Cake mixes.

Ok, so I love baking. I love baking from scratch, but I also love baking from mixes. Because the cleanup from baking sucks. I'm mildly OCD in that I like to wait putting the batter in the oven until I start washing the dishes. Anyways. I'm shedding off more shame about using mixes, which I do more now that I'm back home with my parents and don't feel like stocking up on baking supplies. 

Its hard for me not to make changes as in substitutions. Some of that is loaded in that I have a history of an eating disorder and my default is to try to reduce calories as much as possible. But in baking, I realize that that compromise is a fundamental and unjust one. Jacques Pepin or Julia Child would not approve. Nor MFK Fisher. But, often I like to substitute yogurt or fruit/vegetable puree for the oil/butter. 

Today, I'm going to make a vanilla cake from Trader Joes' Madagascar Vanilla cake mix. I haven't tried it yet, and it calls for an entire stick of butter, but I feel actually excited about it. Maybe this time I will put in that stick. Or maybe 3/4. Or maybe all of it. Its the new year, after all.