# Oh Gross!!! Easy Bake Oven...



## tinuviel_k (Apr 29, 2004)

My little one got an Easy bake oven from my sister for Christmas!







:

This is like a vicarious gift to me, because I always wanted one as a kid, and now I get to "play" with my daughter's a bit. I feel like I am fulfilling a deep childhood longing here...LOL! Anyway, I digress...

So the Easy Bake Oven came with a couple of baking mixes, and my sister threw in a confetti cake mix and a heart sugar cookie mix. We mixed up a couple and it was boring (felt like cheating!) and didn't taste that great. THEN I started reading the back of the mixes and... uke .

Here is what is in these $8 mixes (that much money for about two teeny servings!) that they want us to feed our kids: 2 grams of trans-fats per serving (partially hydrogenated oils and shortenings), tons of sugar, bleached white flour, sulfiting agents, artificial flavor, artificial coloring, silicone dioxide (whatever that is), and a load of stuff I can't pronounce. Shudder.

Thank goodness for the internet! I'm glad I was able to find some alternatives because I am NEVER going to buy those baking mixes. I managed to find some homemade recipes for the Easy Bake Oven. None of them really appealed to me because they all use white sugar (and waaay too much of it!), white flour, and most use shortening. (I'm a butter gal).
But they did inspire me to try a hand at creating my own recipe. If I do say so, it was very successful and was soooo delicious!

If anyone else has come up with healthier alternatives to the Easy Bake mixes I would love it if you would share.









If anyone is interested here is my chocolate cake recipe. (I am pretty proud







):
*
Kristina's Double Layer Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting
*
6 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
3-4 tsp evaporated cane juice (to your taste)
1 Tbsp organic fair-trade baking cocoa
1/4 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1 Tbsp buttermilk powder (optional)
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbsp melted butter or virgin coconut oil
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp (more or less) water

Butter and flour two Easy Bake Oven pans and set aside. Preheat the Easy Bake Oven for at least 15 minutes.

Sift all dry ingredients together. Add the butter and vanilla. Add the water one tablespoon at a time until the right consistency is reached (a thick but pourable batter).

Spoon 3 tablespoons of batter into each baking pan and spread evenly. There should be just enough for two layers plus a little bit to lick out of the bowl. (Argue with your children over who gets to lick the bowl). Bake each cake, one at a time, for 15 minutes. Let cool on a rack for five minutes and carefully remove the cake from the pan and onto the rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting
(note: the sugar/butter ratio might be a bit off. I didn't have any true powdered sugar: I used evaporated cane juice that I blended to a fine powder in my Vita Mix. With standard powdered sugar you might find that you need a little more or less of the butter or sugar to get the right consistency and sweetness.)

3 Tbsp powdered sugar
2 tsp powdered milk or powdered buttermilk
2 Tbsp organic baking cocoa
5 tsp butter, softened
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
milk or water, 1 tsp more or less

Mix the sugar, powdered milk, vanilla, and butter together until it forms a smooth paste. Add milk or water just a little at a time until your desired frosting consistency is reached (I like about 1 tsp). Stir well with a small whisk or a fork until the frosting is light and creamy. Set aside.

When cakes are completely cool frost the top of the first layer. Add the second layer and frost the top and sides.

Garnish with a topping if you like: crushed peppermint sticks, mini white chocolate chips, small edible flowers, whatever you come up with.

Enjoy!

I plan to come up with more variations on the cake recipe. I'd like to make a white cake, brownies, lemon frosting, small pizzas... all sorts of goodies! If you have a favorite recipe please post it to this thread. Share the non-processed Easy Bake Love!!!


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## vbactivist (Oct 4, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinuviel_k* 
My little one got an Easy bake oven from my sister for Christmas!







:

This is like a vicarious gift to me, because I always wanted one as a kid, and now I get to "play" with my daughter's a bit. I feel like I am fulfilling a deep childhood longing here...LOL! Anyway, I digress...

So the Easy Bake Oven came with a couple of baking mixes, and my sister threw in a confetti cake mix and a heart sugar cookie mix. We mixed up a couple and it was boring (felt like cheating!) and didn't taste that great. THEN I started reading the back of the mixes and... uke .

