Larger Bakeries: Do You Use A Mix?

Business By loriemoms Updated 5 Apr 2008 , 3:29pm by cakesondemand

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loriemoms Posted 1 Apr 2008 , 12:38pm
post #1 of 31

I have never worked in a bakery (well, except my own! haha) and I was talking to my DH about the baking of cakes. I am getting so busy now baking cakes is becoming very time consuming! He is trying to learn how to bake but isn't having much luck..I am at the point where I am considering hiring someone to just do my baking. (trying to avoid it, as it just opens up all kinds of laws and accounting head aches, etc etc) I was wondering what you guys do: I know walmart and those kinds of places use premade cakes (yeck). Have you gone to a mix? If so, what brand ? if not, Can you find cake flour in bulk? (I sure can't!) Does it come presifted? Any advice to save time would be great!

30 replies
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KoryAK Posted 1 Apr 2008 , 4:53pm
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yes, i think most large bakeries use mixes because they are more "dummy proof". check your local wholesalers (FSA, sysco, etc...) for 50# bags of cake flour. (I'm still a scratch baker with my shop, but its small)

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loriemoms Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 9:19am
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we only have Sams, BJS and Costco here and they do not sell the cake flour (I do buy all my sugar and eggs from Costco...the looks I get when I bring three boxes of 7 dozens eggs to check out! haha)

I am currently trying to see if I can get a large enough order together from BakeMart...its the only place I have seen bulk cake flour...

I was just curious to see what others are doing.

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DesignerCakes Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 11:12am
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Check out www.restaurantdepot.com and see if they have a location in your area. They don't have a minimum purchase requirement, just need a business license to become a member and there is no membership fee. They carry what you are looking for. They carry Pillsbury cake flour as well as Pillsbury commercial mixes, both of which come in 50 lb. bags.

The cake mix bag has directions for mixing a 10 lb batch as well as a 20 lb batch, so you can make smaller quantities, if needed.

You can also contact Pillsbury - commercial sales and your local sales rep should be able to tell you who they distribute to in your immediate area. The 50 lb bag of white, for example, will cost you between $65 and $75 in my area, depending on who you buy it from.

Hope that helps.

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loriemoms Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 12:55pm
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Thanks Designer, I will check it out...how does the mix taste? Can you carve with it?

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indydebi Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 1:07pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KoryAK

yes, i think most large bakeries use mixes because they are more "dummy proof". check your local wholesalers (FSA, sysco, etc...) for 50# bags of cake flour. (I'm still a scratch baker with my shop, but its small)




Sysco and GFS and other food distributors are not selling those big boxes of commercial cake mixes to housewives. Yes, bakeries use mixes.

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loriemoms Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 1:13pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Quote:
Originally Posted by KoryAK

yes, i think most large bakeries use mixes because they are more "dummy proof". check your local wholesalers (FSA, sysco, etc...) for 50# bags of cake flour. (I'm still a scratch baker with my shop, but its small)



Sysco and GFS and other food distributors are not selling those big boxes of commercial cake mixes to housewives. Yes, bakeries use mixes.




I have a tax id and can buy items wholesale...just that Sysco and GFS dont exist here...

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ziggytarheel Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 1:28pm
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I live in your general area icon_smile.gif and I've seen Sysco labels lots of places. I checked their website and they have a Morrisville and a Selma location.

icon_smile.gif

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loriemoms Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 2:44pm
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Yes, I know..the place in Morrisville only sells fresh produce,. We spoke with the people in Selma before..they sell mainly restaurant type foods, they have some flour, and stuff, but they do not sell hi ratio shortening nor cake mixes. This was two years ago, but I could check with them again. They just werent worth the 1 1/2 hour drive. (you have to call in your order, then come pick it up)

(And I bet you are excited about UNC Basketball this weekend!! )

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littlecake Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 3:32pm
post #10 of 31

i don't know how much you go thru, but if you are deciding to use a mix...i can tell you that the price that a distributer will sell you a small order for , will not be that much difference than what you can buy the boxes of mix for at walmart .

in fact when i was having some stuff delivered i crunched the numbers one time and wal mart was actually cheaper.

i guess i was considered a small account, even though it seemed big to me lol...i spent around 1000.00 bucks a month with them.

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indydebi Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 4:36pm
post #11 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by littlecake

i don't know how much you go thru, but if you are deciding to use a mix...i can tell you that the price that a distributer will sell you a small order for , will not be that much difference than what you can buy the boxes of mix for at walmart .




I found a number of things like that ... sometimes it's NOT cheaper to buy in bulk. My best example was the mini M&M's for my cookies. It was like 50 cents cheaper per pound to buy them in the little 12 oz bags at walmart ... plus I didn't have to buy 25 lbs at one time!

