I"ve actually conducted sample taste tests with my colleagues at work, and every single one of them preferred the box mix cake vs. the scratch cake. I have now tried several versions of a scratch cake, and there are a few that are pretty good. Yet people still prefer my box mix recipes to the scratch cake ones.

My geographical area would never be able to afford what I would charge them to do a cake completely from scratch. The amount of time it takes just to mix the batter, plus the hassle of knowing that the results are not always consistent...a scratch cake is not worth my time or money.

I tell people that I add excellent ingredients such as butter, whole milk, and fresh eggs, in addition to Belgian chocolate and imported vanilla. All of my icings, fruit fillings, creams, etc are completely from scratch. If they inquire more, I just tell them I have my baker's secrets. I think people appreciate my reasonable prices, love my cake as is, and if I changed it to all scratch and raised up the prices as is, they'd leave me to go to another baker who does box mixes.
I agree with Quadcrew...if the customer is happy, that is the bottom line.

What I find funny is that the supporters of of mixes while extoling their virtues seem to try to put down scratch cakes. I have come across a ton of statements like they are more reliable, more moist etc. than scratch cakes. I just don't find that to be true. Good for you if you've never had a problem with a mix and good for you if you've never had a problem with a scratch. It's just a preference and if liking scratch cakes and taking pride in my scratch cakes makes me a scratch snob then a proud scratch snob I will be.

For heavens sake!!!!!!! I don't think anybody is putting down scratch cakes....or the people who bake them. God bless you....cakes from scratch are phenomenal. I do a scratch cake that I really enjoy eating for my friends and family. However, I honestly find that what I would have to charge to do a scratch cake for my business, I'd have no business. Youngstown Ohio is very poor and unemployed. HOnestly, time for people to stop getting their feathers ruffled over this issue and taking it so darn personally!! Everyone does their own thing...let it be! No one is better or worse for either!!!!!!!!!!

I think everyone - scratch or mix- is great!!! Let's face it, we all have to take the time to whip them up and put them in the oven and we each try to do what is best for our customers! So, fellow cakebakers, I wish you each much sucess in your baking endevors!!!!

I worked at a bakery that uses box mix only and they mix it according to the box instrctions (water, eggs and oil) no extra add ins and they are always busy. They have even served a few very famous people. I never thought this was acceptable but after seeing the way their business was going I have decided whenever I open a business I think I am going the box mix route. It's easier and to me tastier.

Jackie

I'm still laughing from reading all these posts. Especially where someone said the're going to use cheap ingredients all the time. I've always made scratch cakes. But If you doctor up a mix, You can still get a good tasting cake. I don't see it as cheating the customer because that's what they get when they buy from the bakery or store bought. It's all in a matter of preference. Now, everyone in the Kitchen and let's bake a cake.

I have used both ..... but I always felt guilty (and before you all say I shouldn't .... I know) about using mix cake.... I felt I was being dishonest if someone asked did I make the cake and I said yes.

Also I worried about not being able to tell people what the ingredients were should I be asked and also felt embarrassed if someone asked for the recipe.

So I made it my mission to find scratch cakes... and through some very sharing people here and on other sites I have a wonderful selection of scratch cakes.... all except one... which I cannot find a recipe yet that matches the box version.

I think mix is cheaper... but more satisfaction with scratch.

At the end of the day its what works well for you in terms of cost, satisfaction etc.

No right or wrong.

karen

What bothers ME is that I CAN NOT make a decent scratch cake. I've tried and tried and tried. And it's nearly always awful. I would be shaking in my shoes if I offered someone a scratch cake *I* did because it's 50/50 whether it's decent or not. There are two exceptions. My Red Velvet cake is good...as is the classic Texas Sheet Cake. Other than that...it's straight from the oven to the hog trough for my scratch cakes! I'm jealous of those of you who have the touch. I've learned to depend on doctored mixes, but even then, I've found a wide variance in brands and the type of concoction you add to them. This stuff is as much science as it is art! That's for sure!

All mine are from scratch. The high end bakery I work for: mixes. Yesterday two seasoned decorators were complaining about how the change to mixes (5 yrs ago) did not compare in flavor or pliability (as far as working with) to the scratches. People still buy these cakes by the dozen and the place is as popular as ever. My preference is from scratch because I feel more connected to my cake then. My preference for ingredients? The cheapest you can find for some thing, the best for others. Because I live in dairy state even the cheapest local brands will be better than your trad run of the mill. The chemistry behind this stuff makes it almost intelligeble if you use one egg vs. another. Now vanilla, I only used dominican vanilla and chocolate the best brand as I do for shortening and stuff. Hell I will cut corners as much as I can but will always bake from scratch because the people I market to prefer it. I think that a well made scratch cake does end up tasting much better than a cake mix but that again is just preference. If you want your cakes to turn up perfect every time: use a scale. I use one and adore it.

