Sin Or Sinful????

Decorating By soldiernurse Updated 7 Aug 2013 , 5:32pm by soldiernurse

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soldiernurse Posted 5 Aug 2013 , 11:11am
post #1 of 22

AHow do you feel about box cake mixes??? Do you use them and if so, what are your favorite brands??

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Godot Posted 5 Aug 2013 , 11:12am
post #2 of 22

AI don't and won't use a boxed mix.

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cazza1 Posted 5 Aug 2013 , 11:19am
post #3 of 22

I recently bought a box mix (I always bake from scratch so a deviation from normal for me) as I had bought this weird little oven for putting on the gas hotplates of the camping stove.  I didn't want to be carting a pile of stuff out to the bush until I saw how well it worked.  It worked O.K. but both hubby and I agreed that the Martha Stewart  box mix did not live up to the real thing, being rather tasteless.

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Godot Posted 5 Aug 2013 , 11:31am
post #4 of 22

AThat is so funny. Baking cakes on a camping trip!

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kikiandkyle Posted 5 Aug 2013 , 1:12pm
post #5 of 22

They sell Martha Stewart cake mixes in Australia? We don't have them here in the US I don't think!

 

I recently bought a Dr Oetker Organic cake mix that was pretty good. I'm in a very small rental for a couple of months until my new house is built so I don't have a lot of pantry space to spare, but I needed cake...

 

I will occasionally use a Duncan Hines mix if a friend has asked me for a very last minute cake (ie the party is in a couple of hours), I keep a box each of chocolate and red velvet in the cupboard for emergencies. I always have the ingredients on hand for a vanilla cake so I don't need a mix for that. 

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hbquikcomjamesl Posted 5 Aug 2013 , 10:19pm
post #6 of 22

The closest I've come to baking a cake from scratch was one occasion, when I was much younger, baking one from a long-lost recipe that was based on Bisquick.

 

On the other hand, the closest I've come to baking cookies from a mix was when I pored over a bunch of reconstructions of the old, long-discontinued, BC "Vienna Dream Bars" mix (the official recipe was never published), then came up with my own "Innsbruck Dream Bars" recipe as a slightly healthier (unless you're a DOG, because it calls for Macadamia nuts) alternative.

 

And on the third hand (if you're Lt. Arex, from Star Trek Animated), I've made gingerbread once or twice, entirely from scratch.

 

 

Quote:
I read where some people who make from scratch will go ahead and measure their dry ingredients first and put in zip lock baggie a day or two in advance so when they go to make their cake all they do is dump the dry ingredients alternately after mixing eggs, butter or oil, milk, etc depending on what recipe you use. I have tried this before one time and it worked pretty good as a time saver and cake came out great.

 

Supposedly, that's how Bisquick was invented (by a railroad dining car chef, no less).

 

Incidentally, (while this has absolutely nothing to do with cakes) I no more consider Mrs. Cubbison's various turkey stuffing products to be "mixes" than I would consider packaged croutons or Emeril's Italian-seasoned Panko, or any other packaged crumbs, whether made from regular bread or purpose-baked seasoned bread, to be "mixes": "Stove-Top" (tm) is a line of mixes; Mrs. Cubbison's products are a line of ingredients.

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BatterUpCake Posted 5 Aug 2013 , 10:25pm
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Aren't there currently about 5 active threads on this same subject?

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soldiernurse Posted 6 Aug 2013 , 1:24am
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A

Original message sent by BatterUpCake

Aren't there currently about 5 active threads on this same subject?

Not sure if they're all active..I've been online most of the day and I've only seen 1 other post after mine. I've tried posting on "older" posts but it doesn't bump up. I was not aware of any newer than mine.

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soldiernurse Posted 6 Aug 2013 , 1:27am
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ATks CC..

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sixinarow Posted 6 Aug 2013 , 2:29am
post #10 of 22

Ok, maybe not 5 but there are 2 ongoing right now. 

 

1.  http://cakecentral.com/t/761922/no-one-yet-knows-the-difference-between-store-box-mix-and-scratch-cakes-why-bother

 

2. http://cakecentral.com/t/761485/box-mix-or-scratch-for-start-up-small-business

 

The deal is, do what you can do best. If you need a box to give you consistency..use it. If you like to bake from scratch..do it. If you want to doctor a mix..awesome.

Only you know your abilities and weaknesses, you have to make the decision based on what can give your client the best result. I cannot bake a stinkin' scratch peanut butter cake that holds up to stacking to save my life. It's delicious, but about every 3rd cake, it falls apart on me. SO yes, I use a box base for that cake so I get a consistent result. I have a freakishly awesome chocolate cake recipe that was my great-grandmother's. I've tweaked it for a few other recipes also (no I will not share icon_wink.gif).

But seriously, it doesn't matter how anyone else bakes.

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hbquikcomjamesl Posted 6 Aug 2013 , 4:54am
post #11 of 22

Use the tools and materials that enable you to do the best job. In the end, it's the results that count. Not ideology; not snob-appeal. Just results.

