I'm an aspiring cake decorator. I have baked/decorated many cakes in the past year and a half. I want to start a business in the future once my skill set has improved. 

During this time I have tested and tweaked many scratch cake recipes for my business. Today I tried a cake from a very prominent cake decorator in town. I was surprised to taste a box cake flavor.

My question, how many bakers and cake decorators actually use their own recipes and how many use box mixes?

Thank you!

This is an old, old chestnut that brings out some strong opinions.  If the search function is working, you can find some very heated threads about it.

Suffice it to say that we "may" have reached the point where we agree to disagree. 

Box works well for some, scratch works well for others.  All have a variety of good reasons why they prefer one over the other. 

No baker is better, or worse, than another baker for making the choice that meets their needs.  Variety is the spice of life.

Make whatever makes you happiest with your final product.

Special recipe using both in one recipe here.  I stared out w/Betty Crocker boxes then found/adapted 'the *original* WASC recipe.  It now is known all over the world and accepted well :)  Over the years I have had 2 bakeries (in different parts of the US) using it in both.   If you can get a good scratch recipe that works consistently - go for it.   I tried & tried and never could!   Most people on here use my recipe - others are rude and say it is not a recipe.  Their loss.  Everyone's tastes are different so use what is best for you and your customers. 

I agree with pp.  This is a very touchy subject for some.  We all have are ways and no one way is the "right" way.  Just do what you like to do and that's all that matters :)

I have some good recipes that are made from scratch, and I have some good recipes that are made from boxed mixes.  And I have some WASC recipes I got from kakeladi that people rave about, too, so I use all of them.  Which recipe I make depends on the cake I'm baking.  I don't bake for a business, though, I'm just a home baker with a very picky family that also loves variety.  And they don't hold back if they don't like something, so I definitely know if something doesn't pass their tastebuds!  As SimplyIcedCC said, "just do what you like to do and that's all that matters!"

I found the WASC recipe and it is the best tasting cake Ive ever tried. It works for all flavors. I use it religiously now for all of my cake orders and customers love it. Honestly by the time you add the extra ingredients, it may as well be homemade. I feel like it gives you the best of both.