Sus

I would love to make all mine from scratch. But I've yet to find a really good
white/yellow/chocolate cake recipe.

It's hard to find the bulk bags of mix and the ones that i have found don't sound all that great and wonderful. SOooooooo for now I use the Duncan hines.

Twins: I thought I was the only one who used cheap ingredients for my cakes.

I've done both...I started adding real butter, good vanilla, etc. & it didn't make a difference at all. Now I use "cheaper" ingredients for my cakes & people love them. I doctor mixes & sell them for restaurants & they said its the best chocolate cake they have ever had. I would never be able to afford to use high end ingredients for my cakes because the customers in my area would never pay the prices I would have to charge.

I think either way we all make cakes is fine...if you make scratch & have found a good recipe then good for you. If you use mixes & your customers like it then good for you too...I'm not sure why this is such a heated topic all the time.

Amen GE. The cheaper the better.

Hi ladies:
Let me give you my 2 cents opinion here. I am not a baker, however, I just love using the cake mixes because the idea of adultaring the cakes and still the come out tasting good is beyond me. I also have made some cakes from scratch and find them a little bit dryer. But, that's probably me, I am not a baker or nor do I like cooking. I do enjoy decorating, I am not too good at it, but it gives me a thrill to see that sometimes I surprise myself and do something that a person may like.

Let's just enjoy the art of decorating and call it quits. There are amongst us bakers, cake decorators, and both. God bless their talent and those who just try.

Have a pleasant day everyone.
Tina

In responding to the original post, I use the Super Enhanced Cake Formula from this site for almost every cake that I make. Yesterday I had a 4 tier wedding cake and 3 tier birthday cake due within a couple of hours of each other. One thing that I can count on is that this recipe is consistent every time. I did try making a scratch cake from toba Garrett's book but I did not like the taste at all. I made myself a scratch chocolate cake from collette peter's book that I absolutely love and it is consistent every time. I think that for the most part everyone on this site will have customers that may simply prefer one cake over the other. I think that like anything else, we should all be able to deviate from our normal routine when specifically requested. So whether you bake from scratch or use altered cake mixes as long as your customers are happy the rest doesn't matter. By the way, I think we are all snobs!!!!!!! How many people can actually do what we do? Not many if you really think about it. EVERYONE SHOULD GIVE THEMSELVES A PAT ON THE BACK FOR HAVING THE GOD GIVEN TALENT AND PATIENCE TO EVEN DO WHAT WE ARE DOING. LIKE SOMEONE ELSE SAID, GET IN YOUR KITCHENS AND BAKE. I'M GOING TO SLEEP BECAUSE I AM TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY BAKED OUT FROM YESTERDAY!!!!!LOL

Scratch cakes here...I think I said on another thread, about this subject, that I just cannot seem to make a boxed cake.

I've found that my clients are asking more and more about ingredients I use. They want to know what is in the cake they are buying. I'm not sure if it is because more and more people are food allergy conscious...they want to know what is in everything.

I agree with the person who commented about feeling more "connected" with their scratch cakes...maybe because of all the measuring that is done and hands on for every ingredient.

I've used the cheaper brands of unsalted butter (store brand vs. the "name" brands) and don't notice much of a difference. For the rest of it..flour, vanilla, etc...only top shelf will do.

If customers are happy that is the bottom line of it. I never really thought about the difference in using boxed vs. scratch, as long as the final product was good, until the "allergy" thing came up. I know there are preservatives in boxed mixes. I'm wondering about liabilities if someone had a reaction??

I think it's fine to use mixes! Let's face it--it's just someone else mixing the dry ingredients for you...the talent is still in the baking and the decorating. Customers are still getting a great quality product!

I've always worked at places that considered it a SIN to bake from a mix, like it makes you "unprofessional." I don't agree--I use some mixes for my business. I'm just very careful to test the flavor of each one I choose (I still haven't found a good white cake mix that's not crumbly, so I make that one from scratch for wedding cakes). However, not everybody understands this reasoning, so I don't tell customers it's a mix. I do think it's important to know HOW to bake scratch cakes, especially if you own a bakery--the mix just makes it easier and faster. And I insist on making all my icings from scratch...that really makes a flavor they can't get at home!

Some people were asking which is cheaper--I've found my scratch recipes to be the same price as name-brand mixes. But, when you factor in the time saved without measuring and weighing ingredients, I think the mix is slightly cheaper.

I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one that feels this way!

as far as cheap vs expensive ingredients go for scratch cakes its just a matter of trial and error.

Some things I can get away with and others I cannot.

For butter, milk, sugar and flour I generally can use cheaper generic brands.

For flavourings and things like cocoa and color I only use the best and sadly that is generally the named more expensive variety.

I have just started my own business and I think I will use both as well. I love making cakes from scratch and from the box. Some people do prefer the box because they are used to it. So it really depends on the person too. I'm glad this was posted cause I felt like a cheat...and now I see I am normal. Lol.