Take your box cake mix to the next level with this easy recipe! A few simple additions make it extra moist and delicious.
Alright, *almost* scratch cake is a bit of a stretch. It’s mostly a box cake with stuff added in to make it even better.
Some bakers scoff at box mixes, think it’s sacrilege and only bake from scratch. I’m a whatever-works-for-you kinda baker and sometimes it’s just easier to whip out a box.
How to Make Box Cake Better
Adding a few simple ingredients makes a world of difference. Trust me you will never go back to a plain old box cake mix ever again!
Here’s what you’ll need:
box cake mix
all-purpose flour
sugar
salt
large eggs
water (or milk)
vegetable oil
vanilla
sour cream
The sour cream is the secret ingredient I think that makes this doctored box mix extra moist and flavourful.
I recommend using full-fat sour cream because really, we’re not about saving calories at this point, right?
Boxed Cake Mix Recipe
Making this cake is just as simple as any box mix, just with a couple of other ingredients. To make it all you need to do is:
whisk the dry ingredients together
add the wet ingredients
mix on low until combined
This recipe works great for two 8″ cake pans or three 6″ pans. It can be scaled up for larger pans though too. I use this site as a guideline when I’m scaling recipes up or down.
I like to use Homemade Cake Release on my pans and line them with parchment to make sure the cakes come out perfect every time.
I also use Baking Strips around the sides of my cake pans to make sure the cakes bake perfectly flat and don’t require any trimming (no wasted cake scraps!).
If you’d like to make your cake extra moist (or if you’re worried you’ve over baked it) you can add some Simple Syrup to the cooled cake layers. I recommend trimming a bit of the top crust first so the syrup really soaks into the cakes.
These days I mostly bake from scratch, but I used to use this recipe all the time when I was focussing on cake decorating. It bakes up a very sturdy and delicious cake!
I’ve yet to recreate the delicious flavour and texture of a classic vanilla box mix cake though. My Vanilla Cake recipe comes close, but it’s not quite the same. It is delicious though too, so you should try it if you haven’t!
I really like this recipe because it makes the box mixes a little more dense and super moist. This recipe is GREAT for a cake that will be decorated, stacked, etc. as the cakes have really good structural integrity.
This recipe makes two 8″ or three 6″ cake pans. You can use two 9″ as well but the layers will be thinner (reduce baking time accordingly).
To make cupcakes, all you need to do is reduce the baking time. Start checking at 15mins or so. The recipe should make about 24 cupcakes depending on size.
You can bake it in a 9×13 pan. Baking time will be slightly shorter.
You can bake it in a Bundt pan as well but you’ll need to increase the baking time.
For all other conversions, I use this site as a guideline.
Baking time will vary if you change the pan size. Every oven varies so I can’t say for certain what you’ll need to adjust it to. Be sure to check on the cake as it’s baking.
Will This Work With Any Box Cake Mix?
I’ve only used this method with yellow/white cake mixes, but it should work just fine with any kind of box mix.
For chocolate cake mixes, instead of adding 1 cup flour, you can add 3/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup cocoa powder if you like.
For a pure white cake, use a white cake mix and 5 egg whites in place of 3 whole eggs.
For box mixes, my go-to’s are Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines. The French Vanilla flavour is my favourite.
You can easily add some sprinkles to make this a funfetti cake instead, but be sure to use either jimmies or confetti as the small round nonpareils will bleed into the batter.
Other Tips for making this Doctored Cake Mix:
Do not also use the ingredients listed on the back of the box mix. Only the components in the recipe.
Be sure to use room temperature ingredients as this will yield the best results.
Use full-fat sour cream for best results. Yogurt is a good substitute as well.
Learn how to keep your cakes moist using Simple Syrup.
To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, check out my Flat Top Cakes post!
Add wet ingredients and mix until combined. I use my KitchenAid on low for 2 minutes but you can also do this by hand.
Divide the batter between the pans and bake for approximately 50 minutes.
Cool in pans on wire rack for 10mins, then turn cakes out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
*I use French Vanilla, but you can use any yellow/white cake mix for this. I haven't tried with other kinds, but I imagine it would yield similar, delicious results.
The nutritional information and metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this is important to you, please verify with your favorite nutrition calculator and/or metric conversion tool.
