I have read about scratch versus box over and over. The last one I read (which was from Feb) stated it was cheaper to make box mixes than scratch? Can anyone attest to this? I also use box mixes and I know a lot of people really like the taste. I also use the double chocolate cake recipe from epicurious. That's about the only scratch cake I've found that is good (although I havne't experimented much).
Anyway....I was kind of surprised to hear that box mixes are cheaper? to make one box mix versus the double chocolate scratch cake (which makes more batter) it costs more (unless you also add in there if I am only making one so I have extra semi sweet chocolate and butter milk left over).
Can anyone comment to this? I'd be greatly appreciative!
Sheri
PS. I hope to be completely legal within the next two weeks!
I'd love to hear the consensus on this as well - butter, milk and eggs are sooo expensive now I don't know how ANY of us are making ANYTHING!!
I know where I live box mix is WAY cheaper. For each box it's only $1, all the ingredients to make from scratch would probably be more than 10x that. Plus, I spend enough on decorating tools, molds, cutters, etc. I always use box mix, everyone says that it taste like it's from scratch.
i'm an occasional home-baker and i find it really depends on the recipe. i buy eggs at Smart 'n Final, butter and vanilla at Costco, and other dairy (buttermilk, sour cream, etc) at Trader Joe's. I also buy some ingredients at Target.
here are the costs for some of the recipes i use:
cake mix: $1.61 (if i get my mixes at Target for $0.99, or on sale at the market for $1.00 - regular is $2.99)
Strawberry Cake posted here by Steady2Hands: $3.03 (white cake mix base with a packet of Jello)
Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake (from scratch): $2.80 (with Hersheys cocoa, more if i use Droste or Ghirardelli)
Toba Garrett's Moist Yellow Cake: $3.85
I guess it all depends on the cake you are making. If you make a chocolate cake from a mix and only add the ingredients called for in the instructions (water, oil, eggs) then it is probably cheaper than making a chocolate cake from scratch, where you are adding in your own flour, sugar, chocolate, etc....
You also have to look at whether or not you are purchasing bulk cake mix or individual boxes OR bulk flour, sugar, etc.....as opposed to buying 1 lbs or 5 lbs bags.
I think it really depends on the extra ingredients you are adding to the cake that can make it expensive, whether you adding them to a box mix or a scratch mix.
For many, using only a box mix without adding any extra ingredients to add more flavor and/or batter, mixes are less expensive.
However, I agree with you about scratch being less expensive. My recipes make what 1 1/2 boxes will make with the "extender". Some of my recipes would take two full boxes, plus extenders to make the same amount. I also use fewer eggs, butter, buttermilk, etc. for one batch than it takes to use two boxes with or without the extender or other flavor enhancers.
For some, it comes down mostly to what they are accustomed to tasting and using. I know several people that can bake wonderfully with a mix, but can't bake from scratch. This goes for a scratch baker unable to bake well with a mix also.
This type of thread always starts a big debate on which is better. Whatever works for a person and their family and customers is what is better. I hope no one gives you any difficulty for asking this question. It's valid and, as far as I can tell, was not meant to be anything more than that, a question.
Michele
I'm with the box mix too. Around here it's only a little over a $1 per box, and eggs here are also very cheap, so it saves me money for sure, as well as time. I've only heard good things as far as how moist the cakes are, etc. so I don't feel a need to change anything yet. My experimenting with scratch cakes hasn't gone terrific in the past so right now I'm just sticking with what I know works... it's box mix for me!!
I primarily use box mixes for the basic flavors; chocolate, devil's food, white, butter yellow, strawberry, marble, triple chocolate fudge, and spice cake. When a customer orders something ELSE, I go scratch but the cost goes up. I have about 4 different super markets within 3 miles of each other that are constantly competing! At any given time they have their box mixes on sale. I generally spend about $1.00 per box. Whenever there is a sale, I buy about $40.00 worth of box mixes!! I buy the most of the one I use the most (strawberry) then 2nd most, 3rd most, etc. The last time I did a scratch cake it was a full sheet carrot cake (two layers) and I needed to make eight batches of mix and two batches of scratch cream cheese icing as well. The raw ingredients for that cost over $100!!! And that's just buying generic EVERYTHING. No Sunmaid raisins in that mix, boy!!
Scratch mix definitely costs more...
