Why Does A Cake Mix Taste So Much Better
Decorating By txmom9802 Updated 15 Oct 2009 , 6:54pm by nonnyscakes
Eeeeuw... cake mix cakes are gross.
hmmmm....I have built an intire business on doctored cake mixes. All my customers MUST be crazy.
I don't like to leave anything to fate...I know that my doctored mix will come out perect everytime....I don't have time for long drawn out recipes that may or may not give me a great result....it YOU do than kudo's to you.
It all boils down to personal preference and the time one has to create something fabulous.
JMO....but NONE of my customers are saying Eeeeuw.
Sugar is a chemical, guys, all the stuff we use is a chemical so when we say a chemically taste or when we talk about added chemicals that does not compute.
There's added chemicals in the flour (which itself would be a chemical) so truthfully the flour we use is a mix. Some of use 'pure vanilla' that is a mix because it contains corn syrup and other stuff and it is now a mixture of ingredients, aka a mix.
It's sad that some of us think using a cake mix is cheating. I mean you can purchase all the same ingredients that are used in a cake mix and measure and combine them ourselves would that then be cheating or not?
Just some mixed up thoughts for you.
I can't shake the feeling that it's cheating when you use a cake mix. I don't see where the sense of achievement comes from when someone loves the cake you have just made. That's just me though.
I'm always confused on why some people thing using a cake mix is illegal or immoral .... which is pretty much the definition of "cheating".
And your thoughts on the big expensive bakeries that buy their 'cake mix' in a commercial mix that comes in a 50 lb bag and just add water?
Sorry .... people who are self-professed cake haters love my cakes. That gives me a pretty good sense of achievement!
I couldn't agree with you more indydebi! I make lots of scratch cakes and lots of mix cakes. I have never had a complaint on either one.
K8
I totally agree with you on the chemical,
I think what people who scratch refer to when talking about mixes is the taste of the extra preservatives that they add to make the mix stable so it has a 1yr+ shelf life.
For me one of the big drawbacks from mixes is that usually they ask you to add like half a cup of vegetable oil or something along those lines, so yes the cake comes out moist but its greasy moist, not moisture moist. thats me at least.
Yes a lot of scratch cakes (especially when your talking french baking) has lots of butter, but its mixed in differently so you don't get that greasy flavor usually.
Auntmamie hehe, we can start a club hehe
As far as the corn syrup in vanilla extract- thats why I make my own.
Vanilla beans and alcohol and thats it. When I am in a pinch I do go out and buy vanilla extract, but I read the labels very carefully and I buy the one that has sugar and not corn syrup.
I will totally make cakes from extended mixes when its just to bring to work for the employees. They only get scratch cakes when theres leftovers from a party.
Oh Auryn.
Sugar in vanilla means it's a mix. It doesn't matter if it's sugar or cornsyrup. Alcohol plus vanilla beans is a chemical interaction to produce the vanilla.
Sugar is a chemical.
I know what they mean. But they don't know what they're saying.
French cakes, genoise, are not moist they are dry they are canvases for splashes and fruit. They suck without accoutrements.
Cake mixes generally use one third cup oil and you can always cut back on it. If they are made properly even with one half cup if the box says it they are not greasy.
Now that strawberry cake we make or scratch carrot cake with a ton of oil--yeah those come out oily.
Ok here's the biggie here-- do we taste the preservatives in any other preservative laden product? Packaged cookies, Nutri Grain Bars, Eggo Waffles, store bought bread, rice krispies?
Do we complain about the tetrasodium pyrophosphate in marshmallows? 'Oh God I can't stand the chemically taste in marshmallows!' How often do we hear that?
Now we might be able to detect the leavening in cake mix--the aluminum-y stuff--the metallic taste maybe. But all of it is a chemical. All. of. it.
It's intriguing that the preservatives that are said to have such a nuclearly unfavorable flavor in cake mix are not at all distinguishable in alll the other products on the shelf.
Oh I can't eat the pancakes from IHOP or Mrs. Butterworth buttermilk pancake mix--they got chemicals in the mix. (And Mrs B's are awesome too!)
It's a myth.
Because for example, Auryn, Duncan Hines white cake mix has no preservatives.
Kate -
Thank you for putting into words what was rolling around in my head. Even the water that people drink (just plain with no additives) is a chemical compound. H2O (Hydrogen & Oxygen)
I really don't know why I keep piping up, 'cept this is all so fascinating. But does it really matter what someone else does? Isn't it most important that people are just true to themselves and their customers?It's opinion, semantics, personal taste.....