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MichelleM77 Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 4:59pm
post #12 of 31

I went to GFS this past week for the first time. Heaven! It was soo much fun to walk down the aisles and see all those items in bulk. LOL! I'm a dork.

I did the math after writing down a ton of prices on products and it's cheaper for me to buy five 5lb bags of flour at the grocery store than it is for me to buy 25 pounds of flour at GFS. Now this differed when it came to chocolate chips. I saved more t han $5 by buying a 4lb bag at GFS than buying at the grocery store. Woohoo! Now to find those 50 lb boxes of Pillsbury...........

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indydebi Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 6:29pm
post #13 of 31

if anyone finds the 50-lb bag of Betty Crocker, call me!!

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ziggytarheel Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 9:00pm
post #14 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by loriemoms

Yes, I know..the place in Morrisville only sells fresh produce,. We spoke with the people in Selma before..they sell mainly restaurant type foods, they have some flour, and stuff, but they do not sell hi ratio shortening nor cake mixes. This was two years ago, but I could check with them again. They just werent worth the 1 1/2 hour drive. (you have to call in your order, then come pick it up)

(And I bet you are excited about UNC Basketball this weekend!! )




That's too bad about Sysco. Walmart's prices have gone up on cake mixes, but they are still pretty cheap!

And, yes, pretty excited about the game. I've raised two other fans, although students at a different college, who help me cheer despite my rather "red and white" husband. icon_smile.gif

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littlecake Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 10:06pm
post #15 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Quote:
Originally Posted by littlecake

i don't know how much you go thru, but if you are deciding to use a mix...i can tell you that the price that a distributer will sell you a small order for , will not be that much difference than what you can buy the boxes of mix for at walmart .



I found a number of things like that ... sometimes it's NOT cheaper to buy in bulk. My best example was the mini M&M's for my cookies. It was like 50 cents cheaper per pound to buy them in the little 12 oz bags at walmart ... plus I didn't have to buy 25 lbs at one time!




ya know, this is just wrong!...what's the point of having a distributer then?...i found MANY things to be cheaper at sams than the wholesale distributer...and last time i checked sam's was retail.....i don't use a distributer anymore...theres enough stuff to deal with, without having to watch that they don'r stab you in the back.

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loriemoms Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 10:13pm
post #16 of 31

I am always playing the number games..sometimes the local grocery store wil lhave sour cream on sale cheaper then Costco...or the flour will be on sale. But I also do llike the big bulk bags, I hate having boxes and boxes of things piled up! It doesnt make any sense though does it??

Ziggytarheel: Mixed marriage, huh! hehe.

BTW< what bulk brand of mix do you recommend?

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indydebi Posted 3 Apr 2008 , 12:42am
post #17 of 31

littlecake, I agree it is nuts but part of me has fun with it! When my sysco sales rep gives me a price, and I can tell her, "oh come on! I can get it cheaper at walmart! Meet it, beat it, or lose it!"

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southernbelle Posted 3 Apr 2008 , 2:20am
post #18 of 31

I just tried the big 50 lb bag of Pillsbury from my distributor......not worth it!!! Needed it to fill a large order but will never buy it again. I don't like the taste or texture as well.
indydeb....Our Kroger store here has BC 10 for $10.00 plus if you by 10 you get $5.00 off....20, $10.00 off. I have been to Kroger's 3 times this week buying 20 at a time. 20 BC, and eggs....my bill was $12 and change!!! I will go back every day until the sale ends!!!

My distributor is good for boxes and bulk instant pudding and cake cardboards...oh and icing but I will not purchase cake mix in bulk again!

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indydebi Posted 3 Apr 2008 , 2:22am
post #19 of 31

I'll be standing at Kroger's door tomorrow when they open!!

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DoniB Posted 3 Apr 2008 , 2:41am
post #20 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

if anyone finds the 50-lb bag of Betty Crocker, call me!!




Amen! As long as Betty's making cake mixes that come out that great, and I keep getting so many compliments, I'll keep her in my cabinet. icon_smile.gif

You can't get a discount, as far as I know, but Walmart will order cases of the mixes for you. Found that out with my wedding! icon_smile.gif

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LovelyCreations Posted 3 Apr 2008 , 2:47am
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Huh...they order cases for you! Awesome! Thanks for that tidbit DoniB! icon_biggrin.gif

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step0nmi Posted 3 Apr 2008 , 3:00am
post #22 of 31

oh woa! you guys are giving me a whole WEALTH of info! Thanks!