And I've been told my cakes are the best anyone has ever had!! So that goes to show that a good quality box mix can go a long way!
I feel like such a newbie! What's an "extender"? 
I have often pondered on this same question. Box or Scratch that is. And anyway I have found that definately box is cheaper. When I have to use a denser cake for carving such as a chocolate pound cake,etc... I spend 5 times as much on ingredients as I would on just purchasing the cake mix for 89 cents. And no one knows that it is a box and I always get told I make the best cakes they have ever tasted. They ask "How do you do it?" I never tell. LOL 
Same here I am with box and i have heard alot of good comments on my cake.
SMILE..
i bake from scratch and with the types of ingredients i use, it is MUCH more costly, but this in my opinion, can be passed on the the customer. mine are happy to pay for prices i ask even if it is higher because they enjoy the product they can get from me that is difficult to find elsewhere. i also take more pride in my work now, than i did before when i used only mixes.. This scenario holds true not for everyone, but definately for ME.
SugarFlowers is definitely on to something here. I think it is going to depend on many things:
Location, clientele, comfort level of decorator, cost factor, and many more things.
I know for me, it is all about what the person wants. I do about a 70/30% mix of box mix vs. scratch. Scratch is good, but cost more, are they willing to pay for this? And along with the 70% of box mixes I use, I do change the playing field with add ins and for that matter subtractions. Do this, take a box mix that calls for 1 1/4 cup water, 3 eggs, and 1/2 cup oil/butter. OK, reduce water to 1 cup, 3 eggs, and use 3/4 stick of butter (melted). The texture of the cake changes making it less obvious of a "box mix". I have played with many different mixes and I have made the Strawberry box mix, used 1 cup of water, 3 eggs, and no extra oil or butter and the cake come out with a very vibriant strawberry flavor. With some experimenting, the individual will find there own style and comfort zone and figure out what works for them... Luv U Guys... 
i bake from scratch and with the types of ingredients i use, it is MUCH more costly, but this in my opinion, can be passed on the the customer. mine are happy to pay for prices i ask even if it is higher because they enjoy the product they can get from me that is difficult to find elsewhere. i also take more pride in my work now, than i did before when i used only mixes.. This scenario holds true not for everyone, but definately for ME.
Melysa, I totally agree. I bake mostly from scratch and my customers know that. So they know that the cost is passed on to them. Even I do use a box mix, it's still not just a box mix, I never bake according to the directions. So the cost for those extra ingredients are passed on. So for me, it's really going to come out about the same because I'm still going to have to buy all the same ingredients whether I make a cake from scratch or start with a box mix. I made my first wedding cake this weekend and was surprised that I only used two boxes of cake flour. I'm sure that if I had made the cake from box mix, it would have come out to more than those two boxes of cake flour. The eggs, butter and sugar would've pretty much been the same, maybe just a tad less.
i bake from scratch and with the types of ingredients i use, it is MUCH more costly, but this in my opinion, can be passed on the the customer. mine are happy to pay for prices i ask even if it is higher because they enjoy the product they can get from me that is difficult to find elsewhere. i also take more pride in my work now, than i did before when i used only mixes.. This scenario holds true not for everyone, but definately for ME.
This is my feeling too. 
Box mixes are definately cheaper. I just paid $0.25 a box and bought a pantry full..I'll go back to the store tonight and get a ton more before the dealy they are running making them so cheap is over.
If you pay attention to all the deals/sales the grocery stores run, boxed mixes can be had for next to nothing...you just have to buy lots so that you don't run out before they run another deal.
For the most part, I like the reliability of the doctored box mixes. The only cakes I do from complete scratch are carrot, genoise, victoria, sponge and fruitcake. For me, I hate the measuring and sifting and all that. It's more of a time thing. I've also found that my friends and family prefer the more American box cake to the sponge cakes and old fashioned butter cakes.
The box cakes are definitely cheaper. I can buy them at Walmart for around 80 cents, sometimes less. I usually bake from scratch and sometimes it can get expensive--go through tons of eggs and cake flour. I prefer scratch, but won't hesitate to use the box mixes to save time with big jobs or when in a pinch. I used doctored box mixes for one of my flavors when I had 18 cakes to make, and it was a huge time saver. Otherwise I would have lost my mind making scratch cakes for days. Sometimes those scratch cakes just won't cooperate either and the box mix saves the day. 
