Why Does A Cake Mix Taste So Much Better
Decorating By txmom9802 Updated 15 Oct 2009 , 6:54pm by nonnyscakes
I never thought about it that way, but yup, I'm a baker & thats what my business cards say "owner & baker".
I only make (vegan) scratch cakes, and they are extremely moist... I've developed my own recipes from trial and error, maybe that's the difference. ???
I don't consider myself a great baker by any means. Infact I hate that part, and plan on recruiting (asking) my husband for "baking and icing duty"... SOON. 
I would love to extend an invite to whomever visits MA to PM me and come over for a slice of the best scratch cake and cup of tea/coffee you've ever eaten.
I promise you'll think differently about scratch baking after you've tried a great scratch cake.
YO~ Deb, The next time I'm in Boston, you can try one of my well guarded recipes so I can see the magic you can work, since you probably don't bake with a bitter contempt and resentment for the baking. I also bet your kitchen doesn't fill with explitives when you put on the apron.
So~ I'll bring the tea.. I also bet you bake with LOVE and the difference will probably make my knees buckle ! 
I would love to extend an invite to whomever visits MA to PM me and come over for a slice of the best scratch cake and cup of tea/coffee you've ever eaten.
I promise you'll think differently about scratch baking after you've tried a great scratch cake.
YO~ Deb, The next time I'm in Boston, you can try one of my well guarded recipes so I can see the magic you can work, since you probably don't bake with a bitter contempt and resentment for the baking. I also bet your kitchen doesn't fill with explitives when you put on the apron.
So~ I'll bring the tea.. I also bet you bake with LOVE and the difference will probably make my knees buckle !
LOL!! O-kay.....but I can't guarantee the "explitive free kitchen" 
I'm one of the types that cilantro tastes kinda soap-y to me but I just kept eating it. I love it now.
Let me share the trick on this!
When I visited one of my warehouses that I managed in Arizona, I was commenting to my shipping clerk how much I loved pico de gallo and wished I could make it. She gave me the recipe and added, "But add the cilantro just a little at a time. If you put too much in there, it tastes like soap."
So it's not the cilantro that tastes like soap .... the person making the dish doesn't know how to balance the flavor.
Oh crap, we're back to that "Is it the recipe or is it the baker? Uh, I mean, cook?" 
I'm one of the types that cilantro tastes kinda soap-y to me but I just kept eating it. I love it now.
Let me share the trick on this!
When I visited one of my warehouses that I managed in Arizona, I was commenting to my shipping clerk how much I loved pico de gallo and wished I could make it. She gave me the recipe and added, "But add the cilantro just a little at a time. If you put too much in there, it tastes like soap."
So it's not the cilantro that tastes like soap .... the person making the dish doesn't know how to balance the flavor.
Oh crap, we're back to that "Is it the recipe or is it the baker? Uh, I mean, cook?"
Hoo Ha! Really? How cool. I kinda felt like an idiot saying I ate something that tasted soapy to me but Yeah most often it tastes great.
Very interesting~Thanks, CakeBuddy!
While we're on the soap tasting vein here--let me add one--if you use too much lavendar your stuff will taste soapy--I've made shortbread cookies (so pretty and understated) and lavendar cake too.
Really cool stuff lavendar. But it's really cool, you eat the cookie then the lavendar comes back into your mouth. In fact a sweet cake buddy sent it to me in the first place.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let the mixed up scratchy posts resume
dkelly~ You are a scratch baker who said they answer as: "baker all the way".
See...I must be from another planet, because while I too ONLY bake from scratch, I always say: "cake decorator or cake artist". (Potato/patahto... envelope/aahnvelope... tomato/tomahto...you get the point! )
I find this thread fascinating...much like a sociological experiment of sorts...
While I LOVE a good rainy day mud fight with my daughter... I HATE getting wet food on my hands! Icing brings out the worst in me... so I make sure everyone's asleep when I make it. 
My point? Wether you bake from scratch or a box... I envy your love of baking in general. "Can't we all just get along...??"
dkelly~ You are a scratch baker who said they answer as: "baker all the way".
See...I must be from another planet, because while I too ONLY bake from scratch, I always say: "cake decorator or cake artist". (Potato/patahto... envelope/aahnvelope... tomato/tomahto...you get the point!
)
I'd love to say I'm a baker/cake artist but seriously, you've seen my work....baking is my LOVE, decorating is my nemesis. 
I am a pretty good "hair artist" though. LOL!!
You are a legit "artist" you even have the degree to back it up....I wish we lived closer we'd make a great business team.
Here's a link to some scratch white wedding cake recipes that won awards at the Austin Cake Show. I've never tried them, but think it's interesting that 1st and 2nd both contain vegetable oil.
http://www.allinonebakeshop.com/documents/capconfawardwinningrecipes2007.pdf
Happy baking to everyone, no matter what you bake. 
I'm one of the types that cilantro tastes kinda soap-y to me but I just kept eating it. I love it now.
."
So it's not the cilantro that tastes like soap .... the person making the dish doesn't know how to balance the flavor.