Originally published on Oct 10, 2014
Learn How to Bake the Perfect Cake!
Tips, techniques, and troubleshooting to help ensure your cakes come out perfect every single time!
I made the bakewell cake before and it was absolutely delicous! I want to make it for my parents 80th. If I use the 3X ingredients what size tins should I use.
I am a scratch baker, but my grandchildren love cake mix cakes. This is a perfect compromise. It’s delicious. The result is a little denser than a boxed mix, and the sour cream gives a wonder flavor. Used French vanilla as recommended, but it probably works with others.
I am not a baker at all, I used your recipe and my husband said “I usually don’t like cake but ate it to not hurt your feelings and this is the best cake I have ever eaten, I didn’t even need a cup of milk” a huge hit in this house and will definitely be using again.
Hello! I wanted to try this out with a red velvet cake mix, is there anything you recommend? I was going to follow this process but did now know if the results would turn out the same.
Hi Edee! I do prefer my cakes to be more on the dense side rather than light and fluffy, but it shouldn’t be too dense and should rise to the top of two 8×2″ pans. Overly dense cakes can be from overmixing the cake batter once the flour is added (it develops too much gluten) or not using room temperature ingredients so the cake batter doesn’t emulsify properly.
I was wondering if you could do this and make an orange juice cake? By using a white cake mix and orange juice instead of water or milk. And adding orange extract instead of vanilla
I made two loaves pan of chocolate cake and I was skeptical but I said I’m going to give it a try and I’m glad I did cuz it is a delicious cake. I didn’t even put icing on it just cut it about 10 minutes out of the oven nice and warm it was so good very fluffy kind of reminded me of a pound cake to a degree but it was really good
What are your thoughts on using buttermilk instead of regular milk and adding a box of instant pudding mix? All other ingredients as recommended. And bake in 2-9” pans at 325.
Made my husband a back forest cake with your chocolate cake recipe as well as adding a tbsp instant coffee to the wet ingredients. . Amazing! All I will use moving forward.
Added a tbsp o f vanilla pudding to the whipped cream which made it hold firm.
If i add another egg, quarter cup more flour, quarter cup more sugar, and a tablespoon more milk.
Do you think this would work out please.
L
Not good with maths for conversion.
Hi thank you so much for your reply…….
I couldn’t wait to try the cake…so used the 9inch and keep checking the baking.
It was totally yummy.
I now even without the buttercream icing…..
I now have 2 eight pans, cakes are cooking and this time we will have the buttercream icing as well.
Cant wait, neither can the boys
Hello! with the Betty Crocker box now being smaller, will that change the amount of ingredients added especially for the chocolate cake? Or should I been fine with following the instructions even with the adjusted ounces of cake mix with Betty Crocker?
I haven’t made this yet but have a question. I will be baking this for a wedding cake. The clients prefer a white cake. Can I substitute egg whites for whole eggs? Maybe use 6 egg whites instead of 3 whole eggs. Thoughts?
I used this with Duncan Hines perfectly moist lemon supreme cake mix and subbed lemon extract for the vanilla and mayonnaise for the sour cream. It was great!
Michelle hynes says
Hi there,
I made the bakewell cake before and it was absolutely delicous! I want to make it for my parents 80th. If I use the 3X ingredients what size tins should I use.
Thanks,
Michelle
Olivia says
Hi Michelle! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here are some sites I use as a guideline:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
https://www.cookipedia.co.uk/recipes_wiki/Cake_tin_conversion_charts
Linda says
I am a scratch baker, but my grandchildren love cake mix cakes. This is a perfect compromise. It’s delicious. The result is a little denser than a boxed mix, and the sour cream gives a wonder flavor. Used French vanilla as recommended, but it probably works with others.
Olivia says
So happy you liked it, Linda! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Kristen says
I am not a baker at all, I used your recipe and my husband said “I usually don’t like cake but ate it to not hurt your feelings and this is the best cake I have ever eaten, I didn’t even need a cup of milk” a huge hit in this house and will definitely be using again.
Olivia says
Hi Kristen! That is high praise indeed. So happy you both like it!
Leslie says
Hello! I wanted to try this out with a red velvet cake mix, is there anything you recommend? I was going to follow this process but did now know if the results would turn out the same.