Here is what is in these $8 mixes (that much money for about two teeny servings!) that they want us to feed our kids: 2 grams of trans-fats per serving (partially hydrogenated oils and shortenings), tons of sugar, bleached white flour, sulfiting agents, artificial flavor, artificial coloring, silicone dioxide (whatever that is), and a load of stuff I can't pronounce. Shudder.

Thank goodness for the internet! I'm glad I was able to find some alternatives because I am NEVER going to buy those baking mixes. I managed to find some homemade recipes for the Easy Bake Oven. None of them really appealed to me because they all use white sugar (and waaay too much of it!), white flour, and most use shortening. (I'm a butter gal).
But they did inspire me to try a hand at creating my own recipe. If I do say so, it was very successful and was soooo delicious!

If anyone else has come up with healthier alternatives to the Easy Bake mixes I would love it if you would share.









If anyone is interested here is my chocolate cake recipe. (I am pretty proud







):
*
Kristina's Double Layer Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting
*
6 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
3-4 tsp evaporated cane juice (to your taste)
1 Tbsp organic fair-trade baking cocoa
1/4 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1 Tbsp buttermilk powder (optional)
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbsp melted butter or virgin coconut oil
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp (more or less) water

Butter and flour two Easy Bake Oven pans and set aside. Preheat the Easy Bake Oven for at least 15 minutes.

Sift all dry ingredients together. Add the butter and vanilla. Add the water one tablespoon at a time until the right consistency is reached (a thick but pourable batter).

Spoon 3 tablespoons of batter into each baking pan and spread evenly. There should be just enough for two layers plus a little bit to lick out of the bowl. (Argue with your children over who gets to lick the bowl). Bake each cake, one at a time, for 15 minutes. Let cool on a rack for five minutes and carefully remove the cake from the pan and onto the rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting
(note: the sugar/butter ratio might be a bit off. I didn't have any true powdered sugar: I used evaporated cane juice that I blended to a fine powder in my Vita Mix. With standard powdered sugar you might find that you need a little more or less of the butter or sugar to get the right consistency and sweetness.)

3 Tbsp powdered sugar
2 tsp powdered milk or powdered buttermilk
2 Tbsp organic baking cocoa
5 tsp butter, softened
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
milk or water, 1 tsp more or less

Mix the sugar, powdered milk, vanilla, and butter together until it forms a smooth paste. Add milk or water just a little at a time until your desired frosting consistency is reached (I like about 1 tsp). Stir well with a small whisk or a fork until the frosting is light and creamy. Set aside.

When cakes are completely cool frost the top of the first layer. Add the second layer and frost the top and sides.

Garnish with a topping if you like: crushed peppermint sticks, mini white chocolate chips, small edible flowers, whatever you come up with.

Enjoy!

I plan to come up with more variations on the cake recipe. I'd like to make a white cake, brownies, lemon frosting, small pizzas... all sorts of goodies! If you have a favorite recipe please post it to this thread. Share the non-processed Easy Bake Love!!!

http://www.budget101.com/kids.htm#Qu...ake_Oven_Mixes


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

I'm sorry, this is totally OT, but I had to laugh that this post was here today. DH just told me like an hour ago he thought I was an easy-bake oven and was supposed to have an easy pgcy b/c of it. I told him I'm the old, delapidated oven, easy bake was 6 yrs ago! lol Sorry, ramblings of a pg women...


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## tinuviel_k (Apr 29, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *thepeach80* 
i'm sorry, this is totally ot, but i had to laugh that this post was here today. Dh just told me like an hour ago he thought i was an easy-bake oven and was supposed to have an easy pgcy b/c of it. I told him i'm the old, delapidated oven, easy bake was 6 yrs ago! Lol sorry, ramblings of a pg women...

LOL!


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## NewDirections (Jul 18, 2008)

I always wanted an Easy Bake Oven and never got one. Now I'm a little glad after reading the ingredients that you posted in the mix. That is so cool that you created a EBO recipe. It sounds great







:


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## Masel (Apr 14, 2008)

My grown up oven stopped working so I ended baking cookies on tiny trays in my toaster oven. I was feeling sorry for myself about this until I started think of it as a easy bake oven and suddenly it was fun.

I still have my Easy Bake from when I was little but all the dishes and pans got lost along the way.


