I think this topic gets everyone fired up more than any other I've seen on this site. What I find objectionable is the attitude that "if you don't bake from scratch, you're not truly serious about baking". FYI - - been there, done that. I mastered scratch baking many years ago, probably before a lot of you were even born. Baking has always been taken seriously in my family, and holidays and family gatherings were where the competitions took place.

The reasons I choose to start with a mix for some of my cakes are my own, and are in no way an indication of my dedication, ability or level of skill. And yes, I have put in the hours and hours required to be extremely good at what I do.

OK - - there's my 2 cents' worth. Next?

Well said Rae

Woot Woot Anna !!!

I use box mixes and have not had any complaints from my clients. When I get a feedback via email, telephone or even facebook, they are all saying how good the cake was. I believe if your buttercream is delicious then it will bring out the taste/texture of a box mix. Also when your clients call you and place an order the first thing they are telling you is what type of cake they want (diaper bag, princess and the frog, spongebob, etc.) And when you deliver the cake, the first thing they look at is, how GOOD their cake looks.

99% of the time I bake from scratch. For two reasons. First, I don't like the ingredients listed on the box of the average brands of cake mix. My rule of thumb is, if I can't pronounce it, I don't want it in my cake. There are some high quality cake mixes made with all natural ingredients found in health food stores or the health food section of the grocery store but they are much more expensive than making it from scratch.

Second, making my cakes from scratch allows me to use healthier ingredients like raw sugar, unbleached flour, chocolate with high cacao, and fresh homemade butter.

I use both. In my area box mix is preferred (though no one will admit it). I have put my theory to the test by making one tier box, one tier scratch, I will get rave compliments on the box (doctored), and people will tell me that the scratch cake is "OBVIOUSLY a box, and not near as good".

I personally prefer scratch cakes, though, to be honest, I am not a cake fan. I bake/cook from scratch 80% of the time. The 20% that I don't is usually because of convenience. I do not consider myself a "baker". I have no desire to. I LOVE to bake anything, except cake! I don't know why, but I just hate baking cake. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE decorating them.

In my opinion, to each their own. My cakes always taste delicious and look AMAZING! Do I think anyone can empty a box into a pan and call themselves a "baker", NO. But you don't have to be a great scratch baker to make cakes that look AND taste great!

Personally, I decided that if I was going to bother taking a lot of care with decorating and presentation, I'm not going to put a box mix inside "the package". So before I ever thought about selling, I practiced some scratch recipes, found a few core "go to recipes" and experimented outward from there. I still use some of those very first recipes.

And the reason people who you think shouldn't even know to ask something like that, is they are becoming educated about it. Look at the food industry as a whole. The movement to better food (not mass produced, chemically processed, fake) is gaining ground. Why can't scratch baked goods be included in that?

I declare loud and proud on my sites that I am 100% scratch and fresh ingredients only. Perhaps people see that on one person's site and think it's a good thing. Why wouldn't they ask the next person they come to?

People wanting good food that isn't from a box is a good thing. But if you want to use a box mix, go for it! My insistence on using what I use, should not be interpreted as a slam against what you use. That's a general statement there.

It depends on my mood as to whether I'm going to do a cake from a mix or from scratch. If I'm feeling lazy, I will do a doctored mix cake. I have to admit that lately I seem to have gotten a little lazier. Quite frankly I don't find it that hard to bake from scratch. Just have to pay more attention to detail I guess. I've only been decorating for a few months just for family cakes but have been baking since my teens. I started with cake mix then wanted to challenge myself & started doing cakes from scratch. I try not to eat cake to often so I don't always taste them but the family loves them whether from scratch or mix. As far as I'm not concerned, that is all that matters.

Yeah, I don't get saying that baking from scratch is "hard". Every time this topic comes up, people say that. I do both, and my decision to do mix based or scratch is based the flavor and what we have found to be popular, not because I'm lazy or because it's hard to bake from scratch.

I like the taste of scratch cakes better... I find cake mixes to have a strong chemical taste, even if they are doctored. As someone said before, it all depends on the palate!

I am a very good from scratch baker, and yet, for a New Years day luncheon I was asked to bake a doctored box cake!

Ok this is just ME and just an FYI.
I have nothing against people who use mixes or doctored mixes. I can.usually tell the difference in taste . I started baking from scratch when I was 7. But most mixes do taste ok. Yes I have used a mix before .
I myself am allergic to the preservatives in.the mixes and most processed foods . Actually when its a chemically produced reaction its called a sensitivity .
Most people have no idea what is causing some of their health problems when the cause is a chemical sensitivty .
Its not always swelling of the throat . It can be hives itching,headaches ,acne ,blurry vision ,hot flashes , stomach
distresses,irritability,aching , and more .

This is probably more than anyone wanted to know on here .
But let me say if you eat Red Velvet Cake this Valentines day even if its from
scratch and you notice that you have a sore throat later or
you feel flushed and or start itching . Its most likely all that red dye you ate .
Im not knocking anyone or trying to convert anyone. I just thought its something to think.about .

On the same subject if you drink diet sodas everyday .And feel like you are in a fog or have headaches or any of the above . Then you need to stop drinking diet sofas and see if you feel better .

OK.back to cake baking !