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cakesondemand Posted 3 Apr 2008 , 3:13am
post #23 of 31

OK I'm not one to say much but I am not a scratch baker and I use the large bags of cake mix there is quility in those mixes, when I opened my shop I tested all that I could until I found the right mixes for my clients I may pay more for that quility
and have opened bags of mixes left in my shop that I won't touch because they didn't meet my expectations I just charge more. I purchase my Vanilla mix at one place and my chocolate at another so please don't knock large bag mixes just test them out and keep looking until you find the right one for your shop it might cost $$ in the beginning but its worth it once you find the right ones for you. If I purchased the boxes I would have to have a pallet of them and no place to store the pallet. I have too many orders to be a scratch baker I'v had up to 40 cake in one day to bake. I haven't lost any business because I use a mix eveyone knows I do.

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step0nmi Posted 3 Apr 2008 , 3:22am
post #24 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by cakesondemand

OK I'm not one to say much but I am not a scratch baker and I use the large bags of cake mix there is quility in those mixes, when I opened my shop I tested all that I could until I found the right mixes for my clients I may pay more for that quility
and have opened bags of mixes left in my shop that I won't touch because they didn't meet my expectations I just charge more. I purchase my Vanilla mix at one place and my chocolate at another so please don't knock large bag mixes just test them out and keep looking until you find the right one for your shop it might cost $$ in the beginning but its worth it once you find the right ones for you. If I purchased the boxes I would have to have a pallet of them and no place to store the pallet. I have too many orders to be a scratch baker I'v had up to 40 cake in one day to bake. I haven't lost any business because I use a mix eveyone knows I do.


so where have you found all these big bags of mixes?? Because if i were to open a shop one day then I would want to stick with those...if it works best then stick with it!

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cakesondemand Posted 3 Apr 2008 , 3:41am
post #25 of 31

I have a supplier that has several different brands and prices and just kept trying until I found the best one it does cost more but thats OK I have happy customers. There must be more choices in the US then here in Canada. Check to see if Dawn is in the US they have some good products you will just have to keep trying them out. Talk to other bakeries to find suppliers.

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cakesondemand Posted 3 Apr 2008 , 3:50am
post #26 of 31

I don't use Dawn, I just happen to use Canadian products Robin hood and Lentia.

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southernbelle Posted 4 Apr 2008 , 1:51am
post #27 of 31

indydebi,

did you get your cake mix today?

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indydebi Posted 4 Apr 2008 , 2:05am
post #28 of 31

You know, my husband took the day off to do something with our daughter on spring break, so I lazed around the house with him, doing that coffee and newspaper thing, until about 10:00, then had to hustle down to the shop and TOTALLY FORGOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow .... I promise ....

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mkolmar Posted 4 Apr 2008 , 2:28am
post #29 of 31

I always grocery shop at Krogers late at night. (Pretty much everyone on staff knows me and knows how much I spend there. It's quite a bit icon_redface.gif )
When they have a sale for $1 a box for DH cake mixes, one of the guys who stocks just comes and tells me and asks what kind do I want. He then goes to the back and will start pulling out cases for me. A case will hold 12 box mixes. I love to scratch bake also so sometimes they tell me when sugar and such is on sale too.


Do you have a US Foods sales rep in your area? They sell the 5# boxes of cake mix I think. Our school uses them sometimes and they are pretty good. That 5# box makes a good amount of cake also. The recipe on back that says it makes 4 8in rounds but it's really more like 6 8in rounds.

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DesignerCakes Posted 5 Apr 2008 , 12:24pm
post #30 of 31

I agree that it is important to try all the different brands, if available to you. I did not like the Dawn. It had an artificial aftertaste. I once testing the Pillsbury brand and loved the texture. It has a delicate and fine texture, not as course as a regular box, even when doctored up. The thing about Pillsbury (I think I used the white), is that you have to flavor it somewhat. It is a bit cumbersome to mix as you have to do it in stages, but you don't have to add anything other than water and oil. Ask your Pillsbury rep for a recipe book. They have one with a great many recipes for use with their cake mixes. Also, this isn't something you can mix up in a 5qt KA. You have to have at least a 20 qt mixer, and that's only for the 10 lb. batch.

If I had to pick the best flavor and texture, I would choose the Pillsbury White commercial mix. Harder to find than yellow or chocolate, but worth the time and effort if you get it to where you want it (in terms of flavoring it). You have to play around with it, but once you get it flavored just right, it's perfect.

In my area, these commercial mixes have gone up in price about 50%. They used to cost under $50 per bag. The main distributor in my area now prices it at $73 (for the same item). Based on the prices of box cakes mentioned here, it seems like box mixes are still far cheaper than their commercial counterparts.

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