So I get a message on facebook from an old friend from high school. She says that she knows I make cakes and she has a "yummy chocolate cake recipe but she needs a yummy white to go along with it". I don't know what to say. I feel kinda insulted that she might think I would just share my recipe with her. She knows that I am right now working on my business plans for a cake shop. Why would I want to share a recipe that I have worked to perfect for 12 years? I would like to think that she is just not thinking. Now I don't know what to say to her. I havn't replied to her message. I know one of y'all out there has had to have this question asked to them. What did you say?

Tell her the internet is full of wonderful things, and if she googles, she will find exactly what she's looking for! Wish her best of luck, and say nothing more.

Lisa
I would just tell her to check out a generic site for recipes like allrecipes, or recipezaar etc and tell her that there are some good recipes there.
Thatway, you answer her Q. without giving away yours.

Give her the recipe you started with 12 years ago and tell her to call you in twelve years time so you can compare recipes to see if you ended up with the same result.

Honestly, tell her it's a business secret, and if you give her the recipe, then why not the next person asking and where then will your business be?

I wouldn't be insulted. If I need to buy new tires for my car, I'm going to ask my mechanic what brand he recommends.

I would tell her that you don't give out your recipes, but here are some other options and give her links to recipes you like.

Pleeeeeze use tact! Nothing is tackier to me than someone saying "I don't share my recipes".

I had a gal ask for my champagne cake recipe which I gladly gave--then days later when I asked for one of hers, she informed me she didn't share. La te da! Heck, even prize winning bakers have given out their recipes.

How about giving her "a" white cake recipe--you probably have several! Or you could even pull one from the files here at CC and say "Here is a good white cake recipe you may like".

I agree. Give her a good recipe to use. Just not yours. I think you are right, people just don't think about it.

I would just give her "a" recipe - one that you know is good, but not "your" recipe. Truthfully, I would be flattered. She knows you have a good product and is coming to you for the best!

I agree with the generic recipe site...I tell people to go to epicurious.com, and mention that they have ratings from people on the recipes so that they can see if the recipe is good before they use it. That way you're not totally leaving them without a support system, but you don't have to give out your trade secrets!

I know it makes some people mad to share recipes and what not. But if I were you I wouldnt be mean. I would use allot of caution when answering her. You could try looking on here and find something that has been rated good or you can look on recipe.com and see if you find something.

Having a business is special, and can't believe people assume you will hand recipes over to them. As a home/hobby baker though, I agree with pointing them to standard recipe sites.

I recommend them to people who ask...noting that the sites have ratings and helpful comments. It's where I start myself anyway, and I say THAT too! I give them the name..."go to X site and look for White on White Buttermilk" or whatever they are looking for. After trying it once as written - I make my own modifications.

My go-to recommendations are similar to already listed: allrecipes, epicurious, martha (of course), and google gives you everything.

I would just give her the WASC recipe. It's popular and tons of people use it. She doesn't need to know if it's the recipe that you use or not.

I agree with Stephi1. I think you should give her one of your other White Cake recipes. Your friend is probably asking you for a recipe that you have used and liked because she knows that you are a wonderful baker. Your starting a business, after all! I can't imagine that she is looking for the particular recipe you worked so hard to create. She probably doesn't know about that particular recipe anyway.

Good Luck to you with your business!

I agree with Stephi1. I think you should give her one of your other White Cake recipes. Your friend is probably asking you for a recipe that you have used and liked because she knows that you are a wonderful baker. Your starting a business, after all! I can't imagine that she is looking for the particular recipe you worked so hard to create. She probably doesn't know about that particular recipe anyway.

Good Luck to you with your business!

You know I don't mind sharing on here, but I think I would mind if someone I didn't know very well asked me for a recipe. Then again, I noticed not everyone bakes the same way. My poor aunt (who Ilove dearly) loves to bake, but just can't. We have both made the exact same recip with very different results.

When someone asks me for a recipe, I always say..you really don't want my recipe, since it starts with 6 lbs of butter and 6 lbs of sugar. I started with insert recipe of your own choosing here and it works well for what you are looking for.

That way, if it is a friend who's asking, you have a legit reason for not coughing up your secret recipe.

I was a bit resentful that she asked me this but she wasn't thinking the same as I do. She enjoys baking every weekend and needed a good recipe, thats it. I looked in the recipes here and found one that was rated really well with a lot of views and told her this is one that has had a lot of success. Gave her some tips and filling/icing ideas. She was excited. Thanks everyone for the ideas. There is a difference in what she asked and someone that just wants you to "teach them everything you know" type request that some of you have talked about.

I love this idea! This will be what I use from now on if someone asks again!

You know what I've decided though? Is that person going to quit buying cakes from me and start baking their own? Are they going to post it somewhere or open up their own business? Usually no. People try it and move on. Let's be generous. It's a compliment that they would think to ask us.

Duncan Hines or Cake Bible...take your pick.

This happened to me too. Exactly the same circumstances. I gave her recipes from a blog that I love and follow. and also from other sites. I haven't "developed" my own either.

I had a friend recently ask me for a recipe but very nicely said that she completely understands if I prefer not to share. The specific recipe she asked for was a variation I came up with based on another recipe. I gave her the original and let her know that I had made modifications which I prefer not to share and that my recipe included some ingredients that can only be ordered anyhow. I also referred her to a link for the WASC recipe as that is pretty easily found online.

Here are a few good sites, browse their selections. Everyone has a different opinion on "good". allrecipes and cdkitchen both have a rating system and she can read the reviews and determine a little better what is "good" for her.

Good could mean, carvable, tasty, tight crumb, fluffy, light, dense....