Make or Buy? Cake Mix vs. Homemade (2024)

FAQs

Is cake mix or homemade better? ›

While cake mixes have a certain nostalgic comfort-factor, they typically taste flat, sugary, and vaguely chemically while the texture leaves a lot to be desired. Cakes made from scratch just taste better: rich, buttery, and moist with lots of sweet flavor nuances that make it hard to stop eating more.

Baking at home gives you control over the ingredients in your baked goods, and can be much healthier than choosing store-bought breads, cakes, and cookies. Here are some simple changes you can make to improve your diet and your health.

As for the taste, fresh eggs, butter, and high-quality ingredients produce a tastier cake than the artificial flavor and texture you get from store-bought or packaged cakes.

"I never use boxed cake mix in a professional setting UNLESS I am specifically developing a cake that calls for one, like an old-fashioned strawberry poke cake," Jessie Sheehan told Food Republic — Sheehan is a recipe developer, baker, podcast host, and cookbook author of "Snackable Bakes: 100 Easy-Peasy Recipes for ...

Store-bought cakes often contain high levels of preservatives, artificial flavors, and added sugars, which can have negative effects on our health. By baking your own cakes, you have control over the ingredients and can choose to use natural and organic options.

The chemicals used to preserve the cake are responsible for the after taste. Which is not noticeable to some, especially those who are used to a box mix. Another con of cake mix is that it is so moist it is not sturdy enough for carving. With that said, if it is cold, you can handle it better.

Homemade food is fresher, healthier, and tastier, making it a better option for those who care about the quality of their food. However, store-bought food has its advantages, including convenience and quick preparation, making it a good option for those who are short on time.

For starters, cake flour is low-protein (typically 5–8% protein as compared to 10–13% for AP), and that's because it's milled from low-protein (a.k.a. soft) wheat. This means it does not produce as much gluten as regular AP flour and can yield more light, tender results.

Homemade cakes or cheesecake are not considered processed, but contain high levels of sugar and fat, including saturated fats, and release energy rapidly after eating them.

Don't get caught in the trap of thinking that you must bake from scratch if you sell cakes. Most bakeries do NOT bake from scratch. In fact, I once worked at a bakery that actually claimed to be a “scratch bakery”, but all their cakes started with a Duncan Hines cake mix, the same kind you buy in the grocery store.

Is homemade cake junk food? ›

My recommendation would be enjoy in moderation and don't worry about whether or not cake is healthy. Most cakes are made with large amounts of sugar and fat. Homemade cakes, the really good ones, are ruinously full of sugar and fat.

Verdict: With a moist, flavorful, and consistent result, the Duncan Hines mix takes the cake.

Pastry flour is the middle ground between cake flour and all-purpose flour. Professional bakers love that it's finely milled with a protein content that hovers around eight to nine percent, striking the perfect balance between flakiness and tenderness while maintaining structure.

Devil's food cake is sometimes distinguished from other chocolate cakes by the use of additional baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), which raises the pH level and makes the cake a deeper and darker mahogany color. Devil's food cake incorporates butter (or a substitute), flour, and less egg than other chocolate cakes.

Melting Method: Simplicity at its Finest

For dense and moist cakes, the melting method reigns supreme. In this technique, the butter and sugar are melted together as the first step, eliminating the need for creaming or whisking. To aid the rise, a raising agent is added to the batter.

Ultimately, we recommend baking your own cake only if you have experience doing so. Cake baking can be a finicky process, posing the risk of having to spend even more to purchase a cake at the last minute if the end product falls short.

Don't get caught in the trap of thinking that you must bake from scratch if you sell cakes. Most bakeries do NOT bake from scratch. In fact, I once worked at a bakery that actually claimed to be a “scratch bakery”, but all their cakes started with a Duncan Hines cake mix, the same kind you buy in the grocery store.

Turns out, whilst baking from scratch at home is still cheaper than buying a cake from a professional bakery, it would actually be cheaper to Fake Bake. You don't need to turn on the oven, saving you on energy.