In my cake world, I love scratch cakes but there are some doctored up cake mixes that are just so good, they can't be made better.
I personally love me some preservatives and chemicals, it's what makes food sooo yummy 
I personally love me some preservatives and chemicals, it's what makes food sooo yummy
ROFLOL - yum
Ok, someone is probably going to yell at me (just kidding). I really love reading all of these posts because EVERYONE is RIGHT. Because it is all personal preference. If you make a cake and someone likes it, that's what's important, they liked it.
My husband prefers box cake, it's what he grew up on. I prefer scratch, it's what I grew up on. But he likes box so that's what I make him. There's no point in making him a scratch cake if he's not going to enjoy it. Now, that being said, there are some cakes that I make for him, that he loves that are scratch and he wouldn't have it any other way (Pound Cake, Texas Sheet Cake, Sour Cream Coffee Cake). I have a recipe for the most moist one-bowl chocolate cake I have ever eaten, everyone loves it, when I make it he just says, "it's ok". I love him, but it's seriously better than "ok" (and not even an upper case ok, lower case ok).
I agree with everyone (I know, it's weird, but I do). It doesn't matter if it's a box or scratch, it can still be "jacked up" (as someone said). It's all it the way you go about it.
Ok, someone is probably going to yell at me (just kidding). I really love reading all of these posts because EVERYONE is RIGHT. Because it is all personal preference. If you make a cake and someone likes it, that's what's important, they liked it.
My husband prefers box cake, it's what he grew up on. I prefer scratch, it's what I grew up on. But he likes box so that's what I make him. There's no point in making him a scratch cake if he's not going to enjoy it. Now, that being said, there are some cakes that I make for him, that he loves that are scratch and he wouldn't have it any other way (Pound Cake, Texas Sheet Cake, Sour Cream Coffee Cake). I have a recipe for the most moist one-bowl chocolate cake I have ever eaten, everyone loves it, when I make it he just says, "it's ok". I love him, but it's seriously better than "ok" (and not even an upper case ok, lower case ok).
I agree with everyone (I know, it's weird, but I do). It doesn't matter if it's a box or scratch, it can still be "jacked up" (as someone said). It's all it the way you go about it.
mgwebb68 - I want the chocolate cake recipe....
i think the reason people feel its "cheating" when using a mix is because cake mixes are *fool-proof*. pretty much anyone can make a moist doctored cake but the same *cannot* be said for scratch. just look at how many threads there are on people having trouble with dry cakes from scratch. baking is an art that not everyone can master...
.. baking is an art that not everyone can master...
No it isn't. It's a skill. Can become an artform but it's only a skill in real life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wrote this earlier & stashed it 'cause I talk too much but here yah go...
Baking a nice cake 'from scratch' is a skill it's not a mystery or an unattainable procedure reserved for a few.
Truth to tell you can get a much better product for wedding cakes in particular using a base of cake mix. It's more agile. Add in the decor factor with a wedding cake and cake mix makes a lot of sense.
We can all do it any way we want ~ but baking 'from scratch' is highly over rated in my opinion because most of the public cannot discern the difference. If they can discern the difference they will just as often as not ascribe it a mix when it's scratch and vice versa. Can't tell. If it's good it's the one they favor whether it is or not. If it's bad in ther minds it's the opposite regardless of how it was made.
Do a taste test and prove me wrong.
I got a big box of Jilk cake emulsion stuff sitting right over there and one day soon I'm gonna bake me a cake mix cake from scratch.
Whaaat?
Sorry, you are wrong - I have seen AND tasted a screwed up box mix. It takes skill to do both a mix and "scratch".
I still haven't heard anyone say whether it is "cheating" if you use purchased fondant on a "scratch" cake yet...........
seriously?? my 6yo can make a doctored cake and its perfect every time...
Sorry, you are wrong - I have seen AND tasted a screwed up box mix. It takes skill to do both a mix and "scratch".
I still haven't heard anyone say whether it is "cheating" if you use purchased fondant on a "scratch" cake yet...........
Or hit it with a can of store bought frosting. OOPS better yet Bettercreme. LOLOLOL.
Box mixes stick to the roof of my mouth. If you totally cream the butter, and sugar together till white, and slowwwwwwwly add the eggs, and slowwwwwwwwly add the milk, and then the flour, mix till no more lumps. The crumb will be as fine as a box mix.
