Do People Not Like Dense Cakes?????
Decorating By missyjo30 Updated 27 Jun 2006 , 3:44am by MrsMissey
Well, well, well... some colors are showing here tonight.
To criticize others for their lack of "gourmet" taste buds is rather unfair. So what if people like cake mixes? I love cornishons -- does this make my taste any more refined than people who just like pickles?
People like what they like - there's no good or bad to it in my opinon. No one's forcing you to eat someone else's cake, but it seems in bad taste to try to make your own cake sound better by tearing down other people's way of doing things, don't you think?
Sarah
Sometimes a cake can be dense if it has been over or undermixed. To keep a cake moist I sometimes add an extra 1/2 to 1 teaspoon liquid used in the recipe. My great aunt taught me this and I have never had any complaints. I always bake from scratch, mixes take the fun out of it.
Can I ask a question about 3d cakes?
Here in Australia not many people use fillings and my mouth is watering with some of the ones read about on here... chocolate mousse filling, banana cream, strawberry....yum!
I wanted to ask if fillings work well for 3d cakes..sculpted type of cakes, do they make them unstable and should save them for my round and square cakes only?
Even having eaten dinner, everytime you guys mention your fillings I wanna have some 
Well, well, well... some colors are showing here tonight.
To criticize others for their lack of "gourmet" taste buds is rather unfair. So what if people like cake mixes? I love cornishons -- does this make my taste any more refined than people who just like pickles?
People like what they like - there's no good or bad to it in my opinon. No one's forcing you to eat someone else's cake, but it seems in bad taste to try to make your own cake sound better by tearing down other people's way of doing things, don't you think?
Sarah
Actually sonoma9, the criticism started from the mix camp with Quadcrew stating the following;
"Most people in this day and age do not like the mouth feel of a scratch cake. They are never going to have the moistness and texture of a cake that has a mix as a base. I do not even bake them anymore - people just do not care for them as much as they do the doctored mixes."
I agree with you, let people eat, request and purchase what they want, mix or scratch, taste after all is subjective. But, I am not going to just sit idly by while someone says a mix is better than a scratch cake and let them get away with it, lol.
I don't think we need to be pointing fingers or being disrespectful to each other over whether some of your cake ingredients come from one package (mix) or many packages (scratch). It's a simple matter of preference and one is not better than the other. I'd like to get this thread back on track by quoting the OP...
I make 99% of my cakes from scratch and I noticed that people would comment that it was "very dense"???...Is this bad????? I know I need to work on the moisture level (just seems like scratch cakes are not as moist and fluffy as box mixes).
I just can't figure out if people prefer the moister fluffier cake as opposed to the dense heavier cakes. It seems to me more people prefer box dr.'ed cakes.
What has everyone else had the best "taste" with????....
I used to think that all scratch cakes tasted dense and dry...but through trial and error and great advice from many bakers on this site I have discovered many great scratch recipes!!
I was shocked!! It can be done. I'm not a fan of really dense, dry cake, so my mission is to find more great recipes. Consistancy does rely on baking skills. Measuring accurately and not overmixing are key.
Good luck.
Angie
Actually sonoma9, the criticism started from the mix camp with Quadcrew stating the following;
"Most people in this day and age do not like the mouth feel of a scratch cake. They are never going to have the moistness and texture of a cake that has a mix as a base. I do not even bake them anymore - people just do not care for them as much as they do the doctored mixes."
I agree with you, let people eat, request and purchase what they want, mix or scratch, taste after all is subjective. But, I am not going to just sit idly by while someone says a mix is better than a scratch cake and let them get away with it, lol.
Hmmm-- I just don't see the same "bite" to this comment as I have to others. However, lest anyone think I'm taking this too seriously, all I can say is "When the crowd gets in a huff, let them eat cake -- any cake!"
Sarah
Here where I live people do not like cakes from the bakery cos they are too artificial to them, luckily many of them know and remember taste of home made cake and that's one of the reasons that they like to order from me. I have never used a mix in my life and will try to keep that tradition. I had funny experience the other day when my neighbour took my chocolate cake to her office, she works for an American company, she said that cake was dry, that was the first and only complain I got on my choc cake, all other people found it great. Luckily people have different tastes, imagine a nightmair of making only one kind of cake and only one design cos everybody likes it.
I've read a few of the responses in this thread and they said that their scratch chocolate cakes are too dry. I just thought I'd share my favorite chocolate cake recipe. I made a batch two days ago, and the scraps are still sitting on my counter uncovered. So far its still just as moist as it was when it first came out of the oven. This recipe is great! Here's the link. Enjoy!
http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?id=184
BTW, this recipe has a similar texture to a cake mix cake.
it cracks me up how touchy this subject is!!! I use mix cakes....but I guess it doesnt matter since I dont sell them... ......and for the record...I dont get my milk straight from cow either!! 
......and for the record...I dont get my milk straight from cow either!! [/quote]
Classic response! My husband wants to know who's churning their own butter too???? or shortening for that matter? LOL
I haven't thought of myself as a cake snob as I've posted here, but as I was considering what so many scratchers have said ("I would never use a mix") I found myself thinking "Well, I would use scratch, but I will never serve a Costco cake to my family!" So there, I guess I'm a cake snob too! lol --
Sarah
Baker - Measures/mixes fresh ingredients carefully and bakes to perfection.
Churning butter and milking cows are not done by a baker.
