If you’ve ever made a cake from a Duncan Hines box, perhaps you’ve heard the following statement: “This tastes great, but it’s not made from scratch.” There is a pretty common thread amongst many people that unless a cake was made from scratch, then it’s not as “good” or “authentic”. However, here’s why we feel that such talk isn’t accurate, and in some cases destructive.
What Does “From Scratch” Mean Anyway?
Why is it that if you follow an online recipe, it’s less frowned upon than making a cake from a box? After all, aren’t you following someone else’s recipe there too? Wouldn’t that too be classified as “not completely authentic”? True, making a cake from a box requires fewer steps, but most recipes you follow aren’t exactly brain surgery either. And if something tastes good, it tastes good.
Encouraging Over Discouraging
The last thing you want to do is make someone else feel bad. If they made a tasty cake from a Duncan Hines box, elevate them and make them feel good about it. Perhaps this elated feeling will inspire them to try other recipes. But if you tell them “it’s less valuable because it’s not from scratch”, you may discourage them from ever wanting to bake again. We certainly wouldn’t want that, right?