Mike
Sorry, you are wrong - I have seen AND tasted a screwed up box mix. It takes skill to do both a mix and "scratch".
I still haven't heard anyone say whether it is "cheating" if you use purchased fondant on a "scratch" cake yet...........
Or hit it with a can of store bought frosting. OOPS better yet Bettercreme. LOLOLOL.
Box mixes stick to the roof of my mouth. If you totally cream the butter, and sugar together till white, and slowwwwwwwly add the eggs, and slowwwwwwwwly add the milk, and then the flour, mix till no more lumps. The crumb will be as fine as a box mix.
Mike
So the cake mix crumb is the standard to which you want to attain...
...so that it can stick to the roof of your mouth?
What did I miss here? Mike, you got some 'splaining to do.
And most of the recipes I've read say "beginning and ending with flour."
The milk will break down the emulsified eggs & sugar.
I've been scratch baking for about 6years and after a lot of trials and errors I've been able to deliver moist and tasty cakes judging by the regular requests I get for them . BUT I just baked my first mix cake and I must say it wasn't bad at all. Fine there was a slight chemical taste(maybe the preservatives) but the texture was lovely and I'm looking at ways of doctoring it to give a better all round flavour. GROSS??- Definitely NOT!!!!!
Sorry, you are wrong - I have seen AND tasted a screwed up box mix. It takes skill to do both a mix and "scratch".
I still haven't heard anyone say whether it is "cheating" if you use purchased fondant on a "scratch" cake yet...........
Or hit it with a can of store bought frosting. OOPS better yet Bettercreme. LOLOLOL.
Box mixes stick to the roof of my mouth. If you totally cream the butter, and sugar together till white, and slowwwwwwwly add the eggs, and slowwwwwwwwly add the milk, and then the flour, mix till no more lumps. The crumb will be as fine as a box mix.
Mike
So the cake mix crumb is the standard to which you want to attain...
...so that it can stick to the roof of your mouth?
What did I miss here? Mike, you got some 'splaining to do.
And most of the recipes I've read say "beginning and ending with flour."
The milk will break down the emulsified eggs & sugar.
The oil in a mix is what causes it to stick to the roof. I've never had a box with a butter replacing the oil, so I can't comment there.
The crumb was just a comparison. Most peeps are aware of the fine crumb that a box has. Scratch cakes due to the lack of hmmm???? LOL the crumb doesn't come out as fine. Which will give the texture a dry mouthfeel.
The milk does somewhat breakdown the emulsion, but the fats are bonded together for the most part. It's the protien in the egg whites, and some of the fat that gets whisked away from the emulsion.
Once the milk goes in and it's mixed it looks like a sloppy goopy mess.
Dump the flour in mix on medium for I would say less than two minutes POOF a fine lump free batter.
The few minutes is certainly not enough to develope any gluten to mamke it tough.
Mike
I bake from scratch, but I used to be a box mix baker. Why did I switch? Honestly, it wasn't so much about the taste as the challenge. I have found that I enjoy the process of baking, of creating something from all these ingredients that tastes wonderful MORE than the process of decorating. Most of my desserts/cakes are not "decorated" in the sense of piping/fondant/etc, but they are gorgeous to look at and deliciously decadent to eat. I love the process of taking a recipe (or recipes) and playing around with them until I find that perfect version. I also love European style desserts and the challenge of creating traditional cakes and pastries. I understand the convenience and time-saving of using box mixes, especially if you are going to be spending hours upon hours decorating the cake, so I'm not going to fault someone for using a box mix, it's just not my personal thing.
I bake from scratch, but I used to be a box mix baker. Why did I switch? Honestly, it wasn't so much about the taste as the challenge. I have found that I enjoy the process of baking, of creating something from all these ingredients that tastes wonderful MORE than the process of decorating. Most of my desserts/cakes are not "decorated" in the sense of piping/fondant/etc, but they are gorgeous to look at and deliciously decadent to eat. I love the process of taking a recipe (or recipes) and playing around with them until I find that perfect version. I also love European style desserts and the challenge of creating traditional cakes and pastries. I understand the convenience and time-saving of using box mixes, especially if you are going to be spending hours upon hours decorating the cake, so I'm not going to fault someone for using a box mix, it's just not my personal thing.
well said. I agree completely
I also bake a lot of desserts - and have done so for many years....I do not do many european style pastries though. I LOVE to make artisan breads too. Maybe that is why making my own fondant doesn't seem to bother me much, I am used to kneading bread dough by hand!