:
I used to wear a perfume called "Coriandre", and I can't eat cilantro or coriander now, regardless of how much is in whatever it is I'm eating. It just tastes like perfume to me. It makes eating Mexican and Thai food very dangerous, so I rarely have either
I would love to bake cakes from scratch I just cant get them to be moist! I have tried a few but the are always dry! What am I doing wrong? Can someone tell me some tricks to make my cake from scratch and moist? Thanks!..........My kids like both mix and scratch cakes they just say my scratch cakes are dry!
Wow! Kelleym that's a lovely link and truly my best scratch cake recipe is oil-based only it cannot bear the weight of fondant so I'm limited in what I can do with it. I'll like to try out the ones on this link to see if any is sturdier than mine.Thank you so much
I was inspired by this post to make a scratch cake from the joy of baking website posted. I have the pumpkin spice cake in the oven now but here is some insight into baking from scratch from a non baker.
I took my eggs and butter out prior to starting the recipe so they would come up to room temperature. I thought I was so smart. (thinking to myself, "Oh wow I can do this! Maybe I am secretly really good at this!) I started to cream the butter and sugar and was all impressed with my attention to realy creaming the butter and sugar. Then I was supposed to add the pumpkin. I realized I bought canned pumpkin pie mix rather than regular pumpkin. ("uhhhh so maybe not so good at this.) So DH ran to two stores to find me canned pumpkin and I finally got to the second step in my recipe. While tossing the can I cut myself. Then I realize that I haven't taken the milk out to make it room temperature and I haven't added the vinegar to make it "buttermilk." I finally get the cake in the oven but boy oh boy making sure everything is just right is a skill!
I also should add that from the recommendations here I have learned so much. I checked the expiration dates on my baking powder and soda and my powder expired in 2004! I could hardly believe my eyes.
I will let you all know how the recipe turned out!
I was inspired by this post to make a scratch cake from the joy of baking website posted. I have the pumpkin spice cake in the oven now but here is some insight into baking from scratch from a non baker.
I took my eggs and butter out prior to starting the recipe so they would come up to room temperature. I thought I was so smart. (thinking to myself, "Oh wow I can do this! Maybe I am secretly really good at this!) I started to cream the butter and sugar and was all impressed with my attention to realy creaming the butter and sugar. Then I was supposed to add the pumpkin. I realized I bought canned pumpkin pie mix rather than regular pumpkin. ("uhhhh so maybe not so good at this.) So DH ran to two stores to find me canned pumpkin and I finally got to the second step in my recipe. While tossing the can I cut myself. Then I realize that I haven't taken the milk out to make it room temperature and I haven't added the vinegar to make it "buttermilk." I finally get the cake in the oven but boy oh boy making sure everything is just right is a skill!
I also should add that from the recommendations here I have learned so much. I checked the expiration dates on my baking powder and soda and my powder expired in 2004! I could hardly believe my eyes.
I will let you all know how the recipe turned out!
That is so hilarious !!!
I was inspired by this post to make a scratch cake from the joy of baking website posted. I have the pumpkin spice cake in the oven now but here is some insight into baking from scratch from a non baker.
I took my eggs and butter out prior to starting the recipe so they would come up to room temperature. I thought I was so smart. (thinking to myself, "Oh wow I can do this! Maybe I am secretly really good at this!) I started to cream the butter and sugar and was all impressed with my attention to realy creaming the butter and sugar. Then I was supposed to add the pumpkin. I realized I bought canned pumpkin pie mix rather than regular pumpkin. ("uhhhh so maybe not so good at this.) So DH ran to two stores to find me canned pumpkin and I finally got to the second step in my recipe. While tossing the can I cut myself. Then I realize that I haven't taken the milk out to make it room temperature and I haven't added the vinegar to make it "buttermilk." I finally get the cake in the oven but boy oh boy making sure everything is just right is a skill!
I also should add that from the recommendations here I have learned so much. I checked the expiration dates on my baking powder and soda and my powder expired in 2004! I could hardly believe my eyes.
I will let you all know how the recipe turned out!
I don't ever take things out ahead of time to be at room temp. I'll put my butter in the mixer bowl. Set bowl in some hot water let 1/2 of it melt. While I scale all my other ingredients my butter us getting good, and soft LOL
Mike
I was inspired by this post to make a scratch cake from the joy of baking website posted. I have the pumpkin spice cake in the oven now but here is some insight into baking from scratch from a non baker.
I took my eggs and butter out prior to starting the recipe so they would come up to room temperature. I thought I was so smart. (thinking to myself, "Oh wow I can do this! Maybe I am secretly really good at this!) I started to cream the butter and sugar and was all impressed with my attention to realy creaming the butter and sugar. Then I was supposed to add the pumpkin. I realized I bought canned pumpkin pie mix rather than regular pumpkin. ("uhhhh so maybe not so good at this.) So DH ran to two stores to find me canned pumpkin and I finally got to the second step in my recipe. While tossing the can I cut myself. Then I realize that I haven't taken the milk out to make it room temperature and I haven't added the vinegar to make it "buttermilk." I finally get the cake in the oven but boy oh boy making sure everything is just right is a skill!
