Thanks for all of the advice. I am going to try out some of those recipes. Another quick scratch question... Do you have to moisten the layers of a scratch cake with syrup? or are some of these recipes moist enough that you don't have to do that? I would think that the syrup would make carving next to impossible. (sorry if I am hijacking the thread from the OP. I figure since everyone is talking about it already it makes sense to add it here than add a new thread. Thanks!)

Hijack away Cuteums! I have learned so much from this thread. I just tried the WASC and it was really, really good. My 23 year old son stole a cupcake and said "These are awesome!" Usually, there is no comment! Now I'm going to try the chocolate version. Someone mentioned pink champaigne, pink lemonade, and others. Where can I find these recipes?

I'm an all scratch baker and I've never needed to use sugar syrups. The yellow cake I make (or vanilla as sayhellojana calls it) is nice and moist and takes variations very well!
http://cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-7267-4-Easy-Yellow-Cake.html
I use the recipe on the back of the Hershey's Cocoa box for chocolate cake and that is an insanely moist cake!! I recently tried replacing the boiling water at the end with some hazelnut coffee....oh my, hold me!!

Whne someone asks for a cake, I do scratch. I can't see charging all that money for a boxed cake. Now I have tasted boxed cakes & boxed cakes that are doctored, they all have that "mix" tast to them, that is not my favorite. Don't get me wrong, I do like boxed cake mixes, I can always tell though. As far as syrup goes, it depends on what type of cake I'm making. I usually use syrup & the cake has the texture of box, but the flavor of scratch. But I will say I've never carved one before, though I do know a lady who does only scratch, never frozen (the only person I will order a cake from) & does carved cakes all the time & they look perfect! I don't know how hard it is for her, but she is one of the more popular cake persons in the area.

Serious_cake's recipe really is AWESOME. I use it all the time, for vanilla, lemon, orange spice, basically anything


I tried pink lemonade cake with a boxed mix (I wanted to see if I liked the flavor of lemonade in a cake). I took 1 white cake mix and used a whole can of pink lemonade concentrate in place of milk or water in the WASC recipe. I also added a bit of pink food color. It didn't turn out half bad. I'll probably try pink lemonade concentrate in place of milk in serious_Cake's recipe next, though. I prefer scratch

How do you know how to change the flavor, just substitute the vanilla for the same amount of lemon or whatever?

bonniecakes - yep. Pretty much. I also add a TON of lemon zest. Things like extra spices, zest, extracts - aren't going to throw off a recipe (or at least there is a very little chance of it). I also play with the liquid - which is a bit trickier. Sour cream in place of half the liquid in Serious_Cake's recipe makes it a tiny bit more sturdy but leaves the same yummy flavor. I do that if I'm stacking cakes.

Yup, I have the same problem with dry scratch cakes, particularly yellow cakes. But mine are in and out of the fridge over a couple of days before they get eaten. So now I do Red Velvet, carrot, banana, and the mayo cake (for small little cakes) from scratch. All the rest are doctored.

I'm a scratch baker and I have a wonderful white cake recipe that can be used for carving. It's a wonderful cake and has never failed me. I've posted it here previously, but here it is again....I'm not sure where it originated, but it is wonderfully rich and stands up to most anything. Make certain you tap your pans (lightly) before baking or you will have air pockets.

12 Tblsp unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 C sugar
2 C all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 large egg whites (3/4 C)
3/4 C milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 (9 inch) diameter x 1 1/2 inch deep layer pans or 1 (12 x 9 x 2 inch) pan, buttered and bottoms lined with parchment or waxed paper.

Set a rack at the middle level of the oven & preheat to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, beat butter & sugar for about 5 minutes, until light & fluffy. Stir together flour, baking powder & salt. Set aside. Combine egg whites, milk & vanilla. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to butter mixture then add half the milk mixture. Continue to alternate beginning & ending with the flour mixture. Scrape bowl & beater often. Pour batter into prepared pan(s) & smooth top with a spatula. Bake cake(s) about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Cool in pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack, remove paper and let cool completely.