As I stated before, it does not matter what you use or how you do it, if you are happy and your clients are happy - don't fret about it! (and do not belittle others for their choices)
Having had both I definately prefer my scratch made cakes. But I agree with others U really have to know what U are doing. My friend only makes box cakes and the are always DRY. I think maybe she does not use the oil called for on the box. My kids(13, 12, 10 and 3) can always tell when they are eating a box mix, an they definately prefer my homemade cakes. Well maybe not my 3 year old, she is just happy to have any cake.(smile)
Tired of the scratch snobs on here thinking scratch is better and box is cheating...You do what works for you and your client. Let's face it the "cake" part of caking isn't the expense of the cake it is all the other stuff we do. So if your client likes scratch with a dryer consistancy and a larger crumb great, but the majority of the world does prefer the moister, finer crumb of a mix, doctored or not. We don't live in the 50's & 60's anymore where mom stayed home and cooked and baked all day, most people were raised on box mixes with the occasional scratch cake thrown in on a special occasion. Understand I said MOST there are ALWAYS exceptions to the rule, some of you very well may have been brought up on scratch only, therefore you ARE going to prefer a scratch cake to a box.
The cakes I do from scratch because texture plays a big role in defining them is my grandmother's chocolate soda cake (covered in a marshmallow based fudge made from scratch), my aunt's red velvet cake, angel food cake, my carrot cake (I do have a few clients that request a box doctored on this as they grew up with the mix version so they prefer it but they are close friends, all my other clients get my scratch version), sourcream loaf cakes, pound cakes & coffee cakes.
And Mike the butter based mix cakes do have a scratch consistancy, one of the reasons I personally don't prefer them. I have even used one of the butter mixes with oil (as described as a sub on the box) and the consistancy is the same the oil didn't change the crumb, it was all about the dry ingredients used. If you feel with your fingers the dry butter mix compared to the regular box mix you can feel that the butter mix is somewhat dryer and doesn't hold together like the other dry box mix it doesn't have a "fluffy" feel like the regular does. I think there is shortening in the regular dry mix...I will have to read a label to see for sure.
And don't forget the "simple syrup" that is brushed, drizzled, or poured onto most (not all) scratch cakes to help retain the moisture (or was it to add an extra layer of flavoring?)
Prefaced to say...this is not aimed at you Loucinda...I see your cheekiness 
This simple syrup thing just cracks me up! WHY WOULD YOU EVEN NEED TO ADD MORE SUGAR! 
If the recipe needs to be doctored AFTER the baking happens then what is the point? Simple syrup is gross, and since it is just sugar how is it adding flavor? 
the flavor should be in the cake PRIOR to the baking with the exception of liqueur drizzles for those type cakes since the alcohol bakes out.
So basically what you are saying is a scratch cake needs some help after the fact to be moist and flavorful...good one. 
No I am not normally this bi#@% about stuff, or generally even care about stuff like this, just in a pissy mood today and Y'all are getting the benefit of it 
Okay stepping off soapbox and shutting mouth... 
And don't forget the "simple syrup" that is brushed, drizzled, or poured onto most (not all) scratch cakes to help retain the moisture (or was it to add an extra layer of flavoring?)
Prefaced to say...this is not aimed at you Loucinda...I see your cheekiness
This simple syrup thing just cracks me up!
WHY WOULD YOU EVEN NEED TO ADD MORE SUGAR! If the recipe needs to be doctored AFTER the baking happens then what is the point? Simple syrup is gross, and since it is just sugar how is it adding flavor? the flavor should be in the cake PRIOR to the baking with the exception of liqueur drizzles for those type cakes since the alcohol bakes out.So basically what you are saying is a scratch cake needs some help after the fact to be moist and flavorful...good one.
No I am not normally this bi#@% about stuff, or generally even care about stuff like this, just in a pissy mood today and Y'all are getting the benefit of it
Okay stepping off soapbox and shutting mouth...
LOLOL OK thanks for the warning. We already had our duel. I don't want that when "just in a pissy mood today and Y'all are getting the benefit of it " Hehehehehe
Mike
Tired of the scratch snobs on here thinking scratch is better and box is cheating...
Please don't call scratch bakers snobs. I'm a scratch baker and I can assure you I don't give a rat's if you use a box mix, circle thrice around the oven before putting the pans in or sing "it's a small world after all" while you're mixing up the batter. It's all good to me.
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