Scratch Made VS Box Mix
I'd like to get some opinions. When I bake, anything, cookies, muffins, banana bread, whatever, I'm totally ANTI-Box mix. If Im going through the trouble to make someone a beautiful cake it just goes totally against my grain to use a box mix. I guess I think they can go to the store and buy it themselves (probably cheaper too) if I was just gonna mix up a box?! I feel like Im cheating somehow. Maybe its the way I was raised? Everything ~ dinner desserts whatever, made from scratch, even grown fresh when possible. I watched my grandma stretch dough across the dining room table while making the BEST APPLE STRUEDEL EVER!!! Maybe that's what it is??
But anyway, is this just my dying opinion? I was looking at some recipes and variations that start with (or at least include) a box mix, then other variables are added (so its only half-scratch). It seems so much easier than scratch-made...in fact maybe thats the problem, too easy? Don't get me wrong, I'm all about easy, but still have this nagging thought of "I'm cheating"..lol
Any other thoughts out there, or is it just me?
Thanks for sharing...maybe you can save me from myself. LOL
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Theresa Happe on
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I am the same way. When the WASC recipe was first posted, that was the first time I ever played around with a cake mix. I do keep cake mixes in the house, because the kids always want to bake something and I don't feel like going through all the steps when they want cake at 9:00 at night. It's a matter of taste. I don't think there is any right or wrong answer here. Even though I'm Italian, I hate raw tomatoes, but plenty of people love tomatoes. To me, it's the same thing.
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Permalink Reply by L Welch on
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I used to share your same heart-felt opinion. I struggled to find a good, moist white cake recipe. They were all too dry with an unappealing texture. Then our cake club did a side-by-side taste test. We blind tested all the top brands of box mixes, a generic store brand, and a good scratch recipe. Then we rated them according to taste, appearance, and texture. The Betty Crocker box mix won!!! This was much to the gall and surprise of many well known professionals including two Food Network Challenge winners. I use a recipe that combines the box mix, instant pudding, coffee creamer, and other ingredients and I get the best moist white cake ever. I can use it for sculpting and it bakes up beautifully without tunnels, cracks, high crowns or any of the other pitfalls that make us crazy. It also gives me enough batter to make thicker layers that torte well. So there you have it. The scratch cake came in 4th place! The worst one was the generic box mix. It was awful. There really is a difference between box mixes. The second best was Duncan Hines, followed by Pillsbury Moist Supreme. Hint: veg oil makes a moister cake than butter. So lay your guilt to rest and give your clients a great tasting, beautifully decorated cake!
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Permalink Reply by Kathy Kmonk on
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I love the WASC recipe and look at the box mix in it as an ingredient since there are so many more ingredients added along with it. I like it because you can use any flavor cake mix you like and always come out with a great cake. I have baked scratch cakes in the past and had so many problems with them either not coming out of the pans properly or being too soft to ice and having them fall apart as I tried to ice them. In my experience it is better structurally and has a better texture. I feel like I'm still the one mixing up the ingredients, baking and decorating the cake. I don't feel like I'm cheating anyone. As far as grandma's go...mine also baked from scratch but I am fairly certain if she had the great mixed that we have today, she would have used them, too. Bottom line...do what feels right for you.
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Permalink Reply by Mizztry on
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Hi ladies,
First of all what is WASC? Is this a simple white cake made from scratch?
And my opinions on the box vs. scratch. Well i'm new at cake decorating so right now i'm trying to focus more on my designs and playing with fondant, so i admit i use boxed mixes. And always Betty Crocker, it is by far the best cake mix!!! But slowly I will start making from scratch, i will have to just experiment!! I dont feel it really as cheating if i use the boxed mix for my cakes because the buttercream and fondant is still made from scratch!! So it's like a 1/2 1/2 :) hehe..
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WASC is white almond sour cream cake. Go to the recipes section and you can find it there. It is a scratch recipe that can be altered to accommodate many flavor combinations and it produces an excellent, moist cake. It is essentially the same recipe as I achieve using a doctored box mix. If you want, make the scratch mixes ahead and put the dry ingredients in a Ziplock bag, labeled & dated. Then when you need it, all you have to do is add the wet ingredients and mix. I do this with a few of my recipes, but for the white cakes and some of the flavors I just doctor the box. It saves a ton of time and time is money. The results are virtually the same. I hope that helps. Happy decorating!
