I forgot to mention, I use box mixes occasionally, for friends and family only. I will never ever sell a mix made cake again, doesn't feel right. Just my opinion.

Getting back to topic, slightly - the problem with big bakeries not baking from scratch is that their prices undercut the quality competition and close them down, leaving us with only the cheap rubbish. Same goes for cheap fast food joints - they force out the local owned, sandwich shops etc leaving us with only poor quality.

For people like us creating edible art it really doesn't matter what our preferences are, as long as we are proud of our product and happy with our profit margins.

Personally I bake from scratch, I think it tastes better and isn't any harder to get consistent results than by using mixes.

My grandma taught me how to bake, and with that came learning to sift and measure flour and all the other ingredients that went into it. When the cake or whatever it is you're making comes out great, it's a real sense of accomplishment knowing you put these ingredients together to create something so delicious. The idea that scratch cakes are unpredictable or dry is silly. Maybe to those who don't know how to make them right!

My grandma taught me how to bake, and with that came learning to sift and measure flour and all the other ingredients that went into it. When the cake or whatever it is you're making comes out great, it's a real sense of accomplishment knowing you put these ingredients together to create something so delicious. The idea that scratch cakes are unpredictable or dry is silly. Maybe to those who don't know how to make them right!

My grandma taught me how to bake, and with that came learning to sift and measure flour and all the other ingredients that went into it. When the cake or whatever it is you're making comes out great, it's a real sense of accomplishment knowing you put these ingredients together to create something so delicious. The idea that scratch cakes are unpredictable or dry is silly. Maybe to those who don't know how to make them right!

OK, I am going to answer the original question, which I believe was "Do all bakeries bake from scratch?" I won't even go into how I run my personal business.

When I first started out, I worked in the bakery of a large supermarket to get some experience with production, etc. I was in pastry school at the time, and thought it would help me determine what direction to take when I finished school.

At the supermarket, I was told that while the preference was to bake from scratch, after trying this for awhile, they discovered that quality control across the chain of stores was next to impossible. At some point, they changed gears and began to use mixes and frozen products to address this problem, and found that the overall product from store to store was much better.

So there is a little more food for thought on why many places opt for mixes and frozen items. In the end, they feel they are better serving the customer.

Leave me out of the scratch vs. mix fray. Just a little story. About 5 years ago, my honey and I were riding the motorcycle in a town about 50 miles from Sturgis and stopped at a little coffee shop way out in the sticks and they were baking the best smelling cinnamon rolls I had ever experienced. Even better than Cinnabon. We both ordered one and they tasted even better than they smelled. Soft and fluffy, wonderful centers and delicious glaze. When we paid, we commented on their "homemade" rolls. The person in the kitchen stuck her head out and showed us a frozen pan of commercial rolls they use and laughed.
The point being, you can't always generalize on which is best. On that hot day with my wind-blown hair, those cinnamon rolls WERE the best.

Consistant results can be achieved by using a weighing scales.

Boy, just returned from work, checked this thread and thought "Oh no, not again".

First, I just checked a box of Duncan Hines and it does have an expiration date, so I'm not sure which boxed mixes don't or if there are any that don't.

I started baking in 7th grade after my first Home Economics class, I knew I was hooked. I learned scratch baking from the beginning, so that's what I've always done. My Mom never had mixes in the house, she made everything from scratch, including bread everyday for dinner. (I have a huge family, youngest of 8 kids)

Having said that, since joining CC in August, I wanted to try the WASC after reading the rave reviews. It's OK I agree, but personally I can taste the artificial ingredients. That's my personal opinion, I'm not saying it's bad or wrong to use it, I just prefer my old scratch recipes.

As a consumer, I would not be happy to pay a premium price for what I thought was a "from scratch" item if it was not. I think if bakeries or home bakers use a mix, even if they add things to it to "doctor" it, they should advertise as such. I don't think it's fair to pass a doctored mix recipe off as a "scratch" item. It's "fresh baked" yes, but it's not "scratch". I know a girl in RI that bakes from home (unlicensed), has a website, uses mix, and advertises that her cakes are from scratch. That's just wrong in my opinion. Isn't it?

I think there's room for everyone in this world, I'm not bashing people that use mixes, at all. To me it's not even about the artificial ingredients, it's just about the different taste and texture. Notice I said different, not bad or awful, just different.

Heck, unless we grow our own fruit, vegetables, wheat, etc., we all eat a certain amount of artificial ingredients and preservatives everyday.

I guess my biggest pet peeve is the baker that advertises "from scratch", when it's not.

I don't see an expiration date on my bags of sugar nor on my apples.

I think most bakeries in the U.S. use pre-made mixes. It does have consistency, but I'm sure it also has a price issue. On top of that, most Americans are used to box type cakes. I too use to be a box mix lady. I would have thought every scratch cake was dry and weird tasting.
I think it is harder to compete in the industry with scratch baked goods. The industry is full of cheap bakery products. With scratch cakes you would have to pass the cost onto the costumer. No way would I have ever paid 2 dollars more for a cake just because it was scratch.
So I think cost and costumer base affect box vs. scratch.

julzs-- I think that it's actually easier to compete if you're baking from scratch, because that's a big selling point these days. The cost of scratch baking really isn't that much more expensive than buying a mix and adding the eggs, etc. to it. I advertise no mixes, and I definitely use it as a marketing tool. I can see if you're a large bakery that has to use mixes to get a consistent result if you have a bunch of people doing the baking, but in terms of profit I have no trouble selling cakes.

