If your customer asks "is this box cake?"

I use the BOX with the extender recipe for pretty much all my recipes (if you want to call them recipes - since there box...lol). I love box cake but I know some people have grown up on scratch cake and feel that box cake is a cop out... however, I have a cake tasting 2morrow n a little nervous if they ask.

Any pointers to help persuade them that box cake is the way...lol, just in case they ask.

Thanks in advance

just bumping... I know it takes a while to surf up...

I used mixes also, and get raves reviews from my co-workers. I did have someone ask me (in a group of people of course) if it was scratch or mix, and I said I don't give away my secrets. Her response was "well it's a mix". If they have to ask if it's from scratch or a box......... that tells me something.

My answer "For some recipes I use a box mix as one of eight ingredients."

Usually that shocks them and leads to asking what other ingredients I use and then I smile and say "well you know I hate to really say since it's a recipe I came up with." That answer throws them further and rarely do they ask "which recipes" by that time.

You have to be honest with them. Some people have sensitivities and allergies - and if you lie and someone gets sick, BOY are you gonna be trouble.

Honesty is the best policy. Just tell them you start with a mix and then "make it your own". Heh.

You could always answer it with another question "does it taste like it's from a box?"

Or "I put more time into my cakes then someone would with a box cake" It's not lying because you are taking more time.

I agree that you must tell them the truth if they ask. There must be a reason behind their question. It may be a preference, an allergy, or something else, but you have a responsibility to tell them what it is.

I have been asked that very question more than once. I respond by telling them that, "Some cakes are doctored mixes, some are scratch, and one is an undoctored mix. I have spent lots of time and effort to find the best recipe for my customers and they come from different beginnings."

It shouldn't bother you to tell people how you bake. If it bothers YOU, change to a way YOU can be proud of. I have no problem telling that lots of my recipes start from a box.

Exactly what jammjenks said

There are so many food allergies nowadays that this could very well be the reason behind them asking.

If they ask (and I've probably had 2, maybe 3 people ask in the last 5 years or so), I'll honestly tell them that I start with a box and add my own stuff to it. I usually add "You couldn't afford me if I baked from pure scratch!"

indydebi I think your answer is very true!

lol... Thank you all, you've been a great help. Yes I totally understand about being honest with food allergies and all...
and CarolynGwen - yeah I say something to that affect to co-workers - base cake with my own twist.

I really like the box cake with the added ingredients and so does my family, however, one day I was talking to some one who went for a cake tasting at a BAKERY, and said to me "Gosh that cake taste like it came right out of A box, if she came down on the price a bit, I would spend the money she was asking for..."
from there it had me thinking OH NO! but again, I love it.

Thanks again everyone

When I went cake tasting, I asked, cause what I tasted, tasted like a mix, but had real ingredients. I wanted a scratch cake & I knew that is not what I was tasting. It actually confused me, cause I had never heard of "doctored" cake mix. They told me it was "scratch". I eventually found out that it was a doctored cake mix. I wanted a scratch cake & was more then willing to pay for it. People ask for a reason & I didn't really like being lied to. Theres a lot of people that just don't count doctored cake mix as scratch baking, no matter what you do to it. Nobody attack me, it's just my opinion & a whole lot of other peoples too. But as always, honesty is the best policy whatever the reason they want to know.

I would be honest for people with allergies and such, but for those people who say they don't eat cakes made from box mixes my question would be why? I'm sure there are good opinions on both sides, but to me the same attention and detail go into the final product so why would it matter if some parts came from a pre-made box mix? I can only see from my point of view, so please enlighten me! Please note: I'm just wondering, not really wanting to cause an argument or anything

I would say that some people that prefer not to have box mixes are looking to more natural product. Box mixes add it other ingredients that help the cake stay moist, longer. A scratch cake has none of that. I think it is along the lines of eating food with a smaller ingredient list with nothing like trans fats, soybean oils, etc. A scratch is pretty much, butter/oil, flour, sugar, etc.

Also, people naturally assume that scratch will taste better in some instances. However, I have so many people tell me "the cake at so and so's wedding was terrible, I just want mine to taste good". I use both doctored mix and scratch, based ont he recipe. And that is exactly what i tell people, would if anyone asked.

Julia

I have to totally agree, surly the only important thing is if it tastes nice? In the Uk box mixes are horrible but from what people say on here it sounds like yours are much better. I personally wouldn't care what I was getting as long as it tastes and looks great!

The whole box mix versus scratch cake thing mystifies me. My personal preference is scratch cake because of the texture or "crumb" as well as flavor....but a large majority of my friends and family much prefer doctored mixes. So I find myself using doctored mixes for most of my cakes and then I don't eat them I guess that's good for my girlish figure but not nearly as fun

Just tell them it is their choice, you can do a box or a scratch, that most of your customers prefer the box because of the other ingredients you add. When I watch the food network challenge its funny watching the reactions of the non judges when they do the tastings. The decorators say its because they are not used to scratch cakes, thats why they dont like it as much.

For me it's a taste thing. I don't care for the way cakemix taste. My kid's love cakemix & make them for themselves all the time. The other thing is a cost factor. If I go to a custom cake designer, I'm assuming my cake is from scratch. I figure thats what the higher cost is all about,as well as the decorating. I do not think I am paying just for someone's decorating skill, I believe I'm paying for EVERYTHING about the cake. And just because someone may pay for a frozen dessert, doesn't mean they have to like cakemix as well or be willing to pay for it.

I don't like the gummier texture of cake mixes either, so if I would want scratch cakes. If someone asks, though, it might not be just a personal preference thing, you have to be honest and answer that you do use a mix as part of the ingredients. There are so many people now who have allergies or sensitivities you need to cover yourself and tell them if they do ask.

I always figure that if I get a non-response from someone when I ask them a direct question that they're just being cagey and don't want to tell me the truth about whatever it is. Just tell them the truth and it can't come back to bite you in the butt.

.....honestly tell them that I start with a box and add my own stuff to it...

And why didn't you direct us to the other thread in the lounge about the worst thread ever?????? LOL!

Hey, Indi...I've offered before, but I will again. Come to my house and I'll make you a non-underdone (what is that? batter?) delicious scratch cake that will ruin you for mixes.

Ah, you guys are so good to me! As I've said before, sometimes a cake preference is based on what they're used to and what they've been exposed to. And evidently I've been around some really crappy bakers! Because honestly, in my little world, when I hear "Oh I made this from scratch!", it's usually a red flag for me to pick up the hostess cupcake instead.

Well, Ive had scratch cakes that come out crappy, and Ive had mix cakes come out crappy, it all depends if the disaster cake elf visits my house!