# "Do No Eat Raw Cake Batter" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 20, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170 "2011-06-20T16:50:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/1 "2011-06-20T16:50:01Z")
That’s what the box says, very clearly, in large type, each word capitalized, directly below the ingredients. But why not? What will happen if I do? Should I try it, just to find out? ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/2 "2011-06-20T16:52:23Z")
You could get salmonella from the raw eggs in the batter. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/3 "2011-06-20T16:54:08Z")
You turn into a cyborg. Or you could just get salmonella, either way. Not that fear of salmonella or cyborgism ever stopped me from licking the spatula after making brownies, but still… ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/4 "2011-06-20T16:55:06Z")
If you eat raw cake batter, a cake will grow in your stomach. No, no, wait, that was watermelon seeds leading to watermelons. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/5 "2011-06-20T16:56:49Z")
You’re only likely to get salmonella from cake batter if 1) you get eggshell in it, and 2) you leave it out long enough for the bacteria to multiply. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/6 "2011-06-20T16:58:35Z")
if you want your life to not be worth living any longer. ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/7 "2011-06-20T16:58:51Z")
I think it’s because there is raw egg in the batter. Chances are probably nothing will happen, like eating cookie batter, but if you end up with salmonella the mfg’s ass’s covered. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/8 "2011-06-20T17:02:34Z")
There are raw eggs in cookie batter, too. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/9 "2011-06-20T17:04:30Z")
> [@Cheez\_Whia](#): > > You could get salmonella from the raw eggs in the batter. Don’t muscle builders eat raw eggs? Are they immune from salmonella or something? ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/10 "2011-06-20T17:08:50Z")
As usual _[the Family Circus](http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/2703/517o.jpg)_ has already covered this topic ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/11 "2011-06-20T17:26:18Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Don’t muscle builders eat raw eggs? Are they immune from salmonella or something? Kindof time consuming to stamp each eggshell with “raw eggs cause salmonella” I’d imagine. Also, muscle builders do and take a great many things that regular people probably shouldn’t emulate. However, as a life-long cake, brownie, and cookie-batter eater, I can say that I’ve never gotten salmonella from them so far! (Also, if you’re really nervous about that sort of thing, they make specially-formulated cookie batters that are designed to be eaten raw - they have substitute egg in them.) ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/12 "2011-06-20T17:32:57Z")
I’ve done it at least 100 times and I’ve lived to tell the tale. ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/13 "2011-06-20T17:43:31Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > You turn into a cyborg. Or you could just get salmonella, either way. Not that fear of salmonella or cyborgism ever stopped me from licking the spatula after making brownies, but still… The good part is once you’re Assimilated you can lick the bowl twice as fast as before. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/14 "2011-06-20T18:00:25Z")
Licking the spatula and mixer beaters is the best part of baking a cake. I wouldn’t recommend eating spoonfuls of batter. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/15 "2011-06-20T18:09:20Z")
I’ve started using those Egg-beater things (the ones that are pasteurized real eggs) in my cookies and cakes. Cookie dough and cake batter are far too yummy not to eat, but I’d rather do it without risking getting sick. Problem solved! ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/16 "2011-06-20T19:02:17Z")
You eat the cake batter, you won’t have enough left to make the cake. And then you won’t have anything to frost. Happy birthday, loser. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/17 "2011-06-20T19:09:57Z")
Who puts frosting on cake? Don’t you just eat that right out of the can? ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/18 "2011-06-20T19:18:55Z")
I seem to recall my father telling me that raw flour wasn’t good for you, but he never said why and that never stopped me from licking the beaters or the bowl. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/19 "2011-06-20T19:24:38Z")
It’s amazing that cake mix and cookie dough manufacturers feel the need to have this warning label on their products, but egg suppliers don’t put it on their cartons. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170/20 "2011-06-20T19:25:48Z")
I do it all the time, and have for over 50 years. Cookie dough, too. One day maybe I will get salmonella, but so far so good. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-no-eat-raw-cake-batter/586170.md?page=2)