Betty Crocker has a lot of vegan options.
Baking mixes can be a real life-saver. Pour a box of powder into a bowl, add the ingredients on the box, and you’re already more than halfway there to “homemade” cake or cookies ready to take to a get-together. Even though traditional baking often calls for eggs and dairy, a number of baking mixes are actually vegan by default, including iconic brands. Here’s what to know about vegan Betty Crocker mixes—and frostings—because no cake is complete without frosting.
The great news is, most Betty Crocker baking mixes are vegan. All you need to do is replace eggs and milk with vegan options. The majority of the frostings are also vegan, making it easy to whip up a last-minute cake.
Most Betty Crocker mixes call for the addition of eggs. According to the website, you can replace eggs using applesauce, bananas, flax seeds, or a can of diet soda. As far as ratios go, a quarter cup of unsweetened applesauce replaces one egg. A ripe, evenly mashed banana is equal to one egg. To make a flax “egg,” mix one tablespoon of ground flax seeds with three tablespoons of water and let it sit for at least ten minutes. Bakers have shared tips for replacing eggs in specific mixes, which are detailed below.
Replace traditional butter with vegan butter—look for brands like Earth Balance, Miyoko’s Creamery, or Country Crock.
While mixes make it easier, there are a few other things to keep in mind when baking a cake. The first is choosing the right pan size—if it’s too big, your cake will turn out flat and dry. If it’s too small, the batter may spill over in the oven or it might not bake according to the minutes on the box. The instructions on the box give you a few options for pan sizes.
The material matters, too—shiny, light-colored pans reflect heat away from the cake for a perfect bake. Dark-colored metal or glass pans cause cakes to bake faster, so you may need to lower the temperature by 25F to prevent your cake from burning.
Bake your cake on the center rack unless otherwise noted and check that it’s done by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, your cake is done. Resist taking the cake out of the pan immediately—place the pan on a wire cooling rack and let it cool for 10 minutes and let it cool completely before frosting. Otherwise, you may end up with a sticky cake.
You can store your cake at room temperature for up to two days (placing your cake in the refrigerator too soon may result in a dry cake). Loosely cover your cake with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, so air can circulate. You could also use a cake carrier—just remember not to seal it. You can also freeze cakes: cover tightly and store in the freezer for up to two months.
However, if you’re using applesauce, banana puree, zucchini, pumpkin, or anything that adds moisture, then you should store your cake in the refrigerator to prevent mold from forming.
According to the Betty Crocker website, the brand’s cakes are best served the day you bake it.
With 15 vegan cake mixes to choose from, Betty Crocker has something for everyone. You can follow the instructions on the box as directed or draw inspiration from the tips on the website. For example, you can use the yellow cake mix to make pineapple upside-down cake. Just replace butter with vegan butter and use dairy-free whipping cream for the whipped cream topping.
Betty Crocker has vegan brownie mixes, too. According to advice from a Reddit thread, replacing eggs with black bean puree yields extra-fudgy brownies. User xvegfamx explains the process: “If you have never done this take a can of black beans, drain the liquid and replace with water (with the beans still inside the can) puree the beans and water in a blender for about 2 minutes and add to the brownie mix. Don’t add anything else, just the black bean puree and the powder mix, bake as directed. Seriously the best and easiest brownies you will ever make from a box.”
Other Redditors said they have had success with flax eggs, applesauce, banana, pumpkin puree, or three tablespoons of aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) per egg.
From classic chocolate chip to snickerdoodle and even gluten-free options, Betty Crocker also has a number of vegan cookie mixes. Redditors have tips for cookie mixes, too. A flax egg and vegan butter work well, but you can also use coconut oil or one tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with three tablespoons of water.
Finish off your cake with some vegan frosting. Betty Crocker offers frosting flavors to suit every cake. Be sure to let your cake cool completely before adding frosting to prevent it from melting into the sponge. As far as frostings go, the dark chocolate flavor is suitable for vegans — others include yellow 5, aka Tartrazine, which is tested on animals. The cherry and strawberry flavors contain blue 2, Indigo Carmine, which has also been tested on mice and rats. While they contain no animal-derived ingredients, some vegans may avoid these food colorings because of this.
This post was last modified on December 15, 2020 6:45 am