Do You Use Cake Mix Or Make Cakes From Scratch?

Decorating By aidansmommy06 Updated 19 Feb 2016 , 7:43am by 2cute2bite

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Pudgey Posted 26 Jan 2015 , 10:09pm
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AOh how I love to see your replies Indydebi, you are really inspiring.

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CatherineGeorge Posted 28 Jan 2015 , 3:40pm
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It's funny, before I started visiting this forum for decorating knowledge, it would never have occurred to me to use a box mix! I live in the Land of Kale and I learned to make cakes from Martha Stewart and the Cake Bible. It's not that I'm opposed to speeding the process by combining dry ingredients ahead of time, it's just that the boxed mixes I'm familiar with have other weird ingredients in them. Baking from scratch is the only way I know what's going in there, and I like experimenting with different recipes, types of cake, and mixing methods.

 

But I suspect it's really about food culture. I would NEVER use shortening in a cake or a buttercream, for myself or as a gift (I'm an amateur) - that's likely more to do with culture than the actual nutritional differences between crisco and butter. 

 

So in case anyone else like me is reading this thread and feeling like a weirdo, you're not alone! :)

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LittleAsCakery Posted 28 Jan 2015 , 4:30pm
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I only ever bake from scratch, weigh the eggs then the same weight in sugar, butter and flour..never fails :-)

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yazzy24 Posted 29 Jan 2015 , 7:11am
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AI use both because I haven't found some good recipes for scratch cake mixes....what recipes would you guys recommend from scratch cakes?

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MBalaska Posted 29 Jan 2015 , 9:20am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yazzy24 

I use both because I haven't found some good recipes for scratch cake mixes....what recipes would you guys recommend from scratch cakes?

 

both for me, but for scratch cakes - always always always  banana nut cake, pumpkin cake, carrot cake, butter cake, Hersheys Perfectly chocolate cake, pineapple upside down cake, and now Holiday fruit cake thanks to the darling Australian ladies.  I've found that with white cakes no one seems to know the difference between box or scratch.  they all seem to simply love the box mixes.  Que Sera Sera.  and I don't care as long as the cake consumers are happy happy happy.  Oh.....I almost forgot chocolate mud cakes.  what else have I forgotten?? lol

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MimiFix Posted 29 Jan 2015 , 5:20pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MBalaska    what else have I forgotten?? lol

 

poundcake, cheesecake, brownies... (I see you're back to your snow Avatar. 'Tis the season!)

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MBalaska Posted 29 Jan 2015 , 7:46pm
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Knew I'd forget some wonderful goodies!!  What is life without a parka.....

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cakebaby2 Posted 29 Jan 2015 , 7:52pm
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I have that weather now MB, snowing and a Force 6 gale frothing up the sea a tad.

I was covered in seaweed this morning going to work. I was on the horns of a dilemma do I hug the buildings and risk falling masonry... or the harbour and risk being washed out to sea?

I went middle of the road but still got plastered with bladderwrack...and snow!

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cakebaby2 Posted 29 Jan 2015 , 7:53pm
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Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleAsCakery 
 

I only ever bake from scratch, weigh the eggs then the same weight in sugar, butter and flour..never fails :-)

Good girl, cant get more scientific than that and you're right, it never fails.

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MBalaska Posted 29 Jan 2015 , 8:14pm
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@cakebaby2 sounds like you need a raincoat over top of your parka. Of all the awful weather possible IMO High Winds are the worst of all.

anyhow I just received my new kitchen bakers scale.  I bought this one as it has a plug-in cord.  My old one which just used a couple of batteries would cut out occasionally, even with new batteries.  so I spent a few extra saved dollars and purchased this one with a plug in cord that will not cut out while I'm weighing ingredients.  So far so good.  There is just nothing as wonderful as weighing your ingredients and using less utensils (meaning less washing dishes!)

 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NE0FU2/?tag=cakecentral-20

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CookieNibz Posted 29 Jan 2015 , 10:55pm
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AI have always used extended mixes. I was going to try scratch, but saw on "good eats" with Alton Brown, that today's mixes are as good as scratch, so I continued using mixes. I don't like that mixes seem less sturdy & crumbly but the only 2 scratch recipes I have ever tried seemed too dry. That may have just been the recipe though. Maybe I'll give scratch another chance, everyone seems to rave over the WASC recipe on CC.

