Baking cakes is a delight. Especially if we are making it for our loved ones, they are easy to make and delicious to eat. Seriously, what could be better? The right answer is nothing. There is nothing better than cake to fill your tummy and heart.

All you need are the right ingredients and tools. But some might ask how to mix cake batter without a mixer, as there are many who don’t own one. The mixer is a very important part of the task, but you should be able to do just fine without one if you know the right steps to take.

Why Is the Mixer Needed?

The first thing I want to talk about here is why we actually use a mixer for our cake batter. There are two main reasons for doing this.

Firstly, when we beat the eggs using an electric mixer for some time, we beat a lot of air into it. The air is needed for a nice and fluffy cake. If there isn’t enough air inside, your cake will not rise as much, even with the baking powder.

Mixer Needed

The other reason why we tend to use a mixer for our cake batter is to ensure everything is incorporated properly. If it doesn’t mix well, then you’ll find yourself with an unevenly baked cake. And that is not something anyone wants to see after spending hours preparing everything.

Now, the question is, will we be able to accomplish these two things without using a mixer? Yes, we will. All we need is a little patience and strong arms to beat the cake.

What Do You Need to Mix Cake Batter?

You’re going to need substitutes for the electric mixer, and there are a number of items you should use in order to get the same result as you would have if you were using a mixer.

1. A Good Whisk

Whisk is something we often have to use when we are mixing different ingredients. Now, this is an essential tool when it comes to baking cakes because the shape of the whisk is the closest to the electric mixer. So the results we get from this will be close to what we would have if we were to use a mixer.

Also, the whisk is ideal in this situation as you will be able to beat the most air into the mixture when you use it. Not only will you be able to get the mixture to fluff up, but you will also be able to mix everything in properly.

A Good Whisk

Just make sure you are comfortable using the whisk you’re working with because your hands are bound to hurt when you use it for a long time.

2. A Spatula or Spoon

Now, the next item on our list is either a spoon or a spatula; you could use either of these and get the same result. You should make sure it’s good in quality and sturdy. Because sometimes, if you use bad quality spoons, they might bend out of shape. That is not something you want to deal with when making a cake.

You need a whisk and a spoon because once you add flour to the mix, the batter will be very thick and therefore very difficult to work with. The whisk will only limit your movement.

A Spatula or Spoon

Also, you don’t want to overmix the flour since it would result in a tougher bake. So, to be on the safe side, you should opt for a big wooden spoon to fold everything in seamlessly.

3. Mixing Bowl

If you have a stand mixer, you would typically use the bowl that comes with it since that’s a perfect size. But since you don’t have one, you would need to use a large bowl for the mixing process.

There are a few things you need to look into when you are selecting the bowl. Firstly you have to check if it has a good grip or not; this is needed so that you don’t end up spilling the content everywhere.

Mixing Bowl

You also need a bowl that is big in size. Bigger bowls are the way to go since there is less chance of you spilling the content inside. Flour can be very tricky while mixing because it has a tendency to fly everywhere. A big bowl will limit such a problem from occurring.

4. Patience and Dedication

The last things you need are patience and dedication. You won’t be able to finish the task properly without them. Patience is needed as you will have to mix for a very long time to make sure everything is incorporated properly. And dedication is needed since your arms will hurt. Don’t give up, though!

Techniques to Employ for Best Result

If you want the cake to end up looking and tasking like it would have if you used an electric mixer, then there are a number of things you can do. All of these are sure to help you out.

1. Whip the Mixture

The very first thing you can do to make sure the batter looks and tastes like regular cake is to make sure you whip the mixture properly. This is when your whisk is the most useful. Here your hand movement is the most important thing. Because how much air is beat into the cake will depend on how you whipped the batter.

Moving the whisk side to side will help mix everything, but you will not get any air into it. So rather move the whisk up and down; this will add the most air into your batter.

Whip the Mixture

This step is the best when you are mixing the eggs and sugar. But be sure to beat the egg whites separately as they hold the most air. Then you can add the sugar along with the yolks. Just make sure you don’t go overboard with this because sometimes it could be counter-effective.

2. Cream the Butter and Sugar

Most of the time, when we use mixers, there is no need to cream the butter and sugar together, but when you are doing it by hand, this step could make a difference to the output. You should use softened butter for this. Meaning you should take the butter out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start.

Cream the Butter and Sugar

You want the butter to be soft enough for you to make a dent on it if you push it, but not melted. This is when you would use a whisk to smash it down and then add sugar to it. Mix the two until you see they both have been mixed properly, and a cream-like mixture is formed.

Things to Avoid

1. Keep the Batter Light

Heavy batters are very difficult to mix by hand. The thicker it is, the more effort you need to put in order to beat it. Also, thicker batters don’t rise as much. You won’t be able to incorporate as much air into it in the first place, so if the batter is too thick, it will rise even less.

2. Better to Avoid Butter

Working with butter might sometimes lead to more complications if you’re doing it by hand. Oil is an easier substitute that is readily available. Also, if you do use oil, you don’t have to worry about the texture. With butter, you would have to wait for some time for it to soften or melt.

Better to Avoid Butter

Conclusion

It might seem like a lot of steps and a lot of things to keep in mind, but trust me, once you try this out for yourself, you’ll see that there is nothing to worry about. So, now that you know how to mix cake batter without a mixer, get to baking!