chaptlps, where can I purchase the Best Brands cake mix?  I tried googling and I am not able to locate a website or where to purchase.

Thank you!

Scratch vs. mix is an argument that will NEVER die off. 

Most non-cake baking people grew up with mixes and usually prefer them to scratch cakes.  Yes, there will always be people who don't want additives and will tell you how awful they are but we are all still alive and craving our cake!.

I ran 2 different bakeries for years using mixes.  You and your customers must decide which way to go for you.  If you are now having repeat customers, then I say you are doing things just right.  If you want to learn over time to perfect a scratch recipe try it but don't  decide just from what people post on here &/or other forums.

I think what makes me crazy is that many people say "scratch cakes are dry," and none of my recipes are dry. I think many bakers don't have the experience of testing recipes to see which ones are good. I tried about six chocolate cake recipes before deciding on my favorite.  And my yellow cake recipe I bought from here, and people continually tell me that it is the best tasting cake they have ever had.  I also got my WASC cake from here, and it is outstanding!!! 

I know that Americans' palates are used to chemical tastes, but every time I've made or delivered a cake, after tasting it, people say it was the best cake they have ever had. So while my decorating skills still need work, I am completely confident in serving my cakes for taste. The corner grocery store uses mixes, so what separates us from them?? Pretty decorating?? I don't think, for me, that's enough. My niece's cake was $1200 from a local NJ bakery, and tasted like mix and the buttercream tasted like shortening - no one ate it.  Literally no one. They took one bite and put their forks down. It was terrible. I made her shower cake, and people were asking for seconds and thirds - even the skinny girls!!

So I just chimed in to say that if I am going to charge more than the grocery story, I need to use better ingredients than they do, and I cannot imagine why any private baker with a higher end clientele wouldn't do that. I would encourage other bakers to try scratch and not fall back to mixes. Anyone can make a mix - it does take a little trial and error to make a scratch cake, but you can tell the difference in every bit!!! Not a critique, just something to think about. 

Nancy