Wow, a lot of angst over a preference. Personally, I think both mixes and scratch cakes have pros and cons and you use the one that has the best balance for the situation. I didn't realize people could get so heated over baking (no pun intended).

Our prices around here must be crazy then. My cakes tend to be way more expensive. Maybe it is the types of cakes that I make though. I use premium chocolate, butter, lots of eggs (SMBC buttercream), fresh fruit when possible, and vanilla or liqueur . Mine tends to be alot more than the average box mix. But maybe it's just my recipes.

Hey guess what? Bakers who bake 'from scratch' can add the special ingredients some of us are not in favor of. They sell that stuff to bakers. How 'bout them apples?

And so yah got a scratch cake, nothing doubting, scratch from scratch loaded with a ton of chemical dookey and man did that stuff taste like poo.

Bakery where I worked 22 years ago--just remembered that one. If you ate a piece of cake without any icing on it you'd swear you were eating wonky cornbread.

But the whole wheat doughnuts that came off the line about 4:30 5:00 am were killer!! Working graveyard shift had some perks. The scratch chocolate cake was not one of 'em.

So even if a bakery does bake from scratch, ain't no guarantees huh.

Good cake is good cake is good cake.

To answer the original question: No, not all bakeries bake from scratch, for various reasons already stated.

To add my .02 on the "scratch is better" theory...I totally beg to differ. I've had plenty of scratch cakes in my day that were just -awful-. Just because you use fresh ingredients doesn't mean the person using them won't mess it up.

Besides, can you really say bleached flour, refined sugar, and baking powder is 'fresh'? And forget using stuff like chocolate chips, peanut butter, or imitation vanilla extract, all that is processed and loaded with preservatives too...just like box mix.

Also, all food has an expiration date. Just not every food item is stamped with one.

Trying to claim some moral high ground by saying scratch cake is fresher and more wholesome than cake from a mix is just not right. I also don't get the 'what kind of legacy are we leaving by using box mix" rationale. Frankly, the most popular/common kind of cake today, chiffon, is only a very recent phenom, less than 100 years old IIRC. Real cake as they had it for centuries was dense like bread, used lard instead of vegetable shortening OR butter, and preserved by soaking it in alcohol and slathering it with marzipan and royal icing. If anything, the cakes of today (box mixes included) are far healthier than the cakes of yore.

If you like scratch, bake scratch. If you like to doctor a mix, do it. One is not inherently better except in the eyes of the person doing the baking. I honestly don't care wether one uses a mix or not, so long as the cake tastes good!

If anyone goes into Applebee's (or most chains restaurants) and thinks they are getting homemade food they need their head examined. Most of it comes to the store weighed out, pre-packaged and ready to heat. If you want "real" food you don't go to Applebee's.

Just a personal rant there.

As to the mix/scratch debate... you do what you do and what makes you feel good. Straight mix, doctored mix or scratch, if you customers are happy and you aren't lying about what you do then keep on keepin' on. In my perfect world everything would be made from scratch, but it's not my world so I do what makes me happy and let the rest of the world do the same. I am a scratch baker because it makes me happy. My customers love it and are willing to pay for it. If your customers are happy with what you are offering then it's a win win in my eyes.

As for the original question... no... most bakeries do not bake from scratch. If you are talking about a supermakrket bakery NO WAY. Smaller independent bakeries might have some things that they make 100% from scratch, but most will use a commercial mix to start their items. The bakeries who do everything from scratch are very few and far between these days. I think it's sad. Baking is an art form that is being lost.

I beg to differ...baking isn't an art form that's being lost so much as it's evolving at a rapid rate. Cakes have always taken advantage of the latest in food technology, it's just much more noticeable nowadays because things can practically change overnight.

I worked at a local bakery for about a week 8 or 9 years ago that claims everything is "made from scratch." Probably 99% of their products were "just add water" -- not even eggs or butter or oil or anything! I was shocked!

Perhaps I could rephrase and say that the art of baking is being lost. I do think that it is. It's knowing what ingredients to put in the bowl and how those ingredients react with one another that makes baking an art, and not many people care to understand anymore. I guess I am just weird like that. I really love the whole process and it fascinates me.

I have no problem with someone taking advantage of the convenience of a mix. You really can't do it wrong. You can't easily over beat it or add a little too much liquid or throw off the chemistry by adding something too acidic because it is made to take abuse. Taking a box of DH and adding some pudding and extra eggs isn't the same as putting a cake together from the ground up and understanding why you are using the ingredients. I don't begrudge anyone for the choices they make in baking, but it's really apples and oranges in the process. The outcome... well that's up to the individual. Some would say it's apples and apples and some would say it's apples and asparagus and only the individual can decide.

indy......if it works why fix it? Right? You do well with your methods and that's great. Your brides think they're eating a scratch cake, hey, as long as you're not misrepresenting your product, that's wonderful. I'm sure if they asked you outright if it were from scratch, you'd be proud to admit it's not.

The issue I have is when people advertise "from scratch" when it's not.

It's not my goal to change anyone's mind, I couldn't care less if people use a mix. I do take offense though with the "food snob" comment. There are many more important things in my life than worrying about my status in the cake world. I'm proud of my family, my marriage, my businesses, and my character.....the fact that I bake from scratch has nothing to do with any of these things. To me that is so far down on my list of what makes me who I am. Snob? No way......

I think this thread has gotten way off topic and I apologize to the OP for that, but I am not going to sit back and be insulted. As adults we should be able to debate an issue we're passionate about without the name calling. None of us are any better than the other, let's remember that.