Cake Mixes or From Scratch

whitakermk

whitakermk

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Do you prefer cakes made from boxed cake mixes or do you lean more towards cakes made from scratch with ingredients from your own pantry? Or, are you like me who will grab a box when needed but stick to my Mom's recipe for certain types of cakes?
 
I used to prefer the boxed mixes for the convenience, but then gave that up for health reasons. The box mixes are all white flour and have way too much sugar, so I decided that was not something I want to eat, even on a special occasion. I make my cakes from scratch now so I know what is in them and can control the sugar content. I think most from scratch recipes turn out a little better anyway.
 
I use both, I prefer from scratch, but if I am visiting a friend or staying with someone then I use a mix, because there's no pint buying flour that won't be used and other ingredients. I once stayed with a friend who wasn't well and cooked for her and we had to buy most things from scratch, so packets were best as she wouldn't have used all the other ingredients.
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
Always from scratch. I can not imagine using a mix. A cake recipe is so easy to make from scratch and at least I can control the amount of sugar and flavourings that go into it that way.
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I want to reach your stage and have been working on it recently. Can create just about anything when it comes to cooking but like to run to the box anytime baking is involved. Had some bad experiences way, way back so figured "boxing" was the safest way to go.

I had great plans for baking this weekend but ended up trying only a "two ingredient" cookie that was not outstanding. I had to cheat and add some more ingredients to make it worth the time.
 
I have to hold my hands up and confess that I have used a cake mix for chocolate brownies. Betty crocker choc fudge brownies, but only because up to now I haven't found a recipe that I liked. All the brownies I made from scratch were very dry. I have now found a great recipe, and won't he buying that cake mix again. Everything else I make from scratch
 
welsh dragon said:
I have to hold my hands up and confess that I have used a cake mix for chocolate brownies. Betty crocker choc fudge brownies, but only because up to now I haven't found a recipe that I liked. All the brownies I made from scratch were very dry. I have now found a great recipe, and won't he buying that cake mix again. Everything else I make from scratch
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I will see if I can dig you out a copy of some chocolate brownies that use Nutella and if those are too dry for you, you had better ban yourself from the kitchen :wink: :laugh:


EDIT: www.cookingbites.com/threads/nutella-chocolate-chip-brownies.3248/

EDIT 2:these are also very moist. www.cookingbites.com/threads/vegan-black-bean-brownies.27/
 
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Thanks SNSSO. I'll have a go at them. Ive never thought of using nutella.
 
welsh dragon said:
Thanks SNSSO. I'll have a go at them. Ive never thought of using nutella.
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BBC recipe from several decades back... when the bbc vegetarian magazine used to exist! :whistling:
the black bean one is a much more recent one and very surprising. It is actually very easy to undercook it leaving it too moist to lift out without collapsing, so do the knife test and account for it cooking a touch more once it is out of the oven and cooling in its container, but not by too much...
 
Can't say when the last time was that I made a cake batter from the box. Must have been years & years ago! :eek:

I mainly stick with batters from scratch, especially for the 7up Cake & Coffee Cake. :wink:
 
I would make mine from scratch every time. What makes me laugh is that you still need extra ingredients when you buy a cake mix. It is easier, cheaper and more satisfying to make a cake yourself. It is so simple that is is one of the first cooking/ baking tasks that many children do.
 
I looked up the ingredients for the first 'cake mix' that Google showed me.
www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=275603298

Betty Crocker Red Velvet Cake Mix 450G at £2.25 per packet

Ingredients:
Sugar, Wheat Flour, Palm Fat, Fat Reduced Cocoa Powder (3%), Dextrose, Raising Agents: Monocalcium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Whey Powder, Emulsifiers: Propane-1, 2-Dial Esters of Fatty Acids, Mono-Diglycerides of Fatty Acids, Modified Corn Starch, Salt, Stabiliser: Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose, Colours: Paprika Extract, Carmine, Flavouring

To this you need to add the following...

All you need is:
65ml vegetable oil (4 1/2 tbsp)
205ml water
3 medium free range eggs
1 tub of Betty Crocker Vanilla or Cream Cheese Style Icing
2 x 8" well-greased cake tins

So for £2.25 they provide a single serving of flour, sugar, dried milk (in the form of whey powder), baking powder and cocoa powder. You then add oil, water and eggs.

A basic chocolate cake mix from scratch is flour, sugar, fat, eggs, some cocoa powder and vanilla essence if you are feeling generous...

From the BBC website for a plain sponge

Ingredients
125g/4oz butter or margarine, softened
125g/4oz caster sugar
2 medium eggs
125g/4oz self raising flour

I was always taught to simply switch out 1/2oz of cocoa powder with the self raising flour to make a chocolate sponge cake... This recipe would need doubling to be comparable to packet mix above.
 
I have a similar sponge cake recipe SNSSO which is

weigh two or three eggs, in their shells. Whatever they weigh, then the self raising four, butter, sugar should be the same weight. Plus 1 teasp of baking powder. It makes a wonderful light fluffy cake, and it never fails.
 
Well I have tasted both box cake mixes and cakes made from scratch and I think they both have their own unique taste. I would say, though, that I prefer cakes that are made from scratch. I find the texture of the cake mixes a bit too light, although they are still tasty. Using a cake mix gets the job done a lot quicker though, and less time is spent in the kitchen. So, it is convenient if you are in a hurry and do not have the time to bake from scratch. I tend to like the chocolate ones best.
 
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