I made some cakes today so that Nell and Evie could decorate them as a little extra treat for their 3rd Birthday. Decorating cakes is a very serious business indeed and Nell concentrated on getting it just right.
Meanwhile Evie was more inclined to eat the icing. I can’t blame her. I had a few spoonfuls too.
Such is the draw of a Philly cream cheese buttercream.
The twins took their cakes home and left me to lick the bowl and ponder an important kitchen purchase.
I am having cake issues at the moment. Perhaps some of you can point me in a new direction.
I was really quite happy using my cheap Kenwood hand mixer (the sort with two mixy things) to make basic cakes with. I used it a lot to make icing or to whip egg whites too, that sort of thing.
A year or two ago I blew one up, by working its little motor too hard. Then last month I blew a 2nd one up, making that hefty pear and almond cake.
Since then I have used our Magimix that we invested in several years ago, but unless I am doing something wrong it just doesn’t seem to ‘do’ cakes very well. The blade kind of slices the mixture and doesn’t put any air into it. Plus most of whatever I am blending stays stuck to the side of the jug
Don’t get me wrong, it’s great for ‘cooking’ uses but I am not sure that it’s the ideal ‘baking’ tool.
So I am in a quandary. Should I buy another little electric whisk? (they are only about £12 from the supermarket) Should I go a bit upmarket and get a more powerful version like a Dualit or the newer Kenwood Retro ones? Or shall I go all out and wait for my 40th (only a few months away) and ask for a KitchenAid? Oh, I suppose that there is also the ‘everyones Mum had one’ option: the Kenwood Chef.
I know a lot of you out there adore your KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixers, and they do look gorgeous, but they seem so expensive for something that looks like it only does one job.
If you can offer me some advice, drop me a line in the comments to help me make my big baking decision of the decade.
Life is much simpler when you just have to decide between a Peppa Pig or a Hello Kitty hair clip.
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Related Posts
Post 1 Deciding
Post 2 Comparing
Post 3 Kenwood Review
Things we make 
Deb
September 24, 2010
Kitchenaid…you know you want one!!
Sally
September 24, 2010
First – fantastic photos. I love the one of the little girl, her eyes shining, hand outstretched and chipped nail polish. My 12 and 14 year old seem so OLD now.
Second – I have a Kitchenaid and took a while to like it. It looks great in the kitchen and is always there to hand. It’s very heavy and a bit clunky. Sometimes you have to scrape stuff that it doesn’t quite reach at the bottom or it chucks stuff all over the kitchen (if you put the wrong speed on – very easy). But it’s grown on me and I wouldn’t be without it now. It actually makes great pastry, the dough hook is fabulous for sticky wet doughs and it’s so easy to wash up. I do have an old Braun food processor for the chopping, blending etc but use it less and less. Hope this is helpful.
aforkfulofspaghetti
September 24, 2010
Well, if it’s a very speshal birthday, could you be cheeky and ask for the multi-tasking, super-capable Thermomix that everyone’s raving about? http://www.ukthermomix.com/
I bit the bullet and bought a Kitchen Aid a couple of years ago. Haven’t regretted it, but still use my hand mixer more! 😉
Andrew
September 24, 2010
It has to be a Kenwood. Sooooo versatile and robust. We use one every day for all sorts in the bakery. Cakes, whisking, liquidising, grating, slicing…
A x
Jules
September 24, 2010
I have a Dualit hand mixer and a Kitchen Aid .
I will admit although the Dualit is fab and super powerful it rarely gets used and the KA must get used at least twice a week. Not only for things like cake, but it’salso fantastic at making bread and beating egg whites for meringues. I also have some attachments for mincing meat and ice cream. The KA was a birthday pressie and I can honestly say it’s transformed how I cook. Bonus of a KA is that it looks good and can be kept out on the surface.
louise
September 24, 2010
I am exactly the same as you claire, would love the kitchen aid but use the 2 prong mixer for cakes and a magi mix for everything else. I used a friends KA to make cakes and they weren’t as good as when I use the 2 prong whisker. Mine is about to konk out so need to get another one so if you find one that is good please let me know
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
September 24, 2010
I’d definitely go for a hand held for whisking egg whites, don’t count how many different jobs a gadget does, count how often you do that job balanced with how much of a pain it is when you do. I don’t have a stand up mixer like a Kitchen Aid but I would dearly like one as I currently do my cupcake batter in the Magimix and I’d get a lighter effect in a mixer. I don’t use the hand held for cake batter as I don’t like bits flying everywhere.
I find the Magimix perfectly adequate for buttercream and royal icing. Not sure I’ve helped much there?!
victoria patterson
September 24, 2010
just love your pics of katie’s beautiful girls claire……….. (NB: have just bought a Kenwood myself – complete with blender attachment for the top).
Apryl
September 24, 2010
lovely photos and very pretty cakes as ever…
I have wanted a kitchen aid for about 4 years now but everytime we save a bit of money for it it gets spent on something else, holidays, and sofas, shoes and clothes for H. I think seeing as its a special birthday you should ask for a trip somewhere expensive or a kitchen aid (which would be less expensive than a shopping trip to New York) then it makes the mixer sound thrifty…. plus they have nifty extras like mincer attachment to make your own sausage, etc. :o)
Lizzie gregory
September 24, 2010
Hi Clare, I have a kenwood think its called a patissier(sp!), It looks retro like a kitchen aid but was about a third of the price, it is basic, but it does all the cake and bread stuff perfectly and I love mine x
purelyfood
September 24, 2010
I love my kitchenAid and wouldn’t like to be without it. I too thought long and hard about it 18 months ago. I use mine atleast twice a week for making bread (more if I make pizza that week or bake). It kneads the bread really well and although I will occasionally knead bread by hand, I know that without my kitchenaid I wouldn’t make my own bread anywhere near as much.
Big Boys Oven
September 25, 2010
wow lovely cupcakes, happy belated birthsay! 🙂
Dionne Baldwin
September 25, 2010
Ah yes, the simple times of life. I love these pictures and the colorful frostings and sprinkles! That looked like a lot of fun for a birthday. Mine is coming up in December…
mandy fenton
September 25, 2010
KitchenAid, big layout, but will be worth it, (got mine for my birthday too), and now George (nearly 12) uses it as well for his baking. Swiss meringue, bread, choux pastry (cools it down quicker), and cream all gets a turn in the KitchenAid! Love your posts, Mandy
Lucy
September 26, 2010
You can get KitchenAids or Kenwood Chefs on sites like ebay and amazon for a lot cheaper than the stores – my KitchenAid is from ebay and works perfectly since it was never used. I was worried too that it would only do one job but once it’s in your kitchen you’ll find thats really not the case!
thingswemake
September 27, 2010
I am really chuffed that so many of you have left comments on this. Thanks so much, it’s all really useful advice and I am still not completely decided. A friend has offered to lend me a KitchenAid for a couple of weeks so I can test drive it. I will let you know how I go on and I am sure that once I have decided there will be a ‘look what I got for my birthday’ post. Needless to say, after all this information you have all sent, I don’t think I can now just go with a £12 hand mixer…