Thanks for the recipe tips. I am definitely going to try the yellow cake recipe, and the hershey's cocoa recipe. Is that recipe on the unsweetened cocoa box or sweetened? Just curious. I am going to be experimenting with recipes over the next few weeks so this should be fun. My friends and family are going to be eating a lot of cake!

I love the variations too, I would have never thought of pink champagne, or pink lemonade. The daquiri mix for flavoring is a great idea. I never thought of that either. Just think pina colada buttercream, on a coconut, lemon or vanilla cake. Yum! I use french vanilla flavored creamer in my buttercream for the liquid and it gives it the best vanilla taste.

Oh boy and to think my diet started last week

If anyone has any other suggestions keep them coming!

Ooh Bettina, I am going to try your white recipe too. Thanks.

Hi 7yyrt

Thanks for the info on the US flours, I was way off, yes our self raising flour is normal white wheat flour with baking powder already added. I guess I was mislead by the term 'cake' flour.

Thanks Claire

I absolutely LOVE the cake off of the back of the Hershey's unsweetened cocoa can! I could eat the whole thing myself! I've just been concerned that it isn't sturdy enough for fondant although I did use it for a small fondant cake and it was fine.

I'm one of those that does both. When I first started decorating in 1990, I only made scratch. But, as we all are, I was busy and started using boxes for my practice cakes and took them to work. They all really like them so I stayed with them for a long time.

Now, I do different things. My carrot and red velvet cakes are from scratch. My chocolate cakes - well, I've made Hershey's from scratch and 2 different doctored mixes and everyone has liked all of them. Maybe you just can't go wrong with chocolate. The white cake - once I tried WASC, that's all anyone ever wants! I'm beginning to get quite tired if it myself. My husband only eats white cake and he LOVES WASC. I haven't found a strawberry cake that really like yet. I made one from scratch that I literally threw in the trash after 1 bite and that has NEVER happened before.

I bought The Cake Bible and haven't had much luck with those recipes either. I'm going to try again though.

I would like to bake more scratch recipes but it depends on what I find that works best for me and what everyone likes.

I baked the WASC cake and loved it. I just tried the WASC chocolate cake and was very dissapointed, it may end up in the trash too. The cupcakes are so light, they squish if you hold it by the bottom, and not much flavor. Has anyone else tried it? jToday, I'm going to bake the Hershey's chocolate cake. (No wonder my pants are too tight!!) Someone has to eat all this cake!!!

I'm sure this is old news but I get rave reviews on my Strawberry cake so I thought I'd share. I usually just add Strawberry preserves to whatever cake batter I'm making (wasc or vanilla). It makes it a little denser but it is so moist. I torte and fill with strawberry cream (made with either strawberry preserves or fresh strawberries) and it is my most requested cake. I eyeball the amount and just use the yummiest preserves on the grocery store shelf. It's a personally preference but you get quite the kick of strawberry and it's a more "authentic" flavor.

Oh--and I use margarita (not daiquiri) mixes too! Lime for a yummy "key lime" type cupcake and mango for a mango strawberry. So yummy! I use powdered mixes from the "Village Gourmet" line though.

Alanaj, I have 2 questions for you. First you mentioned strawberry cream - how do you make it? and secondly, when you use the marguarita mixes, how much and does it replace some sugar? Thanks, can't wait to try these!

I'm a 100% scratch baker, i find that if your making a chocolate cake use buttermilk and for a yellow or white cake sour cream in place of milk. My cake are never dry, i prefere scratch over boxes, it maybe a little more expensive but if you buy in bulk (flour, sugar, butter) theres really not a big difference.

I'd love to know how you like the recipes when you get a chance to try them. My experience with the recipes in the "Confetti Cakes" book is that they are AWFUL. I've tried a couple and they were dry, crumbly and just disgusting in the taste department. I was SO excited when I found the book and couldn't wait to try some of the recipes. Boy, was I disappointed.

- Really? I made the chocolate cake from confetti cakes and was told by many that it was the best chocolate cake they ever tasted. I'll have to try out the other recipes and see how they do