Would like to get some opinions and tips on both sides. Do you prefer the taste of a cake from scratch or a doctored up box cake? Why? I have tried both and have ended up with good and bad results on both sides.
I like cakes from scratch. Using my Kitchenaid mixer it takes about the same time. I find the flavor and texture is better, especially if you're trying to carve a cake.
Bottom line, bake what you know. Either/both methods are good if the end product tastes great to you and/or your customers.
Here are some previous posts on this subject:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-658854-.html
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-657881-.html
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-653598-.html
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-651411-.html
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-650574-.html
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-647501-.html
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-595264-.html
And here's a super thread with PAGES of additional threads:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-596517-.html
HTH
I love a good, homemade scratch cake. You can't beat it. But that doesn't mean some cool fancy-flavored boxed cake can't be a really good dessert, too. They both have their uses.
I use both. I've found with my customers and family that the Extended Cake Mix recipe here on CC is very popular. It's a pretty good tasting cake. That's pretty much the only doctored cake mix recipe I use. I've got a lot of scratch recipes that I love to make too.
There should be a disclaimer on the front page of Cake Central about box v scratch, and below that, links to the grillions of threads on the subject.
I've worked in several restaurants over the years. I have been told that if you add anything to a food item you can call it homemade - such as adding milk to a soup bought from a distributor.
Look, the way I see it.............if I use MY mixer at MY home and use MY eggs and MY flavorings, and if I happen to add a Duncan Hines/Betty Crocker mix...............
IT'S STILL HOMEMADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CAKE IS CAKE PEOPLE!!!!! NO NEED FOR THE DRAMA!!!!!!
I like me some WASC.
I was thinking the other night...has anyone ever had IMBC from a restaurant? I don't think I've ever come across it.
And do you think it could be mass-produced for restaurant use? I'd be interested in finding out if anywhere does it.
There should be a disclaimer on the front page of Cake Central about box v scratch, and below that, links to the grillions of threads on the subject.
THIS!!!!!!!
and as someone else said "GOOD CAKE IS GOOD CAKE" period. end of story!
I like me some WASC.
I was thinking the other night...has anyone ever had IMBC from a restaurant? I don't think I've ever come across it.
And do you think it could be mass-produced for restaurant use? I'd be interested in finding out if anywhere does it.
Fine dining would be using it I'm sure.
To the op~~ this subject comes up regularly and it can get really intense and some people carry the same level of intensity to a new thread before it's warranted so--don't mind it. I think it to be a legitimate question otherwise it wouldn't be posted so often.
To the rabble rousers and people who can't believe there's another thread on it~~chill. If you don't like it don't click here, if you wanna party go for it but explain yourself (your baggage) to the op. She might begin to think there's a stigma or something.
What if I DR my box mix at home? Isn't that homemade?
Mike
I think it's homemade only if the architect drew it up in the original blueprints--not positive though.
Kate
I make scratch cakes and love them...a lot of people bake doctored mixes and love them. It only matters what those you are baking for think. If they love it, then it's all good
okay, okay. sorry.
personally, i bake both "scratch" and doctored cake mixes.
i have an awesome yellow cake that i could eat by itself (without frosting) and that happens to be a scratch cake.
i have an amazing chocolate cake that everyone loves and that happens to be a doctored cake mix.
so, really, it's whatever you (and your customers/family/friends) prefer. there's no right or wrong answer. find what works for you and be damn proud about it! (i.e. if someone asks if your cakes are scratch or cake mixes, tell the truth. if they like it, they like it. if they don't, they don't.)
I've worked in several restaurants over the years. I have been told that if you add anything to a food item you can call it homemade - such as adding milk to a soup bought from a distributor.
This is also my understanding of what that lawyer told us in that other post.
I love a good, homemade scratch cake. You can't beat it. But that doesn't mean some cool fancy-flavored boxed cake can't be a really good dessert, too. They both have their uses.
My opinion too.
There should be a disclaimer on the front page of Cake Central about box v scratch, and below that, links to the grillions of threads on the subject.
You must be one of our cakers who opened a new account, or either you lerked around a long time before joining!
I thought the same thing when I saw the title....not again!! LOL
I like both ways, but people seem to rave if the doctored and they don't even know what it is!
Do what makes you happy and you like. There are great recipes for both - and some great bakers out there that use BOTH. There is nothing wrong with asking the question, it is just that it usually gets very heated when debated!
(and I personally use mainly doctored mixes - and I am not ashamed of it! )
When I was growing up, a "homemade" anything was something made by mom as opposed to buying it already made at the grocery.
