Shrinking Boxed Cake Mix Hack

[monj]

I think it was Marilyn who posted about the shrinking boxed cake mix contents? Anyway, couldn't find the original post, but saw this hack to up your ingredients to the original boxed cake mix ounces found in recipes from years ago.

One savvy commenter (@User3066986) shared a brilliant "upsize" trick they picked up from the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook, after boxed mixes dropped from 18.25 ounces to 15.25 ounces (they're currently 13.25 ounces): "In a jar, mix 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon baking soda. Store in your pantry until you need it… Hope this helps all our Grandmas out there to keep baking our favorites!"
She weighed the new cake box mix in a bowl on a kitchen scale, then dipped into the jar to make up the difference in ounces.
Hope this helps!

M

 

[marilynfl]

Excellent info, monj.

I recently noticed that while Duncan Hines cake mixes are 15.25 oz, their "Dolly Parton" cake mixes are back up to 18 oz. I bought several to stock up. Pillsbury is also at 15.25.
Some of Betty Crocker's are down to 13.25 now.

I loved 18 oz boxes (with 3 eggs) because it was so easy to scale down a single 6" cake with them.

Does anyone find it odd that the word "inflation" makes things smaller? (I wish my waist would inflate like that).

 

[mariadnoca]

Good info!

Though I no longer use cake mixes anymore. Not that I need more sugar in my life, but I would like to have a good, from scratch, snickerdoodle cake recipe. (I’m sure I could tweak a white cake, but if anyone already has one they are willing to share, I’d thank you!

 

[music-city-missy]

I have quite a few old recipes that are based on the older box sizes. When I found out and people said that was the issue with my grandmother's lemon supreme pound cake not turning out about 50% of the time, I started buying multiple and then weighing it out to get it to the old box sizes. I just freeze the rest for the next time I make that cake. It's a PIA but when you are making your favorite cake from your childhood, it's worth it.

 

[marilynfl]

Good info!

Though I no longer use cake mixes anymore. Not that I need more sugar in my life, but I would like to have a good, from scratch, snickerdoodle cake recipe. (I’m sure I could tweak a white cake, but if anyone already has one they are willing to share, I’d thank you!

Cake mixes make perfect cake balls (pops). One 13x9 pan will make 48 pops. I quarter the finished cake and then need make 12 at a time, freezing the rest of the baked cake quarters.

Everybody loves cake pops.

It's slightly obscene how they sell for $3 a piece now. I'm fairly certain they (they being $3 producers) aren't using high-grade ingredients in a scratch cake batter.

 

[lana-in-fl]

I have quite a few old recipes that are based on the older box sizes. When I found out and people said that was the issue with my grandmother's lemon supreme pound cake not turning out about 50% of the time, I started buying multiple and then weighing it out to get it to the old box sizes. I just freeze the rest for the next time I make that cake. It's a PIA but when you are making your favorite cake from your childhood, it's worth it.

I do the same thing. I mostly use mix for the KYN Brownies.