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Permalink Reply by Jenifer T on
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Interesting, because Im totall fine with using store bought fondant - to be honest, Im afraid to attempt that. But I do make my own buttercream. There's actually a group here on CWB for FONDARIFIC, apparently they make flavored fondant, thinking of trying that out.
Meera said:Hi ladies,
First of all what is WASC? Is this a simple white cake made from scratch?
And my opinions on the box vs. scratch. Well i'm new at cake decorating so right now i'm trying to focus more on my designs and playing with fondant, so i admit i use boxed mixes. And always Betty Crocker, it is by far the best cake mix!!! But slowly I will start making from scratch, i will have to just experiment!! I dont feel it really as cheating if i use the boxed mix for my cakes because the buttercream and fondant is still made from scratch!! So it's like a 1/2 1/2 :) hehe..
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What a great idea on putting the dry ingredients in a ziplock! Cool!! Thanks!
Linda Welch said:WASC is white almond sour cream cake. Go to the recipes section and you can find it there. It is a scratch recipe that can be altered to accommodate many flavor combinations and it produces an excellent, moist cake. You it is essentially the same recipe as I achieve using a doctored box mix. If you want, make the scratch mixes ahead and put the dry ingredients in a Ziplock bag, labeled & dated. Then when you need it, all you have to do is add the wet ingredients and mix. I do this with a few of my recipes, but for the white cakes and some of the flavors I just doctor the box. It saves a ton of time and time is money. The results are virtually the same. I hope that helps. Happy decorating!
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Hi Denise, sorry to burden you, but I'd love to try your recipe, and I'm sure others would, too. Would you mind posting it under Recipes? Thanks!
Denise said:I am the same way! As a matter of fact, that is WHY my customers come to me and are willing to pay more for my cakes -vs- a cheaper cake at the Mega Mart.
Theresa- I actually have a recipe for making your own Cake Mix. It adds to the convenience without taking away from the bake it from scratch" choice.
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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Cintron on
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Before I started cake decorating classes, I would NEVER make anything from a box. However, once we started with the once-a-week cake, I had to cave. Having baked several cakes from a box, I realized that they're not too bad - they're not great! - and at least when it comes to chocolate cakes, God knows they are easier!! Still, I prefer, if I am going to eat the cake, or make it for someone I care about, to use a scratch recipe, but in a pinch I will use the boxed mixes. And in terms of cheating, I guess I would ask myself - does my client want a delicious cake, a beautiful cake, or both? Because if it's more about the look than the taste (as I have to imagine SO many wedding cakes are, having eaten enough seriously horrible ones!), then I don't think you're cheating yourself or your client if you use a mix and spend your time on the decoration and details. I agree that it's a personal choice - both your own, and your clients' (assuming you're selling your creations). Happy baking!
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Permalink Reply by Mrs. P on
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I'm a Betty Crocker girl and I've never had any complaints. Homemade from a box is always better than store bought! Even bakery cakes are usually dry and they make up for it by putting loads of sickenly sweet filling. I also add things to the batter for more flavor options :)
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Permalink Reply by Karen on
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Hi! I was raised overseas so mixes were never an option and I felt quite snooty about making all my cakes from scratch. However, as our church began doing bake sales by order only at Thanksgiving time, I caved and now use cake mixes all the time. I think Duncan Hines is the best ... add a small box of instant pudding in with the dry ingredients. This will make a 3 layer (9") cake (no torting necessary). You'll have to bake it 25-30 minutes. My frostings are all from scratch, though. Also, if you add a hint of almond extract into the cake batter, it will give it a homemade flavor. Cake mixes have been tested and tested so you can't hardly mess one up. Scratch cakes are tempermental (sp?) and can fall if you slam the door, are subject to humidity, etc. When I'm doing 15 cakes a day, I don't have time for one to mess up.
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