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.
The Ultimate Cake Collection
Over 50 of my very favorite cake recipes all in one place! From Classic Cakes to Holiday favorites and everything in between.
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!
*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 important to you, please verify with your favourite 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!
Hey! I would love to try this for cupcakes and cake pops! Your cake baking time says 50 minutes. What do you recommend for version of cupcakes / cake pops?
I want to use this recipe to make a coconut cake. I’ve used this recipe with white mix, chocolate mix, strawberry mix, vanilla mix and it ALWAYS turns out perfect! I prefer to experiment more with my filling and buttercream recipes than with the cake itself. Do you think I can swap coconut extract for the vanilla extract if I use a white cake mix?
Hi Ali! Yes that should work fine. You could also (or instead?) fold in some shredded coconut into the cake batter. I find coconut extract to taste artificial so I try to go for natural options.
Hi Sam! If you’re making the vanilla version it’s really so versatile that it will go with any buttercream. I personally love a raspberry buttercream in the summer. You could try this one: https://livforcake.com/bakewell-cake/
So I wanted to make a quick lemon blueberry cake with our fresh blueberries from the garden. I followed your recipe using a Duncan Hines lemon cake mix. The 2 cups of fresh blueberries were tossed in 2 tbsp. of flour and folded into the finished cake mix just before adding to the pans. When the cake cooled I put our homemade blackberry jam in the middle of the layers and made a cream cheese icing for the finish. OMG! OMG! Everyone went crazy for it….Dense, super moist and not overly sweet. Couldn’t have been more perfect! Will be doing this from now on. Thanks for your wonderful advice.
Hi Liv, followed your fabulous recipe and replaced the milk with orange juice and zest. The recipe is a def keeper and the whole house smelled amazing. Before I could take a picture the cake was cut into:)
it was moist and dense. Thank you
Hi Angela! You can use cooled melted butter if you prefer but it will make the cake slightly more dense. It’s not a huge amount though so shouldn’t have too big of an impact.
Wow wow wow!!!!! I used this with a boxed carrot cake and took it to a friend’s. Everyone raved about this cake! I can tell you I have NEVER tasted anything as good as this. Now I will only use this when I bake any cake. Thank you so so much for this recipe!!!
Hey I have a Betty Crocker lemon box cake mix. And I was thinking of using this to make a lemon blueberry cake. If I do this should I use lemon extract since the box mix is already lemon??
Hi Tracy! I wouldn’t but I don’t like the taste of artificial extracts. If you like you could add 1 Tbsp lemon zest to the cake batter. I think that would be delicious!
I have been making cakes this way for quite awhile now. I have seven birthdays between May and September and have made everything from chocolate, chocolate chip, vanilla, vanilla with fresh fruit etc. best recipe ever with endless ideas. All of my have turned out perfect. My daughter used to have each grandkids cakes made special at $60.00 a pop. Not anymore. Kids want Nana to make their cakes. I use various icings for the tops and sides. Everything always turns out. I thank you very much. Tastes way better than bakery cakes.
Hi Jodee! Aww I’m so happy to hear that! Glad you and your family love this recipe and that you’ve used it at many occasions 🙂 Glad all the different flavours work well!
Hi Amy! I have never done that but you can give it a try. There is already sour cream in the recipe though which adds some tang so it just depends on how you like your cakes 🙂
Hi Katrina! I talk about this in the FAQ section of the post: 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.
Risa says
Also do you recommend sifting?
Olivia says
Hi Risa! I usually don’t sift unless it’s something like cocoa powder or powdered sugar. There is no harm in doing so though 🙂
Risa says
Hi, how would the french vanilla taste with confetti? Or should I stick to white? 👀 cant wait to make it!
Olivia says
Hi Risa! I don’t think you could go wrong either way, honestly! 🙂
Alex says
Hey! I would love to try this for cupcakes and cake pops! Your cake baking time says 50 minutes. What do you recommend for version of cupcakes / cake pops?
Olivia says
Hi Alex! I would start checking them at 15mins or so.
Ali says
I want to use this recipe to make a coconut cake. I’ve used this recipe with white mix, chocolate mix, strawberry mix, vanilla mix and it ALWAYS turns out perfect! I prefer to experiment more with my filling and buttercream recipes than with the cake itself. Do you think I can swap coconut extract for the vanilla extract if I use a white cake mix?
Olivia says
Hi Ali! Yes that should work fine. You could also (or instead?) fold in some shredded coconut into the cake batter. I find coconut extract to taste artificial so I try to go for natural options.