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CookieNibz Posted 29 Jan 2015 , 10:59pm
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A

Original message sent by LittleAsCakery

I only ever bake from scratch, weigh the eggs then the same weight in sugar, butter and flour..never fails :-)

this maybe a stupid question, but if using this ratio & you want to add, say pumpkin or banana, would you decrease the liquid? If so, do you decrease the same amt as what your adding or is it a different ratio?

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LittleAsCakery Posted 30 Jan 2015 , 11:25am
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A

Original message sent by CookieNibz

If I'm using banana or carrot I use soft brown sugar instead of caster sugar and double the amount of flour, sometimes needs a splash of milk to get the right consistency :-)

this maybe a stupid question, but if using this ratio & you want to add, say pumpkin or banana, would you decrease the liquid? If so, do you decrease the same amt as what your adding or is it a different ratio?

[quote name="CookieNibz" url="/t/582807/do-you-use-cake-mix-or-make-cakes-from-scratch/30#post_7573546"]

this maybe a stupid question, but if using this ratio & you want to add, say pumpkin or banana, would you decrease the liquid? If so, do you decrease the same amt as what your adding or is it a different ratio?[/quote

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Natka81 Posted 30 Jan 2015 , 7:50pm
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A

Original message sent by MBalaska

@cakebaby2  sounds like you need a raincoat over top of your parka. Of all the awful weather possible IMO High Winds are the worst of all. anyhow I just received my new kitchen bakers scale.  I bought this one as it has a plug-in cord.  My old one which just used a couple of batteries would cut out occasionally, even with new batteries.  so I spent a few extra saved dollars and purchased this one with a plug in cord that will not cut out while I'm weighing ingredients.  So far so good.  [B]There is just nothing as wonderful as weighing your ingredients and using less utensils[/B] (meaning less washing dishes!)

[URL=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NE0FU2/?tag=cakecentral-20[/URL]

I have exactly same scales. I rewrote all my recipes by weight.

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bakeforfun21 Posted 30 Jan 2015 , 7:53pm
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I use cake mix when I am just practicing and scratch cake if I am making it for someone else. I stopped taking orders though so there is  crud load of cake mix at my house. LOL

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Natka81 Posted 30 Jan 2015 , 8:03pm
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AI bake from scratch. Prefer to eat scratch baked cakes, but wouldn't mind to eat a cake from box mix. Personally in my eyes scratch baked goods have more value. I really like German chocolate cake mix.

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Goreti Posted 30 Jan 2015 , 10:20pm
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Quote:

Originally Posted by Cmaysa 

i've never used a cake mix, cause its not that common here in portugal. I do everything from scratch since cakes, cookies, fondant, royal icing, etc not cause i want to, but because its so hard to find these things already made. And basic ingredients that you use like hidrogenated fat, i just cant find it here. Maybe in the Mainland, but i live in a island icon_cry.gif

What island?  I was born in Sao Miguel.

 

 

Can't remember the last time I used a mix.  I found that I used to add to it anyway so I decided to do scratch cakes.  Figured might as well spare my body all the chemicals in the mix.  I don't sell my cakes and that is what my family likes.  Have noticed that those who are used to mix cakes find the scratch cakes a little dense.

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galidink Posted 31 Jan 2015 , 9:46pm
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I sometimes do . but I dr it up .. also make scratch .. depending on the cake I make ..

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galidink Posted 31 Jan 2015 , 9:51pm
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I love the dense ness of scratched cake is best   for a caved cake , my man want s a quick cake , for after dinner he likes the mix /box lighter cake..

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2cute2bite Posted 19 Feb 2016 , 7:43am
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Well I do bake my cakes from scratch, only i want them to be more durable for 3d or stacked cakes.
By the way I see no shame/wrong in using a cake mix. Saves you hell of a time and you can not screw up.
 Wish knew a way to turn that mixes into more stable/strong cakes. ;D

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