A. Flour
The present dry mix compositions essentially contain from about 20% to 50% of the dry mix of flour. Better results are achieved when the flour level ranges from about 35% to 45% by weight of the dry mix. The flour(s) useful in the dry mixes of the present invention can be of conventional type and quality. Wheat flours are preferred but other flours conventionally used in the preparation of layer cakes can also be employed in full or partial substitution for the wheat flour. Traditional cake flour has about 8% or less protein by weight of the flour. Pastry flour ordinarily has a protein level of about 10%. Other flours such as bread flour generally have higher protein levels of about 11% to 13% by weight. The preferred protein range for the wheat flour useful in this invention is between about 9% to 10% by weight of the flour. This protein range permits easy removal of the cake from the pan. A good general all-purpose flour also can be used. Such all-purpose flour generally comprises a mixture of both hard and soft wheat flours, i.e., both high protein level and low protein level flours. Such flours are useful if the average protein content ranges from about 8% to 10% by weight.
In one preferred embodiment where ingredient cost is less of a concern, the flour ingredient can be an instantized flour. Instantized flours are flours which have been agglomerated. Employment of such instantized flours (e.g., Wondra® brand flour available from General Mills, Inc.) provides the benefit of rapid hydration of the mix into a batter, thus eliminating the need for extensive mixing for batter formation and batter aeration.
The present invention is particularly useful when instantized flour is employed since ready to bake batters are typically prepared by simple mixing with a few fork strokes and no batter aeration step is employed. Conventionally, batter aeration is important in achieving high volumes in the finished cake and comprises the mixing or beating of the batter for several minutes at high speed in order to achieve incorporation of air into the batter. Batter aeration creates air cells in the batter which expand upon baking to form the crumb structure of the cake.