{{Short description|Dry foodstuff used in baking}}
== Baking Mix ==
{{Redirect|Prepared mix|prepared mixes for drinks|Drink mixer#Prepared mix}}
[[File:Cake mix in plastic packet photo.JPG|thumb|The contents of a chocolate cake baking mix]]
[[File:A cake baking mix being mixed together.jpg|thumb|A cake baking mix being mixed together]]
A '''baking mix''' is a pre-mixed formulation of ingredients used for the cooking of [[baked goods]]. Baking mixes may be commercially manufactured or homemade. Baking mixes that cater to particular dietary needs, such as [[Gluten-free diet|gluten-free]] baking mixes or [[Kosher foods|kosher]] baking mixes, can be bought in many places.
[[File:Cake_mix_in_plastic_packet_photo.JPG|thumb|The contents of a chocolate cake baking mix]]
== Types ==
A '''baking mix''' is a pre-mixed formulation of ingredients used for the preparation of baked goods. These mixes are designed to simplify the baking process by providing a convenient, ready-to-use combination of dry ingredients. Baking mixes can be used to make a variety of baked products, including cakes, cookies, pancakes, and breads.
Baking mixes are produced for the preparation of specific foods such as breads, quick breads, pancakes, waffles,<ref name="Perillo 2013 p. 20" /> cakes, muffins, cookies, brownies<ref name="Layton Larsen 2011 p. 151" /> pizza dough,<ref name="Davis 2013 p. 185" /> biscuits<ref name="Heeren 2014 p. 9" /> and various desserts,<ref name="Qualizza 2014" /> among other foods. Some all-purpose baking mixes, including commercial and homemade varieties, can be used to prepare several types of baked goods,<ref name="Perillo 2013 p. 20" /><ref name="Wilbur 2009" /> such as biscuits, pizza dough, muffins, cookies and pancakes,<ref name="WSU" /> among others. Some bread baking mixes are formulated for use in a [[bread machine]].<ref name="Dailey 1995" />
Ingredients in baking mixes may include flour, bread flour, baking powder, baking soda, yeast,<ref name="Layton Larsen 2011 p. 151" /> sugar and salt, as well as others depending upon the food type. Gluten-free baking mixes may be prepared using [[rice flour]] in place of wheat flour.<ref name="Layton Larsen 2011 p. 151" /><ref name="great 2011" /> Dry baking mixes typically require the addition of water or milk, and may also require additional ingredients such as eggs, butter and cooking oil.
== History ==
==Size==
The concept of baking mixes dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One of the earliest forms of baking mix was self-raising flour, which was invented by [[Henry Jones (baker)|Henry Jones]] in the 1840s. This innovation allowed bakers to save time by eliminating the need to measure and mix leavening agents separately.
Some baking mixes are sold in bulk volumes, and the baker measures out the amount needed. In other cases, the mix is sold pre-measured in a commonly desired size, such as enough baking mix to make a particular size of cake. Around 2012, most large American manufacturers of cake mixes reduced the size of their standard cake mixes by about 15% by weight, as a result of rising prices for ingredients.<ref name=":0" /> This resulted in complaints from some customers about the mix making smaller cakes or fewer cupcakes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.today.com/money/cupcake-conundrum-cake-mixes-shrinking-along-other-favorite-products-6C10798951|title=Cupcake conundrum: Cake mixes shrinking along with other favorite products|last=Popken|first=Ben|date=1 August 2013|work=TODAY.com|access-date=2017-03-06|language=en}}</ref> Betty Crocker and [[Pillsbury Company|Pillsbury]] mixes shrank from 18.25 ounces to 15.25 ounces. However, not all manufacturers followed this trend of reducing the amount to maintain the price; the King Arthur Flour Company, which makes premium-quality cake mixes, continued to produce 22-ounce cake mixes.<ref name=":0" />
==Brands and companies==
[[File:Henry_Jones_Self-Raising_Flour_Advertisement.JPG|thumb|An advertisement for Henry Jones Self-Raising Flour, Bristol, UK (between circa 1845 and circa 1880)]]
===United States===
====Brands====
[[Arrowhead Mills]]<ref name="Ford 1974"/> is a [[brand]] of [[Organic food|organic]] baking mixes, cereals, grains and nut butters. The company was founded in 1960 by [[nutritionist]] [[Frank Ford (farmer)|Frank Ford]] in [[Hereford, Texas|Hereford]], the seat of [[Deaf Smith County, Texas|Deaf Smith County]] in the southern [[Texas Panhandle]] west of [[Amarillo, Texas|Amarillo]], [[Texas]]. Many Arrowhead Mills products are certified at least 70 percent organic by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) or Pro-Cert Organic Systems.
