I am having quite the dilema here, and I would like some input so i can weigh my options.
I opened my cake shop about 2 months ago. Everything is going well, I'm staying pretty busy.
I have always been a cake mix doctor, as my specialty is decorating, not baking. People have always loved the taste of my cakes. Lately, I've been trying some scratch recipes, and so far, they've been pretty good. As we all know, scratch cakes are a bit more dense than mixes, even doctored ones. But the flavor is usually equivalent.
I've been getting some real serious calls from wedding consultants and the like. I'm thrilled about it. I also am doing my first bridal show in January. So here is my dilema. Do I keep on with the doctored mixes, which are tried and true and I know what to expect, or do I go to scratch, which tastes just as good but doesn't have that same consistency?

So far, I have found a chocolate cake recipe (scratch), that I refuse to part with. I absolutely love it. I am experimenting with white cakes that I can color and flavor, but so far, my favorite includeds shortening, which i don't care for as much as butter or margarine.

I recently had a repeat client who has had the "old" WASC, and tried the "new" recipe. She loved it, but her daughter thought there was something different and prefered her original cake (mix) better.

OH, WHAT DO I DO???!!!

Any input and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Becky

I know i'm not supposed to bump, but I really need some input!

I think that if it's not broken then don't fix it. Scratch is great for carving but for anything else doctored is consistent. Consistency is VERY important especially for repeat customers. If it was good once but dry the next time they may not come back a third time. On the other hand scratch is like mom made it. Different things are going to work for different people. I prefer scratch but don't always have time. If I was in your shoes from what you've told me, I would stick with doctored and save the scratch for carving...but that is just my 2 cents of course!

My personal opinion. Once you have a customer base try not to substitute with something similiar (crisco is a great example here) It just isn't the same, and if the first product is selling then don't change it.

I did a lot of experimenting with recipes/fondants/icings before I came up with my basic menu. I will continue to add to it as I get more recipes and more things available (like once I figure out how to do ganache it will be another option)

Depending on how many customers you have right now will be a judgment call on your part of what you want to change/add/remove. Personally I would add the cakes. I have two chocolate cakes on my menu, one is a modified box mix, and the other is a family scratch recipe. Both sell well but they have a different texture and different ppl like both.

What kind of ganache are you looking for?? Poured or whipped?

If I were in your shoes, I would keep both the doctored mixes and from scratch recipes. Everyone has a favorite, so why limit yourself? WHy not use your tried, and continue to test new recipes to see if you come up with anything better? Keep a journal of the recipes you use most often and weed out the ones you never use(mixes or from scratch). Eventually, you won't have both. Just keep the what the majority of your clients like and retire the others.

I think you could offer both choices. Keep track of what your customers like and go from there. I use a box mix and add the extender unless they specify differently.

Which is cheaper. I think when you are in the business of making a profit, your overhead should weigh in somewhere in there. I think when it comes to food, we eat with our eyes 1st, then our pilates. If it looks good, but is not consistantly good, you will probably have a problem there. If I could make the from scratch cakes just as good and as consistantly for the same amount of money and time, I would always go with scratch. But if when I added up the money and or time, and it was costing me in either one of those areas, but I was getting a consistantly good Dr'd cake mix cake, then I would go ahead a use the tried and true Dr'd cake mix. Just realize, you can't please everyone all of the time, so which is going to consistantly taste good for the customer, but consistantly give you a quality product for a reasonable amount of money and time.

I don't understand your dilemma - are you saying you feel you have to either do scratch or box cakes and can't do both?

If you want to go for scratch then you need to find several fail safe recipes - you've got your chocolate cake but no others. So you're not yet ready to go for just scratch baking.

Do you feel bad about using box mixes? If so then start researching (i.e. baking and eating) scratch recipes until you've got a good enough stock to move away from them. If you don't mind using box then why not offer both and be upfront with your clients about their choices, making sure to price this so you don't lose out either way?

Hey Becky,
Congrats on opening your shop. I will have to take a drive over and check it out.
I'm with the other ones, "if it ain't broke don't fix it".
Take care
Faye

stay with what got you the calls. I would assume doctoring is easier and more economical. If someone comes along and requests a special scratch recipe, do it, and charge them!!! Stick with what has gotten you this far, and move as your customer base demands!

CONGRATULATIONS!! i'm impressed with people that have the drive and determination to open a shop!!! best wishes!!

i've got scratch recipes for everything except a good white cake. i've experimented and have fallen short. i wanted to be able to say "everything i make is from scratch!" well, i would much rather say "everything i make is yummy!!" so, i would stick to what your customers like and leave it at that. most of my customers are repeat clients and i need to keep that base so i've learned not to alter, just add to their choices.

one thing i do with some of my customers is i tell them i'm experimenting and would like an opinion. i'll send them home with a mini loaf (2x4) size to try along with their order (if i have the time). they tend to be honest with their feedback and tell me whether or not they would order it next time.

again, best luck with the shop!

wow, thanks all for all the feedback. this makes things alot easier. i guess i can stick with both, as there are some box recipes that are delicious (WASC). Like i said, both ways are good, and at least now i feel more comfortable offering a choice.
Thanks all!