So when mom tore open that box of Duncan Hines, added her 3 eggs, water and oil, poured it in a pan and baked it, then we had homemade cake.
If it tastes good, who cares how it got there?
I agree we need a disclaimer on the front page on this topic.
ugh. not this again!
Why are we getting a new thread a day about this?
Truly not intending to have this sound snarky, and mean this only as a gentle reminder: if one would look more closely, one would realize that most who have asked lately are relatively new to CC. I doubt very seriously they know the exact "key" words to use to pull up old discussions on this topic (and thank you, Jan, for your usual graciousness in finding and listing exactly the right forums to post for the OP's benefit.)
I like me some WASC.
I was thinking the other night...has anyone ever had IMBC from a restaurant? I don't think I've ever come across it.
And do you think it could be mass-produced for restaurant use? I'd be interested in finding out if anywhere does it.
Fine dining would be using it I'm sure.
To the op~~ this subject comes up regularly and it can get really intense and some people carry the same level of intensity to a new thread before it's warranted so--don't mind it. I think it to be a legitimate question otherwise it wouldn't be posted so often.
To the rabble rousers and people who can't believe there's another thread on it~~chill. If you don't like it don't click here, if you wanna party go for it but explain yourself (your baggage) to the op. She might begin to think there's a stigma or something.
Totally agree and well said! i click on this topic, because there is ALWAYS something different. We don't have to choose to view any topic we don't want to discuss. Hence, I never choose the ones in Spanish, because it would do me NO good!
When I was growing up, a "homemade" anything was something made by mom as opposed to buying it already made at the grocery.
So when mom tore open that box of Duncan Hines, added her 3 eggs, water and oil, poured it in a pan and baked it, then we had homemade cake.
If it tastes good, who cares how it got there?
I agree we need a disclaimer on the front page on this topic.
OMG this reminded me of something. Every Easter my Mom (who was 100% Portuguese) would spend Holy Week mixing up 25lbs of Portuguese Sweet Bread....mix it day 1 and let it rise....day 2 put 1lb of dough in each of 25 round bread pans to rise again.....day 3 (Good Friday) we'd wake up to the smell of fresh Portuguese Sweet bread baking in the oven....it was our breakfast. (she'd been up all night baking it in 2 ovens)
One of my sister's boyfriends at the time walked in the house and sat down to a hot slice with butter. He turned to my Mom and said Mrs. XXX this is "just as good as store bought".
I thought my Mom was going to kill him right there on Good Friday morning.....being the "holy" woman that she was she didn't, BUT he was NEVER my Mom's favorite BF.
Moral of the story, he was raised on "store bought" and in his mind "homemade" had to live up to that standard. Thankfully my sister didn't marry that one.
Sorry to go off topic, but when you mentioned your Mom and "homemade" it reminded me of this.
Carry on..............
When I was growing up, a "homemade" anything was something made by mom as opposed to buying it already made at the grocery.
So when mom tore open that box of Duncan Hines, added her 3 eggs, water and oil, poured it in a pan and baked it, then we had homemade cake.
If it tastes good, who cares how it got there?
I agree we need a disclaimer on the front page on this topic.
OMG this reminded me of something. Every Easter my Mom (who was 100% Portuguese) would spend Holy Week mixing up 25lbs of Portuguese Sweet Bread....mix it day 1 and let it rise....day 2 put 1lb of dough in each of 25 round bread pans to rise again.....day 3 (Good Friday) we'd wake up to the smell of fresh Portuguese Sweet bread baking in the oven....it was our breakfast. (she'd been up all night baking it in 2 ovens)
One of my sister's boyfriends at the time walked in the house and sat down to a hot slice with butter. He turned to my Mom and said Mrs. XXX this is "just as good as store bought".
I thought my Mom was going to kill him right there on Good Friday morning.....being the "holy" woman that she was she didn't, BUT he was NEVER my Mom's favorite BF.
Moral of the story, he was raised on "store bought" and in his mind "homemade" had to live up to that standard. Thankfully my sister didn't marry that one.
Sorry to go off topic, but when you mentioned your Mom and "homemade" it reminded me of this.
dkelly.....my new favorite response ever!!!!
Carry on..............
Well I will say that my family won't eat bakery or grocery store cakes, and I use cake box sometimes doctored sometimes not. I guess how many people love your cakes tells you, right? Thats what makes the world go round......to each his own. What one person loves another does not. Can't please veryone, and I dare say some people you cannot please ever
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