baking trade secrets

I can understand professional bakers if they have their special recipes but I think that if a friend askes me for a recipe, I´d give them the best I know. I share and give out many recipes as I love to cook, so I know. When someone asks me for a recipe (sometimes when we are talking of something else) I even make the recipe and take pictures step by step to send the whole thing. I did just that for a friend in Canada, when I told him about my orange and carrot jam. He liked jams, but they were too expensive where he lived. So, in my opinion, people who don´t cook as their trade are just plain mean if they don´t give out their knowledge.

Some cooks/bakers include in their recipes one or two ingredients that are different from the established recipe. However, inclusion of a special ingredient rarely makes the finished product taste all that much different. They are just saying it's a 'trade secret' to keep from having to give out the recipe. They don't want to think that someone else can make a product that would be just as good as theirs. If an experienced cook/baker tastes their product, they can usually pinpoint what is in it. "Trade secrets" are usually sour cream, baking soda, vinegar, different fruit flavors or the like. Don't worry about not knowing the extra ingredient(s). Using a recipe will give you the desired taste. You can learn to tweak it yourself later so you too will have your own 'trade secret'.

I don't agree with people that withhold some element of their recipes. With baking its really important to have all ingredients known, because baking is extremely precise in its requirements. You should find good cookbooks and research baking recipes online until you get a "feel" for baking and its "secrets" which are really just its methodology.

Does your friend sell cakes for a living, all works at a bakery? They are a little defensive with telling you all there baking secrets because sometimes the companies require them to keep quiet about it or else the have to keep quiet about it because if they told someone else, and that person went and use the same recipe to open up there in business, then they would lose customers. The reason why people goes to that particular breakout because they have a distinct taste defined by their secret recipe. You could just keep trying to taste her cakes and then work out for yourself what she has added into the recipe or you can create your recipe and have your own secret weapon!