[[Atkins Nutritionals]] produces an all-purpose baking mix, along with several other foods.<ref name="Businessweek.com 2015"/> Dr. Atkins founded Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. in 1989 to promote the low-carbohydrate products of his increasingly popular [[Atkins diet]]. This diet was developed after Atkins read a research paper in the [[Journal of the American Medical Association]] published by Gordon Azar and Walter Lyons Bloom. Atkins used information from the study to resolve his own overweight condition.
In the United States, the development of baking mixes gained momentum in the 1930s and 1940s. Companies like [[General Mills]] and [[Pillsbury]] introduced cake mixes that became popular due to their convenience and consistent results. The post-World War II era saw a significant increase in the popularity of baking mixes as they aligned with the growing demand for convenience foods.
[[General Mills]] owns the brand [[Betty Crocker]], under which a variety of foods are purveyed, including baking mixes.<ref name="Sutherland 2015"/> [[Marjorie Husted]] was the creator of Betty Crocker. She was a home economist and businesswoman under whose supervision the image of Betty Crocker became an icon for General Mills. In 1921, Washburn Crosby merged with five or more other milling companies to form General Mills. There are a number of Betty Crocker-branded products, such as plastic food containers and measuring cups, and a line of small appliances like popcorn poppers and sandwich makers with the Betty Crocker brand name. It also owns the [[Pillsbury Company]], which makes its own baking mixes.
== Types of Baking Mixes ==
[[Bisquick]] is a baking mix brand that was founded by Carl Smith in 1931. At the time, Smith was employed a sales executive for the General Mills, Inc. Sperry Division.<ref name="Jorgensen 1994"/> Bisquick may be used to bake several foods, such as biscuits, pancakes, coffee cake<ref name="Johnson p. 11"/> and other baked goods. According to General Mills, Bisquick was invented in 1930 after one of their top sales executives met an innovative train [[dining car]] chef on a business trip. After the sales executive complimented the chef on his deliciously fresh biscuits, the dining car chef shared that he used a pre-mixed biscuit batter he created consisting of lard, flour, baking powder and salt. The chef then stored his pre-mixed biscuit batter on ice in his kitchen ahead of time, enabling him to bake fresh biscuits quickly on the train every day. As soon as the sales executive returned from that business trip, he stole the chef's idea and created Bisquick.
Baking mixes come in various forms, each tailored for specific types of baked goods. Some common types include:
[[Bob's Red Mill]] is an American company that produces over 400 products, including baking mixes.<ref name="Qualizza 2014"/><ref name="Griepentrog 2015"/> The company is a producer of lines of natural, [[certified organic]], and [[gluten-free]] [[Gristmill|milled]] [[Cereal|grain]] products, billing itself as the "nation's leading miller of diverse whole-grain foods."<ref name=pbj>Strom, Shelly. [http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2005/02/21/story4.html?jst=cn_cn_lk Taking Red Mill global.] ''Portland Business Journal'', February 18, 2005.</ref> In February 2010, owner Bob Moore transferred ownership of the company to his employees using an [[employee stock ownership plan]].<ref name=transfer>{{cite news |url= http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2010/02/bobs_red_mill_natural_foods_ro.html |title=Founder of Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods transfers business to employees |last=Tims |first=Dana |date=February 16, 2010|work=The Oregonian|accessdate=17 February 2010}}</ref>
* '''Cake Mixes''': These are perhaps the most well-known type of baking mix. They typically contain flour, sugar, leavening agents, and flavorings. Users often need to add eggs, oil, and water to complete the batter.
