Boxed Cake Mixes Vs. Made From Scratch?

Baking By czyadgrl Updated 31 Jul 2006 , 3:27pm by m0use

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czyadgrl Posted 31 Jul 2006 , 4:00am
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I'm just getting back into learning cake decorating again with the intention of "one day" being able to sell my cakes, and just found this site. I should have believed the warning about it being highly addictive!

Anyway, I was going into cake making/decorating full speed convinced that I needed to learn how to make a great cake from scratch. After only a couple tries I can see that it could take years to find and master "my perfect cake recipe"! Poking around the message boards it seems that many people doctor up cake mixes to create their perfect cakes.

I'm a pretty avid baker but have never paid too much attention to the consistency and structure of cakes before, but there's so much to look at when you really get into it! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

So I'm wondering, especially from those of you who do cakes professionally, do you make your cakes from scratch or do you doctor up cake mixes? And what are the basic pros/cons of each and how did you decide which to do?


Thanks!

8 replies
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Tiffysma Posted 31 Jul 2006 , 4:08am
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I'm not a professional, but do make a lot of cakes, (even sell a few). My DH even accuses me of having a Baking Addiction! I use cake mixes - "doctored up". I started using The Cake Mix Doctor books, then doctor on my own, adding instant pudding mix, milk, sour cream, orange juice, etc. I get consistently good results with mixes.

There have been several threads on here about this subject. You might do a search and find those. There are some who only bake scratch cakes; but I think the majority does cake mixes, adding ingredients to make them their own.

Good luck!!

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BJsGRL Posted 31 Jul 2006 , 4:14am
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I'm not what I would call a professional, I bake and decorate mainly as a hobby, and "someday" hope to have a small business. However, I bake and deorate up to four or five cakes a week for friends and family. Everyone knows I use cake mixes as my "base" and personalize it from there. The few times I have baked from scratch (which I really enjoy doing) and needed multiple batches of cake batter, it seems that I did not end up with the same quality from one batch to another. So, for me, baking from mixes gives me that consistency in quality and taste. Now, if I had more time to play around, I would test out and find certain recipes that I would use on a regular basis, but as a stay-at-home, home-schooling mom of three young daughters, I just can't put in the research time at this point. It is very easy to customize a cake mix to give it that special "extra something."

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Loucinda Posted 31 Jul 2006 , 4:22am
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I am one who uses the "doctored" mixes and have absolutely no problem doing it either. I sell quite a few cakes and I cannot depend on the scratch cakes reliability. With the mixes as a base, I have consisitency every time and it is always good.

I just did a huge wedding cake order, and the brides mother called today to praise the cakes. She made the comment that she has attended many weddings in her day, and even though this was her daughters wedding - she said that she has NEVER had so many people discuss the wedding cake itself as they did this one. Those comments really made my day ~ and once again just shows that there is nothing wrong with using a doctored mix - people love them and they are so very reliable.

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moydear77 Posted 31 Jul 2006 , 4:33am
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Ok I have been baking scratch and have done so in the past. I have to say that boxed are very reliable whether doctored or not. I am doing a scratch cake as we speak and it pales for so many reasons. It is not as moist and crumbles a whole lot more---at least the recipe I am using which is my second trial run. I have a nut free lady.UGH!

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cakesbyjess Posted 31 Jul 2006 , 4:42am
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I have a few scratch recipes that I use, but for the most part, I use "doctored" cake mixes. Like others have said, they always bake up the same, and I figure that companies (DH, BC, etc.) have spent years and lots of money to perfect these great mixes, so why not use them. I am always getting feedback from my customers about how moist and delicious my cakes are, so I am a believer in cake mixes.

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steplite Posted 31 Jul 2006 , 4:59am
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I do both. athough I used to do only scratch until I found this site. I prefer my scratch cakes. Usually I bake Toba Garrett's moist yellow cake, Sylvia Weinstock's Classic yellow cake or The Butter cake from the Wilton site.

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MariaLovesCakes Posted 31 Jul 2006 , 1:54pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by czyadgrl

I'm just getting back into learning cake decorating again with the intention of "one day" being able to sell my cakes, and just found this site. I should have believed the warning about it being highly addictive!

Anyway, I was going into cake making/decorating full speed convinced that I needed to learn how to make a great cake from scratch. After only a couple tries I can see that it could take years to find and master "my perfect cake recipe"! Poking around the message boards it seems that many people doctor up cake mixes to create their perfect cakes.

I'm a pretty avid baker but have never paid too much attention to the consistency and structure of cakes before, but there's so much to look at when you really get into it! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

So I'm wondering, especially from those of you who do cakes professionally, do you make your cakes from scratch or do you doctor up cake mixes? And what are the basic pros/cons of each and how did you decide which to do?


Thanks!




Well, I haven't gotten paid for professional cakes, but I have done quite a few that would be considered professional or where there was a large gathering of people.

The cakes I make for other people I make entirely from scratch, unless specified.

I like them because of the texture and the flavors and moisteness added when I soaked them in simple syrup. Simple syrup is made of sugar, water, extract and optional liquors like Brandy, Amaretto, and others.

I have done both but I prefer scratch.

Everyone here will give you their opinions for one or the other but it comes down what your customers like and what you also like.

I would find recipes for both methods so that if someone asks you for scratch you have a good recipe and if they ask you for a cake mix, that you also have one.

I have come down to a few yellow butter cake recipes and also chocolate that I use all the time. I can alter other flavors like pineapple, coconut, and lemon by adding the flavors to the cake by extract and also the simple syrup.

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m0use Posted 31 Jul 2006 , 3:27pm
post #9 of 9

If you do a search on this topic you will find many posts with people's opinions on what works for them and why.

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