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## MommaSuzi (Jan 9, 2006)

So maybe they have updated the Easy Bake Oven, because I DID get one after years of hoping and dreaming








And I am sure that I remember it took a good hour to bake a little cake with that 100 W light bulb!!!!


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## Evan&Anna's_Mom (Jun 12, 2003)

I've found that most of my regular cake batters will bake in an Easy Bake-- you just have to divide everything into about 1/10 of the amount, so it takes a bit of math -- really good for an elementary aged kid to do. For eggs, wisk them and then measure the amount you need. Just don't try things like angel food or other "high rising" options. But regular cakes, brownies -- they work fine, just experiement with baking time until you get it right.


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## lucyem (Apr 30, 2005)

I always wanted an easy bake oven too. My parents bought me a set from sears with the mixes & the pans and had me use the toaster. The toaster just did not do it for me.


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## studentmama (Jan 30, 2004)

Oh fun! I always wanted one of these, but it was never in my parents budget. I love making cake too! For years I used box mixes and then I made one from scratch.







: Why oh why would anyone use a mix when a scratch cake is almost as easy and so much more delicious.

If anyone is interested I could share my grandmothers chocolate cake recipe, it's more for grown folks, but it is soooooooooooooo yummy!(Think blackout chocolate cake














.

Does anyone know, if I want to swap put some of the white foour for whole wheat pastry flour what the ratio would be? I would love to try that with this cake.

By the way, did I mention I love cake?







:


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## StephandOwen (Jun 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinuviel_k* 
Here is what is in these $8 mixes (that much money for about two teeny servings!) that they want us to feed our kids: 2 grams of trans-fats per serving (partially hydrogenated oils and shortenings), tons of sugar, bleached white flour, sulfiting agents, artificial flavor, artificial coloring, silicone dioxide (whatever that is), and a load of stuff I can't pronounce. Shudder.

I can't help but think.... "and you're surprised, why??". Of course they're going to sell you cheap crap and jack up the price. They don't care a rip about whether it's healthy or not.

I had an easy bake oven as a child. LOVED it. I would bake tiny cakes and divide them up among the family. We each got a crumb. LOL!

Great job on the recipes though!!


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## tinuviel_k (Apr 29, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *StephandOwen* 
I can't help but think.... "and you're surprised, why??". Of course they're going to sell you cheap crap and jack up the price. They don't care a rip about whether it's healthy or not.

I had an easy bake oven as a child. LOVED it. I would bake tiny cakes and divide them up among the family. We each got a crumb. LOL!

Great job on the recipes though!!

So I was on Amazon.com last night and they are selling a Cinnabon baking mix for the Easy Bake Oven... *for $85*!!!

What the heck is it, a limited edition or something? Are they sold out everywhere and in demand? Or was it from 5 years ago and these are the last ones in existence (eeeeewww!)? Weird!


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## PaigeC (Nov 25, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinuviel_k* 
So I was on Amazon.com last night and they are selling a Cinnabon baking mix for the Easy Bake Oven... *for $85*!!!

That better come with a Cinnabon *franchise*!


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## lil_miss_understood (Jul 19, 2006)

I had an Easy Bake Oven as a little girl but my mom would never buy me any replacement packages and didn't know to make them.  I ended up cooking my first cake by the time I was 6 because I wanted to bake!


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## skolbut (Feb 18, 2008)

What fun!! Hopefully trying homemade recipes and seeing what works and doesn't will be part of the fun... and props to you, mama, for finding a great way to make the gift work for YOU! (and dc)


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## mum5 (Apr 10, 2004)

Dh bought one for our oldest dd for her birthday in Dec. and bought a bunch of the mixes too from Santa.
I would not have purchaesed it by myself, but dh wanted to, so whatever.









I am glad that there are some alternative recipies out there too. I do try to limit my kids intake of sugar and junk, but I guess dh is not on that same page!!


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## Tarielena (Sep 10, 2008)

That's so funny... I was desperate for an Easy Bake Oven when I was growing up, put it on every birthday and Christmas list and never got one (my mom always said I could just use the regular oven if I wanted to bake). Then my (future at the time) in-laws bought me one for Christmas a few years back so after 18 years of yearning all my hopes and dreams came true, lol. We all had fun making tiny little cakes for one night, which fulfilled all my years of longing, same as you! It's been packed away ever since, but that was a great night, haha.


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