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bct806 Posted 6 Aug 2013 , 5:05am
post #12 of 22

I have used boxed cakes before. Not anymore. Ever since I got my scratch recipes down pat, I have left them behind. I can taste the difference. That being said, I don't have anything against those that use boxed. To each their own. Some people can make them turn out quite well. It just isn't for me. You do what you feel is right and forget what everyone else says. (My personal philosophy in baking and life.) My one cake snob opinion...just say no to the strawberry boxed cake. I have never tasted one that was good and it is far too easy to use a boxed vanilla and make it strawberry with fresh ingredients. That is my opinion though and to each their own. 

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Annabakescakes Posted 6 Aug 2013 , 6:33am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bct806 

I have used boxed cakes before. Not anymore. Ever since I got my scratch recipes down pat, I have left them behind. I can taste the difference. That being said, I don't have anything against those that use boxed. To each their own. Some people can make them turn out quite well. It just isn't for me. You do what you feel is right and forget what everyone else says. (My personal philosophy in baking and life.) My one cake snob opinion...just say no to the strawberry boxed cake. I have never tasted one that was good and it is far too easy to use a boxed vanilla and make it strawberry with fresh ingredients. That is my opinion though and to each their own. 

I'm not in on the debate, I couldn't care less right now, but for some reason, I am still reading.... ANYWAY, I have to agree with bct806 and everyone stepping away from the boxed strawberry. It is so awful, it is almost comical. I have people who want strawberry, and after trying 100 different recipes that were terrible, and refusing to use Jello, the cake would flop, and I would have a horrible thing that looked like a wet scab. Then I would go to Walmart, and have to use the mix, half and half with a white mix, and some sour cream, hating myself, and flinching when I handed the cake over. 
 
I mean to just take it off the menu, and I always steer people over to white cake with strawberry filling,
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morganchampagne Posted 6 Aug 2013 , 8:03am
post #14 of 22

AI use to be a cake snob before I got into business. I don't use a box mix just because I don't. BUT. I changed my tune when I started working at a bakery that used a mix. I realized that consumers don't give a damn lol. They just want it to taste good. I think sometimes we cake decorators get caught up in industry standards. At the end of the day it's about making money if we are honest. So do whatever makes you successful

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soldiernurse Posted 6 Aug 2013 , 9:18am
post #15 of 22

A

Original message sent by bct806

I have used boxed cakes before. Not anymore. Ever since I got my scratch recipes down pat, I have left them behind. I can taste the difference. That being said, I don't have anything against those that use boxed. To each their own. Some people can make them turn out quite well. It just isn't for me. You do what you feel is right and forget what everyone else says. (My personal philosophy in baking and life.) My one cake snob opinion...just say no to the strawberry boxed cake. I have never tasted one that was good and it is far too easy to use a boxed vanilla and make it strawberry with fresh ingredients. That is my opinion though and to each their own. 

Lol!!:D

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soldiernurse Posted 6 Aug 2013 , 9:22am
post #16 of 22

A

Original message sent by hbquikcomjamesl

Use the tools and materials that enable you to do the best job. In the end, it's the results that count. Not ideology; not snob-appeal. Just results.

Very well put!

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soldiernurse Posted 6 Aug 2013 , 9:25am
post #17 of 22

A

Original message sent by bct806

I have used boxed cakes before. Not anymore. Ever since I got my scratch recipes down pat, I have left them behind. I can taste the difference. That being said, I don't have anything against those that use boxed. To each their own. Some people can make them turn out quite well. It just isn't for me. You do what you feel is right and forget what everyone else says. (My personal philosophy in baking and life.) My one cake snob opinion...just say no to the strawberry boxed cake. I have never tasted one that was good and it is far too easy to use a boxed vanilla and make it strawberry with fresh ingredients. That is my opinion though and to each their own. 

We have the same philosophy, believe me!!:grin: I'm a pretty much a scratch baker but I would use a boxed if needed...just depends..but I promise never to make a boxed strawberry for anyone but me (I have to use the 1 in my pantry) lol!

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hbquikcomjamesl Posted 6 Aug 2013 , 3:38pm
post #18 of 22

I will note that while my strawberry marble recipe does use McCormick imitation strawberry extract and red food coloring, there is (by weight) considerably more strawberry jam in the contrast batter than either of the artificial supplements. And when I make maple-cinnamon BC, I use farm-bottled Vermont Grade B, not imitation maple extract, nor Log Cabin.

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VicB213 Posted 6 Aug 2013 , 4:35pm
post #19 of 22

I use cake mixes when I have no time... but that is few and far between... I really perfer scratch baking and would not do it any other way because I know what is in my cakes.

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bct806 Posted 7 Aug 2013 , 2:09am
post #20 of 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by soldiernurse 


We have the same philosophy, believe me!!icon_biggrin.gif I'm a pretty much a scratch baker but I would use a boxed if needed...just depends..but I promise never to make a boxed strawberry for anyone but me (I have to use the 1 in my pantry) lol!

Well as long as you promise to only make it for you and then never buy them again, I think I can deal with that. lol. icon_smile.gif

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ReneeFLL Posted 7 Aug 2013 , 2:38am
post #21 of 22

I use both. When I use a box mix I only use the WASC recipe. Use what you or your customers like. Other than that I don't really think it matters.

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soldiernurse Posted 7 Aug 2013 , 5:32pm
post #22 of 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by bct806 

Well as long as you promise to only make it for you and then never buy them again, I think I can deal with that. lol. icon_smile.gif

 

 

I promise!!thumbs_up.gif

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