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AIBU?

To ask if you buy cake mix, or just bake from scratch? Convection oven

42 replies

hellokittymania · 23/05/2017 20:39

I'm experimenting at the moment. I can make biscuits, although they never come out round, and sometimes can be quite Runny I have a convection oven and I think this could possibly be making the difference? I have bought cake mixes, but for some reason they don't rise much.

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PickAChew · 23/05/2017 20:44

Cake mixes aren't great, IME, and by the time you've added all the "just add" ingredients, you might as well have measured out equal amounts of soft butter, self raising flour, sugar and eggs and mixed them together.

But if you're using a table top oven, then it might not heat up evenly enough to give a good rise and cook a cake all the way through without burning.

msrisotto · 23/05/2017 20:49

I've never understood the point of pre-made cake mixes.

hellokittymania · 23/05/2017 20:51

What it make a difference if I put the baking tin on the grill piece do you think? So it would be in the middle of the oven? The only reason I don't like using the grill piece, is it has things sticking up so it's hard to get The baking tray on and off of it.

To ask if you buy cake mix, or just bake from scratch? Convection oven

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Blink1982 · 23/05/2017 20:53

I use the Aldi cake mixes and they always turn out gorgeous.

Hastalapasta · 23/05/2017 20:54

Do you have a shelf in the oven? If not a trivit could work, or an upside down roasting tin?

ijustwannadance · 23/05/2017 20:54

Pre made cake mixes are great if making cakes with a small child. For £1 you get all you need in the box.

If you bake a lot and will use up ingredients, make from scratch.

hellokittymania · 23/05/2017 20:59

Pasta, no it doesn't have a shelf.

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theclick · 23/05/2017 21:01

Bake from scratch. I think cake mixes are very American! I would use one if I could modify it, i.e. Add more chocolate, nuts etc.

hellokittymania · 23/05/2017 21:04

Click, do you have a convection oven as well? When you're baking from scratch, does the cake rise? I have baked biscuits from scratch and they taste good, but they never come out right. When I have tried to make a cake or cupcakes, it has been cake mix and it doesn't rise much.

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Hamsolo · 23/05/2017 21:05

Cake mixes make very little sense to me. You can get all the ingredients for very little and they last for ages. Stuff like baking powder seems to be better "fresh". And you'll need to add an egg and fat usually anyway, so effectively cake mix is just flour, sugar and baking powder mixed together. Usually the flavouring is very synthetic vanilla. So, if you want a good cake, buy the ingredients separately and if you want to spend a bit more to get a really good result buy a good (expensive) vanilla extract (not essence) or vanilla powder because that will make a big flavour difference.

hellokittymania · 23/05/2017 21:05

Although maybe taste is the most important!

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hellokittymania · 23/05/2017 21:07

I have to say, I have made the healthy cookies with oats and banana and raisins, and they turned out really nice! They were even close to being round

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Sniv · 23/05/2017 21:08

Has anyone tried the Stork 'Ready to Bake' cake mix, where you literally just squeeze it out of the packet into a tin and bake it? I guess for when you just want to be able to say 'yes, I baked it' with a reasonably straight face?

That said, I can see the appeal on being able to produce a freshly baked cake a moment's notice. Is it any good?

Vroomster · 23/05/2017 21:08

I've never used cake mixes. You can't go wrong with a Mary berry chuck it all in together recipe.

Sorry for being dense but what's the difference with a convection oven?

londonrach · 23/05/2017 21:17

Sooo much easier and cheaper to just do it from stratch! Dont understand why you would use a cake mix. Eggs, flour, sugar and abit of water!

hellokittymania · 23/05/2017 21:24

Things don't seem to cook as well in the convection oven. I have to put chicken on for 40 minutes and usually cook everything longer. I did bacon last week, it took about 35 minutes to cook.

Vroomster it also is a microwave and grill although I have never used the grill. It's a tiny little thing as well, so you can't really do much in it at one time. When I did the biscuits, are usually only put five in at a time. Making 24 biscuits took ages. I had to cook them for about 16 minutes, each batch.

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hellokittymania · 23/05/2017 21:25

I love watching Mary berry every day cooking! I have yet to try anything though.

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bunnylove99 · 23/05/2017 21:26

Tey Mary Berry all in one sponge recipes. Never fail. I've cooked them in all types of oven..

theclick · 23/05/2017 21:36

Click, do you have a convection oven as well? When you're baking from scratch, does the cake rise? I have baked biscuits from scratch and they taste good, but they never come out right. When I have tried to make a cake or cupcakes, it has been cake mix and it doesn't rise much.

Erm I'm ashamed to admit I answered the first part of your thread title and not the other part. I have a normal oven. So basically I'm saying i bake from scratch. I have used a cake mix once and DH (then boyfriend) couldn't tell as I modified it with real chocolate, etc! I'm sorry I can't help!

CheshireChat · 23/05/2017 21:50

If things are coming out a bit runny and don't rise as they should (and bloody hell that sentence sounds like it belongs on the sex board!) then have you tried reducing the amount of liquid/ upping the baking powder?

CheshireChat · 23/05/2017 21:52

And you can add a tiny bit of apple vinegar/ lemon juice to boost the baking soda. Can you find recipies online for convection ovens? I think air fryer are similar and you get recipies for them.

MuvaWifey77 · 23/05/2017 21:54

Never baked from scratch have no idea how to, buy ready mix , my DH thinks it's from scratch and loves it ... I let him think that lol win win

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GoldenBlue · 23/05/2017 22:07

I would use the microwave option instead. I've used packet mix for kids but prefer a throw it all together approach. The microwave produces a great even rise but is better for chocolate cake as it doesn't brown and vanilla looks quite pale (although that's good if you are going for pale icing).

4oz butter melted, 4oz sugar, tea spoon of vanilla extract (not essential but nice) mix well together. Stir in 2 well beaten eggs, 3 1/2 oz flour, big table spoon of cocoa, a handful of chocolate chips (also not essential but yummy), put all in a silicon tray and cook until it looks cooked. It takes just a few minutes, not long at all.

If you're going to eat it hot then cook until not quite cooked through, then t becomes a self saucing chocolate pudding.

SkiBike007 · 23/05/2017 22:10

Weigh the eggs in their shells for example 2eggs might weight 100g put aside. Then use that weight to work out equal parts of butter, sugar and flour.

Then mix up 100g butter with 100g sugar, add in the eggs, then add 100g self raising flour and teaspoon baking powder, teaspoon vanilla essence mix all together and you have a basic sponge mix. Can use for cup cakes or bigger cake. Cook until springs to touch normally 20-30mins moderate oven.

If you used 3eggs and they weighed 150g then use 150g each of flour, sugar and butter. I found cakes rise better with "stork" type margerine v butter.

hellokittymania · 23/05/2017 22:27

Golden, would about five minutes be enough?

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