Baking: What is the benefit of using an electric mixer vs. stirring by hand?!


Question: Baking: What is the benefit of using an electric mixer vs. stirring by hand?
I just prepared an instant cake mix (it's an unusual variety: Sweet'n Low "no sugar added" snack cake mix) that called for adding a little over a third of a cup of water to the powder then it specified using an electric mixer on it for THREE minutes. After that, to add another third of a cup of water and continue with the electric mixer for another three minutes. Well I don't have an electric mixer, and have always done fine with hand-stirring. What is the purpose of an electric mixer? For lazy people? For multi-taskers to get other things done while their batter mixes? Does an electric mixer do a better job than manual mixing?

Answers:

You need to beat air into the batter for a fluffy cake. You cannot do this by hand as you can't move fast enough. It will help the cake to rise and bake properly and be light and fluffy. You would also need an electric mixer for whipped topping or anything light and airy. You do not need an electric mixer for cookies or brownies or bars as these do not need to be airy.



They're faster and they're physically easier. I can no longer beat much by hand, due to some muscle damage, but have made many cakes entirely by hand, which is the way everyone made them before electric mixers became available. It's easier to get a lot of air into a batter with an electric mixer. If you want to do the same thing by hand, you may need to use a whisk and you will probably have to beat for a lot longer.



Electric Mixer- Faster
By hand- crappy job
(only my opinion… idk)



Well everyone will stir atthe same rate if it is electric whereas everyone stirs differently by hand.



It is the time factor.
I recently sae the comparison of timing between them but can't remember what it was as it didn't seem to matter at the time.



Electric Mixer - is faster and you will have more cleaning to do

By Hand - is somewhat slower but less mess




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