It’s a yellow cake addition for a simple cake mix; precisely, Betty Crocker, the pioneer of cake mix brands.
Betty was quite a gal–her name was selected for the cake box having a “cheery all-American name”. Her last name?–made mention in honor of William Crocker, a Washburn Crosby Company director. Of interest? She’s still famous.
But who created Betty Crocker?–a home economist and businesswoman, Marjorie Husted. Brilliant. She saved women time in the kitchen for quickly whipping up a cake for a school holiday party, for a church luncheon, and for relatives coming over on Sunday. Plus, money was made–glorious. Smart lady. She was so clever that she gave her cake mix a gender, a woman’s name! Why not.
And if that wasn’t enough, she gave her cake mix voice a voice, the imagination of what Betty Crocker would sound like, an audible voice that was aired on NBC Radio in 1924. The voice was that of Agnes White portraying Betty on The Betty Crocker Cooking School of the Air.
Now there is a street named after her, Betty Crocker Drive in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. I’d say Marjorie thought out of both sides of her brain… “precisely”. Still famous. Still in kitchens. Still on picnic tables. Still hushed and proclaimed as “homemade” by those who are too bashful to say it’s from Betty Crocker.
So if you don’t have enough time to whip up a cake from scratch, doctor up a cake mix that’ll save you time when you’re running all over the place trying to make a living.
Instead of vegetable oil, I’m adding virgin coconut oil, the same measurement on the box as the oil. It’s already smelling like a coconut cake!
I’m adding an extra large egg, now a total of 4, and 1 cup whole milk instead of water. Let’s see how moist and “homemade” this will smell and taste…
Be sure that the coconut oil is at room temperature before mixing into the eggs. I suggest letting it set out to melt, by room temperature, instead of heating on the stove or in the microwave.
Begin with mixing the milk and coconut oil into the eggs–but don’t beat. Combine well–not for long, and just under medium speed. The extra egg with the coconut oil will make the batter glossy and thick like a pudding, making the cake more moist, and the extra egg will make the cake fluffier.
On low speed, in four sets, gradually add the cake mix into the wet mixture. That’s all, quickly made!
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven if using a dark pan that is well greased and/or floured.
Follow instructions on the Betty Crocker box and be careful not to over-bake. When the cake is done, allow to cool for just a few minutes less than 10 in the cake pan–so that the outer edges of the cake don’t continue baking too brown from the hot pan. Have the cake placed on a rack before turning out to finish cooling and then sifting with powdered sugar or covering with frosting.
This is worth it, and “shhh–it’s homemade”.
All in a name, not Betty Boop.
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