[[Dassant]] is an American brand of baking mixes.<ref name="Adweek"/> The company was founded in 1980, with its specialization product the Classic [[Beer Bread]]. Dassant Truffle Brownie mix was first introduced in 1987. Since then it has been reviewed by numerous publications. In January 2012, Woman's World Magazine called the mixes the "holy grail of brownie mixes".<ref>{{cite news|title=You Deserve the Best....Brownie Mix!|newspaper=Woman's World|date=January 30, 2012|quote="Truffle-packed indulgence"}}</ref> In early 2012, the company introduced a line of baking mixes including pancakes, cookies, carrot cake and pumpkin bread.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Dassant Introduces a New Face in Premium Baking Mixes |url=https://news.yahoo.com/dassant-introduces-face-premium-baking-mixes-080826403.html |publisher=Yahoo News |date=February 1, 2012}}</ref>
* '''Pancake Mixes''': These mixes are designed for making pancakes and often include flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Some pancake mixes may also contain powdered milk or buttermilk.
[[File:Chelsea Milling Company.JPG|thumb|235px|[[Grain elevator]]s at the Chelsea Milling Company, manufacturer of [[Jiffy mix]] products, in Chelsea, Michigan]]
* '''Bread Mixes''': These mixes are used for making various types of bread, including white, whole wheat, and specialty breads. They usually contain flour, yeast, and salt.
[[Jiffy mix]] is a baking mix brand produced and owned by the Chelsea Milling Company in Chelsea, Michigan.<ref name="Detroit News 2015"/> Jiffy mix has been produced since 1930.<ref name="Detroit News 2015"/> As of 2015, 19 mixes are produced, which are distributed to all of the U.S. states, and in 32 countries.<ref name="Detroit News 2015"/><ref name="Seguin 2013"/> Most of the company's products are handled, processed and produced in-house, which includes grain storage, the grinding of grains into flour, product mixing and box manufacturing.<ref name="Seguin 2013"/><ref name="Karol 2013"/>
[[Martha White]] is an American brand under which several baking mixes are purveyed.<ref name="AP 1994"/> The Martha White brand was established as the premium brand of [[Nashville, Tennessee]]-based Royal Flour Mills in 1899.<ref name="Samuelson">{{cite book|last=Samuelson|first=Dave|editor=P. Kingsbury, M. McCall & J. Rumble|title=The Encyclopedia of Country Music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tLZz02EzmBYC&pg=PT1282|accessdate=23 September 2013|year=2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-992083-9|pages=1281–1283|chapter=Martha White Flour}}</ref> At that time, Nashville businessman Richard Lindsey introduced a fine flour that he named for his daughter, Martha White Lindsey.<ref name="Finch2009">{{cite book|last=Sheckler Finch|first=Jackie|title=Nashville|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4_NxE3TPiJsC&pg=PA81|accessdate=24 September 2013|year=2009|publisher=Globe Pequot|isbn=978-0-7627-5567-7|page=81}}</ref> The Martha White brand is probably most associated with its long-term sponsorship of the [[Grand Ole Opry]], a [[radio]] program featuring [[country music]].<ref name="Samuelson" />
* '''Cookie Mixes''': These mixes provide the dry ingredients needed to make cookies, such as flour, sugar, and baking soda. Users typically add butter and eggs.
====Companies====
* '''Specialty Mixes''': There are also mixes for specific recipes, such as brownies, muffins, and scones.
[[Auntie Anne's]] is an American [[Chain store|chain]] of [[pretzel]] bakeries that also produces a pretzel baking mix.<ref name="Omazic 2013"/> The chain started as a market stand in the [[Downingtown, Pennsylvania]] Farmer's Market. Auntie Anne's now has over 300 [[Franchising|franchisees]] with more than 1,500 locations in the United States and more than 23 countries globally.
