Muffins & *holiday breads* using a box cake mix

[Madison]

Sometimes I bake from scratch, and sometimes, I bake from a mix.

The kids' school is having a Halloween Carnival in early October, and I've been tasked with making some muffins and "holiday breads" for the bake sale table. Not cupcakes, but muffins -- these will be baked in a cupcake pan.

Not a pan of 9 x 13 cake or a layer cake, but a "loaf" like a holiday bread that's around 9 inches x 4 inches, by 3 inches deep -- not sure why it's called bread, because it's not bread.

The Parent-Teacher-Student Association provided me with boxes of cake mix, and a stipend for purchasing eggs, etc. The box mixes are brand names of Duncan Hines, Pillsbury, and Betty Crocker.

I know that muffins and "holiday loaves" are usually more dense than cupcakes and layer cakes.

What do I have to add to the boxed cake mixes to make them more dense? I figure I'll follow the directions on the box regarding eggs, oil or applesauce... but for a more dense final product, I'd probably have to add some flour, but how much? Do I need to add any baking powder, baking soda, more or less eggs, oil or applesauce?

My list of add-ins for the cake mixes, depending on the mix, includes adding chopped apples, lemon zest, chocolate chips, frozen blueberries, grated carrots ... like I said, it depends on the flavor of the cake mixes, and that will guide me as to what add-ins.

Not really wanting to experiment with the PTSAs cake mixes, so I'm looking for a reliable way to make cake mixes more dense. An odd request, to be sure, but I said I'd help.

Thank you very much in advance for helpful information and guidance!
Maddy

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Sometimes I bake from scratch, and sometimes, I bake from a mix.

The kids' school is having a Halloween Carnival in early October, and I've been tasked with making some muffins and "holiday breads" for the bake sale table. Not cupcakes, but muffins -- these will be baked in a cupcake pan.

Not a pan of 9 x 13 cake or a layer cake, but a "loaf" like a holiday bread that's around 9 inches x 4 inches, by 3 inches deep -- not sure why it's called bread, because it's not bread.

The Parent-Teacher-Student Association provided me with boxes of cake mix, and a stipend for purchasing eggs, etc. The box mixes are brand names of Duncan Hines, Pillsbury, and Betty Crocker.

I know that muffins and "holiday loaves" are usually more dense than cupcakes and layer cakes.

What do I have to add to the boxed cake mixes to make them more dense? I figure I'll follow the directions on the box regarding eggs, oil or applesauce... but for a more dense final product, I'd probably have to add some flour, but how much? Do I need to add any baking powder, baking soda, more or less eggs, oil or applesauce?

My list of add-ins for the cake mixes, depending on the mix, includes adding chopped apples, lemon zest, chocolate chips, frozen blueberries, grated carrots ... like I said, it depends on the flavor of the cake mixes, and that will guide me as to what add-ins.

Not really wanting to experiment with the PTSAs cake mixes, so I'm looking for a reliable way to make cake mixes more dense. An odd request, to be sure, but I said I'd help.

Thank you very much in advance for helpful information and guidance!
Maddy

The “holiday loaves” you referred to are quick breads. Quick breads include any dough or batter that is leavened without yeast. They can be sweet or savory. Muffins, scones, biscuits, zucchini bread, orange cranberry bread are just a few examples of the baked goods that fall in the quick bread category.

Do NOT add any flour or baking powder. Baking is science. The mix in the box is already formulated to ensure the proper ratio of leavening to flour. If you change the ratio of flour and/or baking powder you will risk it collapsing during the bake.

It is not the amount of flour and/or leavening that makes the texture of quick bread, rather it’s the ratio of all of the ingredients. The standard ratios for quick bread is 2:2:1:1 flour: liquid: eggs: fat. Then there’s also the mixing method In which all dry ingredients are mixed; all wet ingredients are mixed separately and then mixed into the dry ingredients. But all of these standards are for making a quick bread from scratch.

Betty Crocker has recipes on their website using their cake mixes for quick breads. Scroll down to the heading that says “expert tips“; click on it to expand the category and it will give you an array of variations for using their cake mixes as quick breads. This will guide you through the process. You don’t have to do anything to the mix itself. In fact if you add anything to the mix such as additional flour or leavening you’re going to throw everything out of whack.

I’m sure members of the PTA understand that using a box mix will produce a quick bread that is somewhat different from one made from scratch. But using box mix is cheaper, saves time, and assures some level of success and consistency in the end product.

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-cake-mix-banana-bread/dbbece87-a1d1-4585-aea9-7147d2514e3a

 

[Madison]

Wow, Norcalbaker59, thank you so much for this information! You are so awesome and knowledgeable!!!!
The link was very helpful as well, and gave me a few ideas...I'm hoping the expert tips will yield a more dense product.
Using bananas would have been easy, but I've already been cautioned that another member of the PTSA always makes banana muffins and banana quick breads and that's her *thing.* I know better than to make an enemy, so no bananas for me!

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Lol yes some bakers can get their shorts in a bunch when someone bakes what they consider to be their specialty. Kinda silly really because we didn’t invent any of this, we’re just simply carrying on the baking traditions from our ancestors.

And too, a cake is a cake; a scone is a scone; a cookie is a cookie. No matter what you toss in the cookie dough it doesn’t change the fundamental ingredients in the dough and the mixing method that makes it a cookie instead of a pie.

Have fun with your project. You’re children are lucky to have a parent so willing to get involved with their school.

 

[Madison]

LOL!!! "get their shorts in a bunch"
Now that I know about the All Things Banana Queen, I'll avoid stepping on her toes!