Milking cow: See farmer
Other - opens box mix
But we do have one thing in common : Cake Decorating 
Baker - Measures/mixes fresh ingredients carefully and bakes to perfection.
Churning butter and milking cows are not done by a baker.
Milking cow: See farmer
Other - opens box mix
But we do have one thing in common : Cake Decorating
bak·er ( P ) Pronunciation Key (bkr) n. One that bakes bread, cakes, or pastries, especially commercially. One that bakes, especially a portable oven.
which would tell me....to each his own....
this is getting old!
Baker - Measures/mixes fresh ingredients carefully and bakes to perfection.
Churning butter and milking cows are not done by a baker.
Milking cow: See farmer
Other - opens box mix
But we do have one thing in common : Cake Decorating
"Baker" according to Websters: "One who bakes."
I wonder if on a bread making site they're having this much controversy between the hand kneaders and the bread machine people.
I've read a few of the responses in this thread and they said that their scratch chocolate cakes are too dry. I just thought I'd share my favorite chocolate cake recipe. I made a batch two days ago, and the scraps are still sitting on my counter uncovered. So far its still just as moist as it was when it first came out of the oven. This recipe is great! Here's the link. Enjoy!
http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?id=184
nicole i have made this cake also, it is pretty good
These are the ingredients for carrot cake from a mix.
1 pack Betty Crocker® Carrot Cake Mix
water
vegetable oil
eggs
crushed pineapple in juice - undrained
chopped nuts
grated coconut
raisins
These are the ingredients in my carrot cake recipe. Which I developed and tested until it was exactly the way I liked it.
all purpose flour
baking soda
salt
baking powder
cinnamon
nutmeg
cloves
allspice
carrots, grated
sugar
brown sugar
eggs
canola oil
buttermilk
vanilla
walnuts, coarsely chopped
candied ginger, minced
golden raisins
There are few things that are the same about these two recipes. It's not just the list of ingredients, its' what's required in putting them together. Things like grating fresh carrots and measuring the spices. And the sugars. And the buttermilk.
But yes, they both get thrown into the oven and baked.
Hi, I'm coming into this topic a little late, but thought I'd share an experience that happened this evening. I'd made a scratch cake for a Farewell Party for a friend. There were about 30 teens and 15 or so adults gathered for cake and icecream. The cake was a hit - hands down. My cake Is dense, but very moist and everyone commented on how wonderful it was. I also happened to speak with some of the other guests (moms) who were all impressed, even envious, that it was a scratch cake. Several even said that they could tell the difference between, store-bought, box and scratch.. I knew I could tell the difference, but didn't know they could. From what I can gather, the general consensus (from non-bakers) was that the scratch was preferred (just make sure not to over-bake).
My 2 cents..lol 
Missy.....on your frustration with the scatch cakes.....perhaps you're baking a tad too long. I always add more oil than the mix or recipe calls form I get raves and my cakes are dense/heavier than most people's are. Your oven might be baking too hot also. Don't give up on scratch. I do more enhanced myself. Scratch carrot cake tho~
i am just curious, for those of you who use scratch mixes because you don't want the chemical flavor or the preservatives, how do you color your icings? food colors are nothing but chemicles and have a definite taste to them if you have to use them in large amounts. Do you lightly color your frostings, or do you juice fruits and use those as dyes? such as blueberries and strawberries, things with a deep color to them?
Well with such small amounts, as compared to a whole cake full of the chemicals or made up of them, you don't get that much in extracts and food colorings. However, I try and use frostings or Italian meringue buttercreams where you can add liquors or natural flavors such as orange zest and juice whenever possible. Pure ingredients are always best.
It is true, especially with today's foods where everything seems to be injected with some chemical not to have them in your products, which is why it makes sense to limit as much as you can, starting with the main culprit, mixes.
I am not going to get into the cake mix versus scratch debate. I use both and won't side either way. However, I have found the best chocolate scratch cake recipe. It comes out awesome every time! It is the Chocolate layer cake from this site.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2095-0-Chocolate-Layer-Cake.html
It is so moist and yummy with a slight denseness. The coffee brings out the flavor of the chocolate so well and you can't taste that it is even there.
Well with such small amounts, as compared to a whole cake full of the chemicals or made up of them, you don't get that much in extracts and food colorings. However, I try and use frostings or Italian meringue buttercreams where you can add liquors or natural flavors such as orange zest and juice whenever possible. Pure ingredients are always best.
It is true, especially with today's foods where everything seems to be injected with some chemical not to have them in your products, which is why it makes sense to limit as much as you can, starting with the main culprit, mixes.
There are cake mixes available without all those chemicals/preservatives if you're sensitive to them. It's important not to assume that just because it comes from a mix, it will be "full of chemicals." There's something for everyone 
Most people in this day and age do not like the mouth feel of a scratch cake. They are never going to have the moistness and texture of a cake that has a mix as a base. I do not even bake them anymore - people just do not care for them as much as they do the doctored mixes. I am more than happy to make my cakes from a doctored mix - very predictable and always raved about....and the customer is always happy.
There are a few cakes I still make from scratch - red cake, carrot cake. granny cake and pina colada cake - the rest are from my best friend Duncan Hines.
Ive run into the same thing. I started out doing scratch cakes and people just didn't like them. They also just don't have the shelf life that a doctored/mix cake has, and I switched long ago to a doctored mix. People just love them. I think everyone in this thread is correct that people are just used to the texture and flavor of a box..
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