[[Cherrybrook Kitchen]] is a company that produces baking mixes<ref name="Pascal 2010 p. 2"/> and other baking products. The company was founded in response to the growing number of children and adults diagnosed with [[food allergies]]. 11 million adults and children are affected by peanut, dairy, egg and nut [[allergens]], while approximately one in 133 Americans suffers from [[coeliac disease|celiac disease]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spins.com |title=SPINS |publisher=SPINS |date= |accessdate=August 15, 2011}}</ref>
[[File:A_cake_baking_mix_being_mixed_together.jpg|thumb|A cake baking mix being mixed together]]
The [[King Arthur Flour|King Arthur Flour Company]] is an American supplier of flour,<ref name="Anderson Sands 2004"/> baking mixes,<ref name="Griepentrog 2015"/> baked goods and cookbooks. The company was founded in 1790 in Boston, Massachusetts by Henry Wood. In 1996 the company's name was changed to The King Arthur Flour Co. to reflect its principal brand, and also converted to an [[employee stock ownership plan|employee-owned business]] structure. The employee-owned company has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Vermont every year since the inception of the award in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|title=Best Places to Work in Vermont|url=http://bestplacestoworkinvt.com|publisher=The Best Companies Group, Inc|accessdate=26 August 2014}}</ref>
== Production and Packaging ==
[[Pinnacle Foods]] is an American packaged foods company that owns the [[Duncan Hines]] brand, which includes cake mixes.<ref name="Hatchett 2001"/> Duncan Hines (March 26, 1880 – March 15, 1959) was an [[United States|American]] pioneer of restaurant ratings for travelers. He is best known today for the brand of food products that bears his name. In 1952, Hines introduced Duncan Hines bread through the Durkee's Bakery Company of [[Homer, New York|Homer]], [[New York (state)|New York]]. Principals Michael C. Antil Sr., Albert Durkee, and Lena Durkee were the bakery proprietors. This was Duncan Hines' first foray into baked goods. In 1957, Nebraska Consolidated Mills, who at the time owned the cake mix license, sold the cake mix business to the U.S. consumer products company [[Procter & Gamble]]. The company expanded the business to the national market and added a series of related products.
Baking mixes are produced by combining the dry ingredients in precise proportions. The ingredients are often sifted and blended to ensure even distribution. The mixes are then packaged in various forms, including boxes, bags, and pouches, to maintain freshness and ease of use.
[[Streit's]] is a [[kosher]] food company based in New York City that produces 11 cake mixes.<ref name="Travers 2006"/> The company also produces pancake mixes and many other foods. The company was founded in 1916 by Aron Streit, a [[Jewish]] [[immigrant]] from Austria. Its first factory was on Pitt Street in the [[Lower East Side]] of [[Manhattan]]. The company's {{convert|47000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} [[matzo]] factory, along with [[Katz's Deli|Katz's Delicatessen]] and [[Yonah Shimmel's Knish Bakery|Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery]], is a surviving piece of the Lower East Side's Jewish heritage.<ref name="StreitMove">{{Cite web
File:Henry Jones Self-Raising Flour Advertisement.JPG|An advertisement for Henry Jones Self-Raising Flour, Bristol, UK (between circa 1845 and circa 1880)
File:HK food 鹽焗雞粉 Spicy Bake Mix Koon Yick Wah Kee plastic bags Mar-2014.JPG|A spicy baking mix in Hong Kong
</gallery>
==See also==
To use a baking mix, the consumer typically needs to add a few additional ingredients, such as eggs, milk, or oil, depending on the type of mix. The instructions on the packaging guide the user through the preparation process, which usually involves mixing the ingredients, pouring the batter into a baking dish, and baking at a specified temperature for a set amount of time.