Kaylee says
Does this freeze ok?
Olivia says
Hi Kaylee! Yes, for sure. Just double wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
Sam says
Hello, I can’t wait to try this for my cousin’s shower. Any recommendations for frosting/buttercream pairings in the summer?
Olivia says
Hi Sam! If you’re making the vanilla version it’s really so versatile that it will go with any buttercream. I personally love a raspberry buttercream in the summer. You could try this one: https://livforcake.com/bakewell-cake/
Sue says
So I wanted to make a quick lemon blueberry cake with our fresh blueberries from the garden. I followed your recipe using a Duncan Hines lemon cake mix. The 2 cups of fresh blueberries were tossed in 2 tbsp. of flour and folded into the finished cake mix just before adding to the pans. When the cake cooled I put our homemade blackberry jam in the middle of the layers and made a cream cheese icing for the finish. OMG! OMG! Everyone went crazy for it….Dense, super moist and not overly sweet. Couldn’t have been more perfect! Will be doing this from now on. Thanks for your wonderful advice.
Olivia says
Hi Sue! So happy to hear it turned out well. Thanks for the tips!
Meena says
Hi Liv, followed your fabulous recipe and replaced the milk with orange juice and zest. The recipe is a def keeper and the whole house smelled amazing. Before I could take a picture the cake was cut into:)
it was moist and dense. Thank you
Olivia says
So glad you loved it Meena. Thanks for your feedback!
Marianna says
I tried it with red velvet cake mix. It was very moist and delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipe
Olivia says
Hi Marianna! Thank you for your feedback! I’m glad you loved it 🙂
Angela says
Hi, can I substitute butter for the oil in this recipe?
Olivia says
Hi Angela! You can use cooled melted butter if you prefer but it will make the cake slightly more dense. It’s not a huge amount though so shouldn’t have too big of an impact.
Angela says
Thank you!
:) says
Hey! If I wanted to make a citrus cake should I substitute any of the water/milk for citrus juice? Or is just the zest enough?
Olivia says
Hi! You can do either or both. I would definitely add the zest and maybe swap 1/4 cup of the liquid for citrus juice.
Theresa Mohr says
Wow wow wow!!!!! I used this with a boxed carrot cake and took it to a friend’s. Everyone raved about this cake! I can tell you I have NEVER tasted anything as good as this. Now I will only use this when I bake any cake. Thank you so so much for this recipe!!!
Olivia says
Hi Theresa! Amazing! Thank you for the wonderful feedback 🙂 So happy everyone loved it.
Shenita says
Is it ok to use buttermilk with this recipe or just regular milk
Olivia says
Hi Shenita! You can use buttermilk but there is already a lot of tang in the recipe from the sour cream so it’s just a preference.
Tracy says
Hey I have a Betty Crocker lemon box cake mix. And I was thinking of using this to make a lemon blueberry cake. If I do this should I use lemon extract since the box mix is already lemon??
Olivia says
Hi Tracy! I wouldn’t but I don’t like the taste of artificial extracts. If you like you could add 1 Tbsp lemon zest to the cake batter. I think that would be delicious!
Jodee says
I have been making cakes this way for quite awhile now. I have seven birthdays between May and September and have made everything from chocolate, chocolate chip, vanilla, vanilla with fresh fruit etc. best recipe ever with endless ideas. All of my have turned out perfect. My daughter used to have each grandkids cakes made special at $60.00 a pop. Not anymore. Kids want Nana to make their cakes. I use various icings for the tops and sides. Everything always turns out. I thank you very much. Tastes way better than bakery cakes.
Olivia says
Hi Jodee! Aww I’m so happy to hear that! Glad you and your family love this recipe and that you’ve used it at many occasions 🙂 Glad all the different flavours work well!
Amy says
Can you substitute buttermilk inplace of milk.?
Olivia says
Hi Amy! I have never done that but you can give it a try. There is already sour cream in the recipe though which adds some tang so it just depends on how you like your cakes 🙂
Larraine Sweat says
You’re fantastic, I love to cook and bake and because of your recipes I’ve become an even greater one!!
Thank you so very much 😊
Olivia says
Thanks so much Larraine! Your comment made my day 🙂
Katrina says
Hi how would I make cupcakes with this recipe….how long in the oven and about how many cupcakes would this make?
Olivia says
Hi Katrina! I talk about this in the FAQ section of the post: 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.