Kellyshe,
My husband had me cost out every ingredient for my scratch recipes, (he's a finance maniac), and it is more costly to bake from scratch. The plus however, is there are no chemicals in your cake. I use only scratch recipes, but charge more because all my cakes are homemade.
If the total cost of a box cake (say 2 boxes) is $2 and the total cost of same size scratch case is $5, I think nearly any customer is going to want to pay $3 more for a scratch cake. So in my mind, it's not the ingredients issue at all. It's the time. I can throw a box mix in the mixer and in less than ten minutes be pouring it in my pan. It's the time that it takes to mix from scratch that is going to run the price up.
I think the simple flavors are pretty darn good from a box--my fave is Duncan Hines. There are some cakes that just aren't very good from a box. Carrot cake from a box. UGH! 
One thing, though, I've never gotten a box to make an 8 inch cake to be four inches tall using a box. It just ain't a gonna happen.
Thanks everyone for being so kind in your responses. I was really curious. Everyone loves the cakes I make (enhance box mix, be it Betty Crocker, Dunkin Hines or Pillsbury) and they all think it's from scratch. The local grocery store has them on sale for 80 cent a box (that's the cheapest I've seen around my area) so I'm going to Load up!
One last question...what if you need 1.5 cake mixes (enhanced ones). Can you open a bag of box mix, weigh half (or 1/3 or 1/4) and put the unused part in a zippy bag for later? I'd hate to use 2 boxes and have leftover batter. Any thoughts?
Thanks everyone for being so kind in your responses. I was really curious. Everyone loves the cakes I make (enhance box mix, be it Betty Crocker, Dunkin Hines or Pillsbury) and they all think it's from scratch. The local grocery store has them on sale for 80 cent a box (that's the cheapest I've seen around my area) so I'm going to Load up!
One last question...what if you need 1.5 cake mixes (enhanced ones). Can you open a bag of box mix, weigh half (or 1/3 or 1/4) and put the unused part in a zippy bag for later? I'd hate to use 2 boxes and have leftover batter. Any thoughts?
One thing, though, I've never gotten a box to make an 8 inch cake to be four inches tall using a box. It just ain't a gonna happen.
My 8" cakes from a box come out 4 1/2 to 5" tall. Do you bake at 325 and use magic strips? None of the cake is wasted to trimming that way. But I also torte my cakes, 4 layers of cake, and 3 of filling. The 9" ones are 4" tall, maybe 1/8" short. Just a couple of ideas to toss out.
Kelly, when a cake calls for less than a full box or less than two full boxes, I just make cupcakes out of the extra. You can freeze them for tastings if you are a legal kitchen, or, as in my case, I just pipe some leftover icing on them and the kids get dessert! 1/2 box should give you about a dozen cupcakes. Or you can make a 6" round to freeze for a cake emergency or a last-minute gift, or as an extra cake to practice a new technique with. HTH
My 8" cakes from a box come out 4 1/2 to 5" tall. Do you bake at 325 and use magic strips?
I use the strips but just learned about cranking the temp down. I don't tend to get a high center, I have more of a problem with one side being taller than the other so having to trim for that. I asked hubby to see if there's something about the oven or racks not being level.
I don't usually torte. I tried a strawberry torte on a fondant cake recently. I've never had trouble with bulging and it was the first time I had bulging. I'm thinking I got it too thick or got my buttercream "dam" too close to the edge.
The key to getting your cakes nice and straight and tall is to use enough batter in the pan -- fill it 2/3 full. Wilton has this chart that gives you a guideline for how many cups of batter to use:
http://www.wilton.com/wedding/cakeinfo/cakedata.cfm
My tutorial shows how to level the cake while still in the pan so you get a perfectly straight cake:
www.cakeboss.com/preventbulging.aspx
And the only way to know if box or scratch is more expensive is to price out your ingredients. Do it! Learn it! Love it! 
Whether you use a spreadsheet, CakeBoss, or a pen & pencil, I believe it is vitally important for everyone who sells cakes to understand how much they are spending on their materials.
'Extenders' is a common way to refer to adding additional ingredients to a cake mix to 1) make more batter, 2) change the flavor, 3) give it a more homemade touch. Here are some popular recipes:
http://cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-1953-Super-Enhanced-Cake-Formula.html
http://cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-1599-Enhanced-Cake-Formula.html
http://cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2322-White-Almond-Sour-Cream-Cake.html
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