{{Portal|Food}}
* [[Cookie dough]] – some store varieties are pre-mixed
<ref name="Jorgensen 1994">{{cite book | last=Jorgensen | first=J. | title=Encyclopedia of Consumer Brands: Consumable Products | publisher=Saint James Press | series=Encyclopedia of consumer brands | year=1994 | isbn=978-1-55862-336-1 | url=https://books.google.com/?id=r5cYAAAAIAAJ&q=Bisquick&dq=Bisquick|page=62}} Quote: "Bisquick brand of baking mix founded in 1931 by Carl Smith, a sales executive of the Sperry Division of General Mills, Inc., who discovered the "instant mix" idea in 1930 in the dining car of a train; Bisquick name coined by ..."</ref>
<ref name="Johnson p. 11">{{cite book | last=Johnson | first=F.K. | title=101 Simple Coffee Cake Recipes | publisher=Fraser Keith Johnson | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2zYHvt0lE7wC&pg=PA11 | page=11}}</ref>
<ref name="Detroit News 2015">{{cite web | title=Happy 85th birthday, Jiffy mix | website=[[The Detroit News]] |last = Pardo| first = Steve | date=April 30, 2015 | url=http://www.detroitnews.com/story/life/food/2015/04/30/jiffy-mix-biscuits-recipe/26600727/ | accessdate=May 31, 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="Seguin 2013">{{cite web | last=Seguin | first=Nichole | title=Made in Michigan: Chelsea's Jiffy expansion means a lot more muffins | website=Chelsea Standard | date=October 31, 2013 | url=http://www.heritage.com/articles/2013/10/31/chelsea_standard/news/doc52697baa896e1884221184.txt | accessdate=May 31, 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="Anderson Sands 2004">{{cite book | last=Anderson | first=D.A. | last2=Sands | first2=F. | title=King Arthur Flour Company | publisher=Arcadia Pub. | series=Images of America | year=2004 | isbn=978-0-7385-3626-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IW7Lx41umzsC&printsec=frontcover}}</ref>
<ref name="Ford 1974">{{cite book | last=Ford | first=F. | title=The simpler life cookbook from Arrowhead Mills | publisher=Harvest Press | year=1974 | isbn=978-0-930718-00-8 | url=https://archive.org/details/simplerlifecookb00ford| url-access=registration }}</ref>
<ref name="Griepentrog 2015">{{cite web | last=Griepentrog | first=Troy | title=Gluten-Free Baking Mixes and Other Gluten-Free Products | website=[[Mother Earth News]] | date=June 1, 2015 | url=http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/gluten-free-baking-mixes-and-other-gluten-free-products.aspx | accessdate=June 6, 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="Businessweek.com 2015">{{cite web | title=Atkins Nutritionals Holdings, Inc.: Private Company Information | website=[[Bloomberg Businessweek]] | date=June 6, 2015 | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=12736442 | accessdate=June 6, 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="AP 1994">{{cite web | title=Company News; Pillsbury to Acquire Tennessee Baking Mix Business | website=[[The New York Times]] | date=July 20, 1994 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/20/business/company-news-pillsbury-to-acquire-tennessee-baking-mix-business.html | accessdate=June 6, 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="Travers 2006">{{cite book | last=Travers | first=L. | title=Encyclopedia of American holidays and national days | publisher=Greenwood Press | series=Encyclopedia of American Holidays and National Days | issue=v. 1 | year=2006 | isbn=978-0-313-33131-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G4LYAAAAMAAJ |page=101}}</ref>
<ref name="Davis 2013 p. 185">{{cite book | last=Davis | first=W. | title=Wheat Belly 30-Minute (Or Less!) Cookbook: 200 Quick and Simple Recipes to Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health | publisher=Rodale Books | year=2013 | isbn=978-1-62336-208-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0brYAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA185 | page=185}}</ref>
<ref name="Heeren 2014 p. 9">{{cite book | last=Heeren | first=M. | title=10 Ways to Use Biscuit Mix (Recipe Book) | publisher=MicJames | year=2014 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OSXDBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA9 | page=9}}</ref>
<ref name="Wilbur 2009">{{cite book | last=Wilbur | first=T. | title=Top Secret Recipes Unlocked: All New Home Clones of America's Favorite Brand-Name Foods | publisher=Penguin Publishing Group | year=2009 | isbn=978-1-101-15242-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YNnjSYuBGL4C&pg=PT19}}</ref>
<ref name="Perillo 2013 p. 20">{{cite book | last=Perillo | first=J. | title=Homemade with Love: Simple Scratch Cooking from in Jennie's Kitchen | publisher=Running Press | year=2013 | isbn=978-0-7624-4723-7 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9f4fAQAAQBAJ&pg=PT20}}</ref>
<ref name="WSU">[http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/em4700/em4700.pdf Better Baking Mix]. Washington State University College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. Revised March 2006. Accessed June 6, 2015.</ref>
<ref name="Qualizza 2014">{{cite web | last=Qualizza | first=Jill Russell | title=Bakery Trends Go Back to Basics | website=Food Processing | date=September 3, 2014 | url=http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2014/bakery-trends-go-back-to-basics/ | accessdate=June 6, 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="Dailey 1995">{{cite web | last=Dailey | first=Pat | title=Have a bread machine, and although it is very easy to... | website=[[Chicago Tribune]] | date=November 29, 1995 | url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-11-29/entertainment/9511290051_1_bread-machine-cups-bread-flour-active-dry-yeast | accessdate=June 6, 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="great 2011">{{cite web | last=great | first=Rice flour | title=Rice flour great for gluten-free baking (and onion rings) | website=[[The Press of Atlantic City]] | date=March 9, 2011 | url=http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/life/rice-flour-great-for-gluten-free-baking-and-onion-rings/article_70257097-b173-5515-8eb9-46c66c0b8b80.html | accessdate=June 6, 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="Karol 2013">{{cite web | last=Karol | first=Gabrielle | title=Jiffy Mix Recipe: If it Works, Leave it Alone | website=[[Fox Business]] | date=August 19, 2013 | url=http://www.foxbusiness.com/business-leaders/2013/08/19/jiffy-mix-recipe-if-it-works-leave-it-alone/ | accessdate=May 31, 2015}}</ref>
}}
==External links==
Baking mixes offer several advantages, including convenience, time savings, and consistent results. They are particularly popular among home bakers who may not have the time or experience to measure and mix ingredients from scratch.
