I have so much to do for my friend and client cakes that I cheated big time last night. I bought one of those Duncan Hines Signature Dessert cake kits. I thought it would be a good quick cake to send over with dinner. What a joke!! The cake was fine, of course, but the icing was ridiculous!! It was supposed to be peanut butter chocolate frosting and it was not very chocolate and had these little specks in it of something I am not sure, maybe peanuts. The peanut butter filling was just peanut butter, nothing special. I think the funniest thing about this "signature dessert" is the directions said to put the cake batter using 2 8" or 9" pans. There was barely enough cake for 1 cake layer!!

I apologize to all cake bakers and decorators. You will never find one of those in my house again.

I did the chocolate torte last year and it was actually pretty good. My sister did the Orange Dream cake and said it was more like a nightmare to make. I haven't tried the one you mentioned and now I'm sure I won't. Thanks for the warning!!

I haven't been tempted by the "fancy" cake mixes, but I have been suckered into buying a couple different cookie mixes--with the same disappointing results. You think you're going to save some time, but really--it doesn't save any time at all, and for an inferior product to boot. I think we've all been there.

Hahahahaha!!!!

Last year I promised a friend some cupcakes for her son's birthday, then remembered only 2 hours before she was coming to pick them up....so I bought a horrible store-brand chocolate cake mix. It didn't even SMELL like chocolate.

So gross!!! Learned my lesson.

wow! I'll skip that! Thanks for the warning.

I ahve the Orange Dream mix that was given to me, I opened it up yesterday, and left it on the counter Sealed bags, but open box. There's no way I'd use the "mousse" supplied with it. But the idea of the flavor appealed to me, so I'm sure that's why it was given to me. I'd never sell anything unless I tasted it first, so I guess I'll find out later for myself.

I have never tried any of these kinds of mixes. I have always doctored other mixes to my liking...so I doubt that I would get one. Thanks for the warning though!

I tried the chocolate one, can't remember the name and it was terrible

What's really funny is those of who do quality cakes (and we are all included in that one!!) know the difference. Those who don't really think about it think it is a treat...one mans trash-----so to speak..

What gets me is the pictures they put on the packages!! lol It looks fresh out of the oven...you can almost see the steam coming off of it...the ooey-gooeyness...the chocholate or caramel oozing over the top of it and down the sides!!! Just sitting there on that box....gleaming at you....sending you into a "I want that" trance!!! LOL

I actually stood and looked at one for like 2 minutes or something at the store the other day....it really did look yummy. Then I snapped out of it and thought "What are you doing??? You can make something so much yummier in just a little bit more time than it would take to make that!!" lol And when I looked at the price I realized, not only could I make something yummier, I could make it for less than what the box dessert cost. Watch out for those pictures....they'll getcha!! HA!

I know my husband wanted keylime pie for xmas so i bought a box of those bars ...he was like what the heck is this............

I've tried, the orange dream. My sister, who doesn't bake anything unless its out of a box brought it to a family gathering not made and asked me to help her make it. It wasn't bad tasting, but definitely not as good as anything made from scratch. But it was not easy to make! It took as long to make this boxed dessert as it would have for me to make something really great from scratch! Don't waste your money!

A co-worker made and shared some of the orange one. She stated it was harder than she thought. I tried it. It wasn't anything special. To me it was just like the DH orange flavor box cake mix. I made it with whipped icing, but I used orange sherbert icecream as fill. So mine was def. better, and feed more like 15 not 8. I think even with the icecream I added, it was still cheaper than that box kit too.

I agree about the picture on the box!! What a joke!! Especially regarding how tall it looks like it should be! I still can't get over the fact the directions said to put the batter in 2 pans.

LOL, I love the title of your thread.

I think DH really rooks people on the cost of those "dessert in a box" things.

I too used the Orange Dream thinking it would be quick and easy compared to the recipe for the Orange Dreamsicle cake on CC. It wasn't that easy. I didn't like the mousse very much. My family liked it, but hey, what do they know...they are used to boxed cakes in a jiffy (hmmm, had to mention that we didn't know any better before March of '05 when I first started baking!).