I'm in England don't know if it's different here but i have never heared of a doctored box mix only the little boxes that contain everything you need to make 12 cup cakes. Just add water i think not even a egg.

I make all of my cakes from scratch i go to Costco once twice a month depending on how busy i am and buy all my individual ingredients. Eggs, flour, sugar, marg, and vannila extract. Then lemons coco etc. Or all my ingrdients for a fruit cake.

The only thing i don't make is my fondant because it's cheap enought to buy a 5kg box and so much less hassel. I have loads of repeat customers as well as referals and new. I would'nt change a thing of what i do. I just go with the flow and if some one want something different i make it.

One recepie i am missing is a good eggless cake from scatch. Have a banna one but not a plain mix.

Go with what you think is best for your business if your customers are liking it and are coming back and the mix you use is what's working stick with it. It dos'nt hurt though to keep experimenting to offer all that you can.

Your work is fantastic and you have guts to open a shop. I'm a long way from opening one.

Good luck with what ever you choose.

I agree with the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mindset. I have one scratch cake recipe that I use that gets raves (carrot cake) but the rest I use good ole Pillsbury.
Does anyone remember this? Back in the 90's one of the cake mix companies had a line of cake mixes that you soaked the mesh bag of stuff in before you added it the one I remember was the carrot cake mix, It was really good. Wonder why they stopped making it, oh well.

Jibbies

for me there is no debate, stick with the tried and true, as long as you are happy with it why not???

I agree to stay with what works, but keep trying to expand! Doctored box mixes have great versatility as well as all the different scratch options. If you are looking for a great white scratch cake I have had great consistency with the WBH white butter cake. I flavor it with different extracts (like cheesecake, yum!) and it works well for me. I believe it is listed here at CC in the recipes section as well as the WBH book.
I wish I had the guts to open a shop, congratulations!
Tracy

I was just wondering where the show in January is going to be?

OK--there's a box mix for WASC????? Who makes it? Where do I get it???[/quote]

i think she means that the foundation of the wasc recipe is a box mix.

I opened my shop n July. I have decided to go with doctored box mixes simply because I have a small amount of space (easier to store) and since it is just me, it is way easier to bake 12 doctored box cakes for the weekend than it is to bake those same cakes from scratch. At least, that's the way I feel because I am soooo not a baker. Definitely all decorator.
When I need an employee, my first one's the baker. I can't wait to come in and decorate and the cakes are all ready to go!

I say stay with what you know works and add to that as you want. You need to have the base recipes you know are consistent and then work with what you might add as you go along.

Ya know, I've debated this with myself as well. Trying to decide if I want to go with scratch cakes. I guess I feel a little guilty making boxed mixes. But I have come to the conclusion that as long as it looks and tastes good, people really DON'T care. I consistently hear, "that was the best cake I ever tasted!" The whole time I'm thinking "it's just a barely doctored Pilsbury mix." But, hey, my clients really do love it! So I'm going with the thought that "it ain't broke" myself. Because the last thing I'd want is to change up and then have people decide they don't like the new as much!

Congrats on your shop! I'm trying as well, so yes, I'm quite envious!

Just keep doing what you have been doing.. you don't have to "disclose" things you don't want people to know. and they don't really have to.

they liked you for what you have done, so stay that way..

My opinion I think you should use both, the scratch is a specialty cake and your basic cake is your box mix. That's what I plan doing when I get my cake shop open. I think it gives you the best of both worlds. Wish you the best in you decision.

Nicki

I am very new to this, but have been troubled with the same dilemma, i.e., scratch v. mix. The WASC I've made several times everyone LOVED, but half the time I bake it, it doesn't get done in the middle. I've made a few scratch cakes that had great texture, but folks didn't like it as much because it didn't have the pre-packaged, preservative laden mushy taste. I donated a cake for a school cake walk. The school was in a posh neighborhood -- and therefore ususally quite PC -- and they wanted a list of ingredients for the cakes in the cake walk. I couldn't very well make the much-loved WASC because I'd have to list the ingredients from the DH mix and there is NO WAY I'm putting that list of chemicals on a cake I'm offering. I would love it if the Good Cake Fairy would send me perfect scratch white, yellow and chocolate cake recipes that I'd never have to doubt, but so far, that hasn't happened. So, good luck in your choices.