{{Commons category|Cake mix}}
{{Wikisource}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Baking mixes| ]]
However, some critics argue that baking mixes can limit creativity and control over the final product. Additionally, they may contain preservatives and artificial ingredients that some consumers prefer to avoid.
{{dictionary-stub1}}
[[File:HK_food_鹽焗雞粉_Spicy_Bake_Mix_Koon_Yick_Wah_Kee_plastic_bags_Mar-2014.JPG|thumb|A spicy baking mix in Hong Kong]]
A baking mix is a pre-mixed formulation of ingredients used for the preparation of baked goods. These mixes are designed to simplify the baking process by providing a convenient, ready-to-use combination of dry ingredients. Baking mixes can be used to make a variety of baked products, including cakes, cookies, pancakes, and breads.
History
The concept of baking mixes dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One of the earliest forms of baking mix was self-raising flour, which was invented by Henry Jones in the 1840s. This innovation allowed bakers to save time by eliminating the need to measure and mix leavening agents separately.
An advertisement for Henry Jones Self-Raising Flour, Bristol, UK (between circa 1845 and circa 1880)
In the United States, the development of baking mixes gained momentum in the 1930s and 1940s. Companies like General Mills and Pillsbury introduced cake mixes that became popular due to their convenience and consistent results. The post-World War II era saw a significant increase in the popularity of baking mixes as they aligned with the growing demand for convenience foods.
Types of Baking Mixes
Baking mixes come in various forms, each tailored for specific types of baked goods. Some common types include:
Cake Mixes: These are perhaps the most well-known type of baking mix. They typically contain flour, sugar, leavening agents, and flavorings. Users often need to add eggs, oil, and water to complete the batter.
Pancake Mixes: These mixes are designed for making pancakes and often include flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Some pancake mixes may also contain powdered milk or buttermilk.
Bread Mixes: These mixes are used for making various types of bread, including white, whole wheat, and specialty breads. They usually contain flour, yeast, and salt.
Cookie Mixes: These mixes provide the dry ingredients needed to make cookies, such as flour, sugar, and baking soda. Users typically add butter and eggs.
Specialty Mixes: There are also mixes for specific recipes, such as brownies, muffins, and scones.
A cake baking mix being mixed together
Production and Packaging
Baking mixes are produced by combining the dry ingredients in precise proportions. The ingredients are often sifted and blended to ensure even distribution. The mixes are then packaged in various forms, including boxes, bags, and pouches, to maintain freshness and ease of use.
Grain elevator
Usage and Preparation
To use a baking mix, the consumer typically needs to add a few additional ingredients, such as eggs, milk, or oil, depending on the type of mix. The instructions on the packaging guide the user through the preparation process, which usually involves mixing the ingredients, pouring the batter into a baking dish, and baking at a specified temperature for a set amount of time.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Baking mixes offer several advantages, including convenience, time savings, and consistent results. They are particularly popular among home bakers who may not have the time or experience to measure and mix ingredients from scratch.
However, some critics argue that baking mixes can limit creativity and control over the final product. Additionally, they may contain preservatives and artificial ingredients that some consumers prefer to avoid.
