Cake Mix or Recipe from scratch

One of Tom's friends left a comment on my blog asking about recipes I use for my cakes. When I took my original cake decorating classes 30 years ago, the decorator who taught us also taught us that the best recipe we could use was a Duncan Hines cake mix. I have tried other cake recipes and mixes, and have always gone back to the same. I use Duncan Hines exclusively for all of my basic cakes. Of course, here in Colorado I have to follow directions for high altitudes. Not only does Duncan Hines have the best tasting cake, but it also has the best texture, and I have found that it also rises higher and it is moister than other recipes. Again, I always bake my cakes at 325 degrees instead of 350 degrees. By using Duncan Hines cake mixes, I can also keep the cost down for my customers. There is one of my cakes that I always do from scratch and that is my carrot cake...for that I use the recipe in Mrs. Field's Cookie Book, adjusting it a little for high altitudes. It is very moist and very dense, but is extremely rich and wonderful with cream cheese frosting. Many of my fillings are made from scratch, as well as my brownies and cookies, but your best bet for your basic cake is Duncan Hines.

3/9/15 Update: Several years have past since I wrote this post. I've changed a few of my recipes. I still use Duncan Hines cake mixes, but just as a base for some of my cakes, with other ingredients added. Also, I use a different carrot cake recipe now that is outstanding. Here is a link to my favorite carrot cake recipe on the blog: 
http://cakeideas.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-favorite-carrot-cake-recipe.html
Here is the link to the best chocolate cake recipe, using a Duncan Hines cake mix as the base ingredient:
http://cakeideas.blogspot.com/2015/03/best-chocolate-cake-recipe-from-mix.html