baking. Many recipes and cookbooks are designed around the 18.25-ounce cake mix, so using the Cake Mix Upsizer helps you achieve the expected texture, flavor, and results.
- Convenience: Having a homemade Cake Mix Upsizer on hand means you can adjust cake mix quantities whenever needed without relying on store-bought alternatives or improvising with different measurements. It’s a handy solution that allows you to be flexible in your baking endeavors.
- Customization: With the Cake Mix Upsizer, you have control over the ingredients and can adjust them according to your preferences. You can experiment with different flour types, sugars, or even add flavorings to create a personalized upsizing mixture.
Overall, this easy Cake Mix Upsizer recipe provides a practical, cost-effective, and consistent solution for upscaling smaller cake mixes to the standard size, giving you the freedom to explore a wide range of recipes while ensuring desirable baking outcomes.
How to Make Your Own Cake Mix Upsizer
The “Cake Mix Upsizer” is a homemade mixture that you can use to increase the quantity of a smaller cake mix to match the standard 18.25-ounce size. It is essentially a blend of dry ingredients that you can add to your existing cake mix to make up the difference.
To create the Cake Mix Upsizer, you’ll need specific ingredients based on whether you’re working with white or yellow cake mixes, or chocolate mixes.
Here are the recipes for each:
To upsize white and yellow cake mixes, whisk together:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Homemade Chocolate Cake Upsizer:
Simply whisk together:
1 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Store the mixture in a clean mason jar.
Whenever you want to increase a 15.25-ounce cake mix to 18.25 ounces, add 3 ounces of this mixture (approximately six tablespoons) to your existing cake mix.
Store the remaining portion in a tightly closed container, such as a glass canning jar, on your pantry shelf.
This recipe makes approximately 6 portions.
Do I have to alter the amount of liquid in the recipe when using the cake mix upsizer?
When using the Cake Mix Upsizer, it’s generally recommended to follow the original recipe instructions for the smaller cake mix regarding the amount of liquid and other wet ingredients.
The purpose of the Cake Mix Upsizer is to increase the dry ingredients and match the standard 18.25-ounce size while keeping the liquid measurements the same.
By maintaining the original liquid proportions, you ensure that the recipe’s consistency, texture, and flavor are preserved. However, it’s always a good idea to double-check the recipe instructions to confirm whether any adjustments to the liquid ingredients are explicitly mentioned.
If the original recipe does not specify any changes, you can proceed by using the same amount of liquid as indicated in the recipe when combining the upsized cake mix with other wet ingredients. This approach helps maintain the intended balance of flavors and textures in the final baked goods.
Remember, the homemade cake mix upsizer recipe primarily focuses on increasing the dry ingredients and maintaining the original recipe’s liquid proportions to achieve the desired results.
There you have it—a simple solution to a frustrating problem. Now you can continue baking with confidence. Happy baking!
Cake Mix Upsizer- Print Recipe
Cake Mix Upsizer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
To Make White & Yellow Cake Mix Upsizer:
- Combine the ingredients a bowl, whisking well to fully incorporate.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour1 cup sugar2 teaspoons baking powder¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Store the mixture in a clean mason jar.
To Make Chocolate Cake Mix Upsizer:
- Combine the ingredients a bowl, whisking well to fully incorporate.1 cup all-purpose flour2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1 cup sugar6 tablespoons cocoa powder2 teaspoons baking powder¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Store the mixture in a clean mason jar.
How to Use the Cake Mix Upsizer
- Whenever you want to increase a 15.25-ounce cake mix to 18.25 ounces, add 3 ounces of the homemade mixture (6 tablespoons) to your existing cake mix and follow the recipe directions as listed.
- Store the remaining portion in a tightly closed container, such as a glass canning jar, on your pantry shelf for up to 6 months.
- Yield: 6 Upsizer Portions
Equipment
If you altered the ingedients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cooking/baking time.
Nutrition
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