Scratch or Store-Bought: The Great Chocolate Cake Debate

Home-made chocolate cake, served for a birthday party on May 7, 2017, with additional frosting and toppings. This is a simple, family version of Pandi Spagna al cioccolato, which is a famous dessert choice in Italy. Photo creds: Marcelo Peviani.

Lauren Peviani, Staff Writer for The Powderhorn

When it comes to cakes, do we crave extravagance or do we secretly prefer the delicacy of something simple? On a journey to address that question, I spent the day baking and tasting both options. 

On one hand, there’s the appeal of the homemade chocolate cake, that’s layered with richness of carefully chosen ingredients. On the other hand, the boxcake cake holds the swift promise of a mix that can turn into a cake in less than an hour. What I discovered is that it’s not just about the cake. It is about the convenience, patience, and what we truly value when indulging ourselves with something sweet.

The Complex Cake: Depth, Texture, and Effort

The homemade cake is one you have to commit to. From the moment the ingredients are gathered, it’s apparent that it’s not going to be a quick process. Whisks, bowls, and sifters soon crowd the counter. The kitchen becomes a small chaos of cocoa powder dust and measuring cups, yet the slow process feels rewarding and fulfilling in a way. 

Cutting into the cake reveals a slightly crumbling, yet fudgy texture. Included in the recipe are some unexpected  ingredients, such as the nutmeg and salt, which balanced the sweetness of the other ingredients, giving the cake light savory undertones. The addition of the frosting---made with condensed milk, cocoa, and butter---tied everything together. It was complex without being overwhelming, though eating large amounts would require a glass of milk nearby.

However, the underlying cost of this sweet treasure was time and effort put into making it. Including prep, mixing, baking, and frosting, the entire process stretched over an hour and 20 minutes. In addition, cleaning the warzone that became the kitchen and counter-top, took an additional 30 minutes to clean up.

Essential Ingredients and Why:

• Dutch Dark Chocolate Chocolate: Adds hidden notes that create depth

• Baking Powder: Ensure that the cake rises properly

• Salt & Nutmeg: Balances the sweetness of other ingredients

• Condensed Milk: Main ingredient in the frosting that makes it creamy

• Peanut Oil: Contributes to the smoothness of the batter

Instructions & Recipe:

Preparation:

1.  Start oven at 360 degrees

2. Get appropriate baking pan and lather a smooth layer of butter on all sides along with a light frosting of flour on top (use sifter)

Into separate bowls:

3. 3 cups of flour and add 1 tablespoon of baking powder (w/ whisk)

4. 3 cups of sugar

5. ½ cup of cocoa powder

Pour into the mixer (wet ingredients):

6. 5 eggs + sugar 

7. Pour 1 cup of peanut oil

8. Now add ¼ teaspoon of salt and a pinch of salt + nutmeg

9. Add 1 cup of hot water to the chocolate mixture and pour into the mixer

10. Mix until smooth (visual: light brown-like yellow)

11. Turn off the mixer (and make sure to have the lid back on if not it will explode)

Now pour wet mixture into the dry ingredients:

12. Mix the wet mixture with the dry ingredients

13. When confident that it has been thoroughly mixed, pour the mixture into baking pan 

14. Place in the over for 35-40 minutes

Frosting (optional, but recommended!)

1. Melt half a tablespoon of butter into a pan

2. 5 teaspoons of cocoa powder

3. Mix all together until well combined

4. Then pour a can of condensed milk into the mixture

5. And mix until the consistency is to your liking

The Box Cake: Simplicity and Nostalgia– Featuring Betty Crocker’s Super Moist Mix

Betty Crocker’s Super Moist Mix, chocolate box cake. Photo creds: Lauren Pevaini.

The boxed cake, for contrast, asked for very little effort. In less than 15 minutes, the batter was in the oven, due to the short additions, such as water, oil, and eggs. The kitchen remained stable, so cleaning stress was nonexistent.

When emerging from the oven, there were already some notable differences from the box cake to the homemade one. The cake had risen evenly, though it appeared spongy and extremely moist. Cutting into the cake felt less exciting and more predictable. The taste accomplished what had been expected, an extremely sweet delight. Unlike the homemade cake, which contained hidden notes of all the different ingredients, the box cake had a much simpler sugar and cocoa taste. Though it was on the simple side, it was also nostalgic. It tasted of classroom birthday parties and small gatherings, where the cake wasn't an extravagant surprise but a thoughtful gift.

Side by Side Breakdown:

To compare these two cakes, 3 categories were created to properly judge them. When it comes to time and effort, the homemade cake demands patience, time, and an infinite amount of dishes, ranging at about 2 hours to complete. While the box cake can be done in 40 minutes (with a 10 minute washing time). For taste and texture, the homemade cake presents a variety of different flavors, richness and balance, while the boxcake leans on a more simple and nostalgic sweetness. 

Lastly, for appearance, both cakes had similar final presentations. But the homemade cake was glazed and fudgy, while the box cake was light and moist.

The Verdict:

Both cakes had their individual strengths and weaknesses. The scratch cake takes longer, more dishes, effort, and it was also unpredictable. Following the same recipe can lead to completely different results due to simple measuring mistakes that can create alternate outcomes. The box cake, on the other hand, takes less time, dishes, and it has consistent results. For the purpose of holding an unbiased competition, the homemade cake was called A and the box was B. Both were brought inside plastic containers, and 20 students ranging from freshman to seniors, came to try them. After tasting both, they cast their votes, and at the end, the result was… a tie. After discussing what influenced their choices, both sides stated similar claims.

“I liked cake A better, because it had a fudgy texture and a more flavorful after-taste, " said Ally Belliveau, sophomore at Watauga High School. “Cake B was good, but way too sweet and it didn’t taste fresh.”

On the other hand, those who chose Cake B, described it with similar characteristics, but with a preference towards the boxcake.

“I preferred cake B. It was more spongy, like a cake and had a richer flavor without tasting as sugary,” said sophomore Zoey Stille.

To conclude this great debate, the title for “best cake” depends on the individual's preference. Even though more time and effort was put into the homemade cake, some people simply prefer the texture of box-cakes better than the one made from scratch. While others stated that they appreciated the flavorfulness of the multiple ingredients, over that of the mix.