I also should add that from the recommendations here I have learned so much. I checked the expiration dates on my baking powder and soda and my powder expired in 2004! I could hardly believe my eyes.
I will let you all know how the recipe turned out!
I don't ever take things out ahead of time to be at room temp. I'll put my butter in the mixer bowl. Set bowl in some hot water let 1/2 of it melt. While I scale all my other ingredients my butter us getting good, and soft LOL
Mike
Me neither. In fact Shirley Corriher says that room temp butter should actually be cold butter because today's room temp is so much warmer than what was previously considered room temperature. I just the butter into little pieces and start creaming. Eggs I never refrigerate anyways cos I use them fast. Milk I zap in the microwave for about 30 seconds to bring up the temp.
And I can relate about having the "wrong" ingredients. I sometimes bake by the seat of my pants because I'll decide to do something then realize midway that I have missing or wrong ingredients (like thinking canned beets were canned cherries - good thing I caught that before it went in the batter!) Let us know how it turned out Lillermom.
Friends alas I have proven yet again that I am not a cake baker. My poor cake. It didn't rise very well and came out to be about the size of one 2 inch layer. Torting it made things rather interesting. It was also quite dense and not light like the picture on the website made it seem. I am quite sure this was user error on my part. I am sure the poor ingredients didn't appreciate waiting for my canned pumpkin to be found.
I will stick to mixes and call myself a decorator for now! Good thing there is a sale on them this weekend at my local grocery store!
My hats are off to the scratch bakers tonight. 
I went to buy some canned pumpkin the other day, and I finally found it at the third store I tried...and they only had one can left! My friend in Lousiana had the same problem, and so did her friend in Washington. So if you find it, stock up!
I mainly do doctored box. I love the WASC and the Italian cream cake with the mix base. I can bake from scratch too. I just did a hummingbird cake that was so good . The one scratch cake I can't seem to master is the 7 up pound cake. I love my friend's and her mom's. The last one I made was the best and everyone loved it, but it wasnt' like theirs. I followed the recipe and did everything like she said, but didn't get the same result. I guess it is a good thing because I'd make it more and eat too much of it.
I think you need skills to do either well. The fact that some people complain about the wasc being dry is proof of that.
LMAO!! I guess i'm not a baker!! I just made the Moist Yellow cake, Toba Garrett's recipe, and it made the saddest 2 layers I've ever set eyes on! LOL!
They taste great, it's just that they are so small! I would have to use about 4 of them to get the height I would normally go for. I think next time I would put the batter into one pan... Anyone want to wager a guess as to what I did wrong??
You didn't start with a mix!
Did you mix too long? Were the ingredients the right temperature? Did you mix them in the correct order? Did you check the experation date on everything before you started? Did you use a good recipe? Was your oven the proper temperature? (I will stop now........and let the bakers figure it out.)
Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. I will be good now.
LMAO!! I guess i'm not a baker!! I just made the Moist Yellow cake, Toba Garrett's recipe, and it made the saddest 2 layers I've ever set eyes on! LOL!
They taste great, it's just that they are so small! I would have to use about 4 of them to get the height I would normally go for. I think next time I would put the batter into one pan... Anyone want to wager a guess as to what I did wrong??
We need more information than that to figure it out!
You didn't start with a mix!
Did you mix too long? Were the ingredients the right temperature? Did you mix them in the correct order? Did you check the experation date on everything before you started? Did you use a good recipe? Was your oven the proper temperature? (I will stop now........and let the bakers figure it out.)
Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. I will be good now.
Loucinda, YES to all of the above!! (except no I mixed it exactly as the recipe stated...which was a lot of mixing...)
This was a recipe that someone had mentioned earlier in this thread...I cut into it last night, and I have to say it was absolutely delicious. It tasted sort of like pound cake, but a great texture, and a light crumb...it just didn't make the amount of cake I thought it would. When I bake a cake mix, it fluffs up and rises quite a bit in the pans...this didn't...
I will use this recipe again, for family cakes. When I compare cost in my head, there is no way I could afford to use this recipe for customers. I live in an area that is used to paying squat for walmart cakes, and I've had to fight that so hard, I don't want to go back to losing money! LOL!
Just this weekend, I was told that $250.00 was too much to pay for a wedding cake to serve 100 people...but that's another story...
Anyway, Today I will try the chocolate cake recipe that was sent to me thru this thread, and I will post the results. It calls for oil, and all purpose flour so it is much more cost effective....
I never thought about it that way, but yup, I'm a baker & thats what my business cards say "owner & baker".
I love to decorate the cakes, I love to eat the cakes, but I am way too impatient to bake the cakes haha! I envy all of you and your love of baking. Just recently I've hired on my SIL to do the baking for me. She loves to bake, hates decorating. I love to decorate, don't have the patience to bake and wait for it to cool so it's a perfect relationship!
Also, to ...persay...'classify' myself, my business card says 'Artistic Entrepreneur'
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