Cake Mixer

Cake mixers are an easy to use labor saving way to prepare cakes.

There are many different models to choose from, each with its own benefits. Before choosing a cake mixer be sure to check our reviews of different models available on the market today. Depending on your requirements, you can purchase a competent cake mixer for as little as $20 whilst the more hi-tech ranges can set you back $100 or more. You can also use them for a variety of other mixing tasks, not just for baking cakes.

Benefits of cake mixers

People have been making cakes for hundreds of years, far longer than electronic cake mixers have been around, so do you really need one, surely you can just mix the ingredients by hand? The answer is of course no, you do not “need” a cake mixer, but if you regularly bake cakes then owning one can make your life a lot easier, make it a lot faster to prepare cakes, and make the mixture much smoother.

Recipes used to list a certain number of strokes which were required to properly mix the ingredients. Nowadays they do not tend to have this requirement, instead you are told how long to blend the ingredients, and on what power setting. If you are mixing by hand, then it can take several minutes to actually mix everything properly, and often your hand can start to hurt after just a few strokes, as it is quite a labor intensive process. The only physical exertions used when you own a cake mixer is simply pushing the on button.

Cake mixers also speed up the process of baking a cake. Before it might take five or ten minutes to properly mix the ingredients, now it can take a matter of seconds. If you are making more than one cake, the time savings can really add up. If you baking cakes on a commercial level, then they are essential.

One of the elements that effects the final quality of the cake is how well mixed the ingredients are. When mixing by hand, you will often get tired and not be able to mix long enough or with enough force. This will leave the mixture lumpy and this can leave lumps in the final product, making it unpleasant to eat. It is also difficult to judge how long to mix when doing it by hand, as everybody does it at different speeds and with different levels of force. If you mix too thin, you will be left with too much air in the cake, leaving the final product with bubbles and other flaws. Owning a cake mixer allows you to mix the ingredients easily and with great accuracy. You will be able to get the perfect consistency, which will greatly improve the quality of the finished cake.

What cake mixer to choose

So now that you have decided to make your cake baking experience easier by owning a cake mixer, you are confronted by the huge range of different makes and models. They tend to come in three different varieties: stand mixers, hand mixers, and wand mixers.

Stand mixers are extremely capable top of the range models, that have multiple settings, high power capacity, and are capable or mixing large quantities of mixture at one time. They can be left unattended during mixing. They will usually come with several attachments and accessories capable of performing a wide variety of different jobs. However with this high functionality comes a high prices. These cake mixers will usually cost in the hundreds of dollars. As such, they are only really necessary for professional and commercial use. You will not need this item in an average kitchen, particularly if you are only baking every now and then, as you are unlikely to utilise all the additional attachments and accessories.

Hand mixers are mid range models. As the name suggests, they are compact and held in your hand whilst you mix. Therefore unlike stand mixers, you will have to be present during mixing. They will usually have about three different power settings, and perhaps a couple of extra attachments. They are perfect for mixing at home for the average user. They are powerful enough to tackle most mixing tasks, and are very affordable, usually around $40 for a good reliable brand.

Wand mixers are for light mixing only. They will usually have only one or two speeds, low power, and very few attachments and accessories. They are hand held, and are usually used for very limited mixing tasks such as mixing gravy, and batter. You can use them for cakes, but they are probably unsuitable for thicker mixtures such as cookies, but this will depend on the brand and model you choose. The cost of mixing wands will be in the sub $40 range.

You should therefore choose the cake mixer that best suits your uses, there is no need to spend more than you have to if you are only going to be a light user.