Olivia says
Hi Leslie! No specific changes for a RV cake. You could add a bit of red coloring if you like but I don’t think that’s necessary.
Edee says
Would make again but use a leavening agent so it wasn’t so dense 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Edee! I do prefer my cakes to be more on the dense side rather than light and fluffy, but it shouldn’t be too dense and should rise to the top of two 8×2″ pans. Overly dense cakes can be from overmixing the cake batter once the flour is added (it develops too much gluten) or not using room temperature ingredients so the cake batter doesn’t emulsify properly.
Kayla says
I was wondering if you could do this and make an orange juice cake? By using a white cake mix and orange juice instead of water or milk. And adding orange extract instead of vanilla
Michelle P says
I made two loaves pan of chocolate cake and I was skeptical but I said I’m going to give it a try and I’m glad I did cuz it is a delicious cake. I didn’t even put icing on it just cut it about 10 minutes out of the oven nice and warm it was so good very fluffy kind of reminded me of a pound cake to a degree but it was really good
Olivia says
Hi Michelle! So happy you loved it. I actually haven’t tried it as a loaf cake but it would be delicious!
CT says
What are your thoughts on using buttermilk instead of regular milk and adding a box of instant pudding mix? All other ingredients as recommended. And bake in 2-9” pans at 325.
Olivia says
Hi CT! There is already sour cream in the recipe so the buttermilk is unnecessary. For best results use the recipe as written.
Laylah says
Hi! I was wondering should the flour be shifted or unshifted before adding? Or does it not matter, can the flour be added either way.
Olivia says
Hi Laylah! It doesn’t matter. I don’t sift mine for this recipe.
Karen says
Made my husband a back forest cake with your chocolate cake recipe as well as adding a tbsp instant coffee to the wet ingredients. . Amazing! All I will use moving forward.
Added a tbsp o f vanilla pudding to the whipped cream which made it hold firm.
Olivia says
So happy to hear you loved it, Karen!
Robbie arnold says
Hi I have 2 nine inch cake pans.
If i add another egg, quarter cup more flour, quarter cup more sugar, and a tablespoon more milk.
Do you think this would work out please.
L
Not good with maths for conversion.
Thanking you
Olivia says
Hi Robbie! You can make it as is in two 9″ pans, just reduce the baking time slightly.
Robbie says
Hi thank you so much for your reply…….
I couldn’t wait to try the cake…so used the 9inch and keep checking the baking.
It was totally yummy.
I now even without the buttercream icing…..
I now have 2 eight pans, cakes are cooking and this time we will have the buttercream icing as well.
Cant wait, neither can the boys
Olivia says
Yay! So happy to hear that you liked it 🙂
Laylah says
Hello! with the Betty Crocker box now being smaller, will that change the amount of ingredients added especially for the chocolate cake? Or should I been fine with following the instructions even with the adjusted ounces of cake mix with Betty Crocker?
Olivia says
Hi Laylah! It will be fine as is.
Tasha Whitten says
Love this recipe
Do you think it could make 3 x 6 Inch cakes?
Olivia says
Hi Tasha! Yes, for sure. You may have a bit of extra batter left over.
Effie says
I haven’t made this yet but have a question. I will be baking this for a wedding cake. The clients prefer a white cake. Can I substitute egg whites for whole eggs? Maybe use 6 egg whites instead of 3 whole eggs. Thoughts?
Olivia says
Hi Effie! I talk about how to make this a white cake in the post.
Patricia Coker says
Have you used buttermilk in place of milk/sourcream? I love how buttermilk creates a moisr tender crumb. Would love to try that in a boxed mix.
Olivia says
Hi Patricia! Sour cream will give you the same result as buttermilk would here. I wouldnt use buttermilk as it would add more liquid.
Sam says
What is the bake time if I wanted to use this recipe for mini cupcakes?
Olivia says
Hi Sam! I’d check them at 7-8mins.
Melody says
I used this with Duncan Hines perfectly moist lemon supreme cake mix and subbed lemon extract for the vanilla and mayonnaise for the sour cream. It was great!
Olivia says
Hi Melody! So glad it worked out with your tweaks. Thanks for the tips!