Opinion: Cake mixes or Scratch more cost effective? And what about the flavor and quality of texture. I currently use D.H. Mixes and they seem bot be working for me ok. But I notice everyone like to make the scratches too! If you will give me your opinion, I would appreciate it.

I use DH Classic White Cake when I need to make a white cake!!! I doctor it up though using the Bride's White Cake recipe in The Cake Mix Doctor!

Depending on time constraints, like today I had a last minute order for tomorrow that came up so I used the mix! If the cakes are planned well enough in advance then I like to make it from scratch! It's more work and time consuming but the raves are so worth it!!!

I have heard though that some people prefer the taste of a mix because it is so moist! I guess it depends on the recipes you use for scratch cakes and cooking temp and time! I always lower my temp, mostly because I use such large sheet pans. I can watch the cake more closely and not worry about over baking!


Amy


Amy

well about 8 out of 10 times I use box(dr.them up),there is a butter scratch in the wilton wedding book that I really like,and I have been experimenting with pound cakes(yummy)they really taste great but the recipe usually calls for a tube pan,but I use my rounds and find that I have to cook a HECK of a lot longer than stated AND still comes out just a tad in the middles not all the way cooked...anybody guess why would be great help but from my customers point they mostly like box and say how moist.I think this is a tuff one cause box seems to work for me best but I really have this desire to get my scratches perfect and not dry.

I use my mother-in-law's chocolate cake recipe it's firmer for carving, 3-d ect, but to most people I have done it for say it has a better flavor than any box mix. White/vanilla I have done both with similar results and raves. I have found cost wise it probably a few cents more for scratch vs. mix but the taste is worth a lot more that the few cents extra it costs to make it.
Jo

I know that things are different here, but for me it is considerable cheaper to go with box mixes. I'm not sure once you do the doctor thing and add sourcream and all the other stuff that is extra money. but if you make it like the box says I can usually get a box cake mix for $1 and then add eggs and oil it's like $3 tops. To do the same ammount of scratch cake would cost anywhere from $7-10 depending on the type of cake. (I spent a lot of time and priced out every single ingredient-I've had to change from doing all scratch cake to only doing scratch when people specifically ask me to)

It is definitely not more cost effective for me to bake scratch cakes. But those are the kind of cakes I want to make. The last wedding cake I made had over $80 of chocolate alone (including the choc fondant).

I've had great luck with cake mixes (doctored a little!). They've been nice and moist and have gotten rave reviews.

Nicksmom- I've been experimenting with pound cakes, too. I've used my loaf pans and layered with strawberry filling- yum! Try putting your flower nail (flat side on the bottom of pan) in the middle of your pan when you're baking to help cook the middle through. I always put just a touch of cake release on it to ensure that it comes out of the cake ok. (This tip comes from my Course 1 instructor.) I hope this works for you- I've tried it with regular cakes with success, but not the pound cake.

9 out of 10 times I make my cakes from scratch. Thanks to helpful advice from a dear wilton instructor my ingredients are now always at room temperature, I never over mix, and my cakes are moist. If I use boxed cake mix then it is always DH but I find them not as sturdy as my cakes. I get great compliments on my cakes as well.

chocolate cake recipe from scratch probably costs me $5 vs. $3 for box.
If I am doing a large cake, a white or vanilla cake that needs carved or a stand up/3-D cake I use 1 box of Betty crocker french vanilla and 1 box of BC pound cake or if you need larger 1 box of pound cake too 2 box of french vanilla, I only have to cook it for about 15 mins longer than normal it cooks all the way through is ver firm and easy to work with and everybody loves the taste of it.

Everything is expensive here, it costs me the equivalent of nearly $7 to make a batch (2c butter & 1kg powdered sugar) of buttercream, a batch of MMF costs me over $12 to make ! Crisco (I don't use it for buttercream, but put a bit in my MMF etc) costs me nearly $5 for a 500g can! Standard DH or BC cake mixes (which I never use, I choose to scratch bake because I've spent many years perfecting my skills and ability to do so very well!), cost $7 per box, eggs are 32cts each! For example, the last cake I made (in my photos) was a 12in 2-layer scratch yellow cake filled with strawberry preserves and decorated in buttercream. The ingredients (including the fondant for the plaque), cost me the equivalent of $25 alone. That's why my cakes will always be much more expensive compared to those made in the USA - my basic costs are very high !

It might costs a tiny bit more for me to make a scratch cake, but I personally prefer the taste and the texture of scratch cakes.

I don't think it takes any longer to make it from scratch - especially if you are working from a tried and true recipe. if it is a new one it takes a little longer, maybe.

That is something you are going to have to try yourself to see how it goes. I have been baking for going on 30 years ~ and I just prefer using the doctored cake mix. (as that is also what my customers prefer too)

There is exact science and luck when baking from scratch - there are so many variables to getting it right, and most of the time, even when you DO get it right, they just seem "dry" to most folks. I know a lot of the folks who do bake from scratch will use a simple syrup to pour over top to add the moisture that is not there.

As far as cost goes, IMO - they are very close by the time I add the ingredients to make it my recipe. The mixes just take the guesswork out of the cake for me. The companies that make them have done studies and KNOW what the people want and like.....and the mixes reflect that.

There are also some who feel that becasue a mix is used, you are "cheating" - that is just a bunch of bologna. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using a mix (or baking from scratch) It is truely up to the person who is baking. Try it, if you like it ~ go for it. I have, and I am sticking with the mixes. There is no reason to fix something that ain't broke! (IMO)

Thanks everyone for their output on Mix Vs. Scratch.
It gives me severl outlooks on different concepts and ideas.
Thanks a heaping spoonful!