Master Baking Mix

I got this from Cooks.com and I have used it many times in place of the more expensive (and not as healthy) Bisquick

MAKING THE MASTER MIX

For 13 cups

9 cups sifted all-purpose flour or
10 cups sifted soft wheat or cake flour
1/3 cup double-acting baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups shortening which does not require refrigeration

For 29 cups

5 pounds flour
3/4 cup double-acting baking powder
3 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
2 pounds shortening which does not require refrigeration

Stir baking powder, salt, cream of tartar and sugar into flour. Sift together three times into a large mixing bowl or onto a large square of plain paper. Cut into shortening until Mix is consistency of cornmeal. Store in covered containers at room temperature. To measure the Master Mix, pile it lightly into cup and level off with a spatula.

If the Master Mix is to be used largely for cakes and cookies, starting with a box of cake flour will save measuring the flour and will give better textured products. For about 16 cups Mix, use a box of cake flour (2 3/4 pounds), 1/2 cup baking powder, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 pound shortening (2 1/3 cups).

Containers which are convenient for storing Master Mix are two quart fruit jars, cottage cheese cartons, lard or potato chip cans and canisters. One user wrote that when making the Mix she stored it in measured portions, two cups in pint jars and three cups in quart jars, to save herself several measurings later.
Using Lard in the Master Mix
If lard is used as the shortening in the Master Mix recipe, a smaller amount of shortening should be used. This may be 1 2/3 cups lard instead of 2 cups of other shortening or 1 5/6 pounds instead of 2 pounds (1/6 pound lard equals 1/3 cup).

If lard which requires refrigeration is used in the Master Mix recipe, the Mix should be refrigerated.

A change in the method of mixing cakes is suggested if lard is used in the Master Mix recipe. Separate the yolks and whites of the eggs. Reserve about one-fourth of the sugar and beat it into the beaten egg whites to form a stiff meringue. Follow the other directions for cake mixing. Stir in the meringue until well blended as the last step in the mixing process.
Adapting Recipes for Use with the Master Mix
The Master Mix can be used in many products which have similar basic proportions. Use the Master Mix instead of the flour, salt, baking powder and shortening. Two cups of Mix contain a little less than 1 1/2 cups of flour, about 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a little more than 1/4 cup shortening. Three cups of Mix contain about 2 cups of flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a little less than 1/2 cup shortening.

A favorite recipe which contains about one-fifth as much shortening as flour by measure probably can be made using the Mix. In order to have proportions in the Mix that would be satisfactory for several types of baked products, the upper limit for shortening is approached in biscuits and muffins and the lower limit for cakes and cookies.

Although the lowest proportion of fat to flour used in making pastry approximates that in the Master Mix, pastry made from the Mix is not satisfactory. The baking powder in the Mix makes the pastry porous rather than flaky. However, by using only water with the Mix, one can make a type of pastry that can be used as a thin crust for meat pie or a deep dish fruit pie. It takes about one-eighth as much water as Mix for such pastry.