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.
I hope you love it as much as I do. Happy Baking!
Easy Buttercream Frosting Recipes:
- Simple Vanilla Buttercream
- Whipped Chocolate Buttercream
- Baileys Chocolate Buttercream
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Whipped Chocolate Ganache
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Convert This Recipe?
- 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!
How to Make Box Cake Better
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow/white cake mix* 432g, 15.25oz
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/3 cup water or milk room temperature
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup sour cream one 250g carton, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Grease and flour two 8" cake rounds (I use Homemade Cake Release), line with parchment.
- Wrap cake rounds with damp Evenbake strips (optional).
- Combine all dry ingredients and whisk together.
- 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.
John says
I see that this post was originally placed here 10-2014, I would just like to say it’s nice to see you still answering comments in 2021.
That in itself says something.
I’m a retired SWAT Counter Sniper from Baltimore. Father of 6, retired from Law Enforcement and became a full time Mr Mom after the loss of our 19 yr old son in a car accident. Life taught us chasing the almighty dollar isn’t what’s the most important thing in life. It’s time. My wife is still in Law Enforcement and after a rough day today, I just figured I would run out and get the ingredients to try your cake. And to push it a bit further, I’m attempting a mirror glaze for the first time as well. I’ll follow this up to let you know how your recipe worked for me. Thank you.
Olivia says
Hi John! Of course, I try to answer all of my comments! How sweet of you to make this for your wife. I hope you both loved the cake. Kudos to you for trying a mirror glaze as well! I’ve yet to try one of those. Let me know how it all turned out 🙂
Clint says
Can I use heavy cream in place of milk?
Olivia says
Hi Clint! No, I worry that would be too much fat for the cake. I would use water if you don’t have milk.
Nicole says
Hello! I have a few questions and would love your advise. If I wanted to add white chocolate to a box of white cake mix, how much should I add and should it replace any of the ingredients? If I do a lemon box mix, do you think replacing the vanilla extract with lemon extract would work or would it be too lemon-y? Lastly, do you think the cakes would be sturdy enough to make a two tier cake? Thank you for all of your awesome recipes 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Nicole! I would not add white chocolate to a box mix. At least, I can’t say exactly how or how much without experimenting. If you want a white chocolate cake I have a delicious recipe for one! https://livforcake.com/white-chocolate-cake/ For the lemon, it depends on how strong a flavour you want. I don’t like extracts myself, so I would instead still use the vanilla and swap some of the water/milk for lemon juice (I’d do 1/3 cup) and add some lemon zest to the recipe as well. And the cakes are definitely sturdy enough provided there are proper supports in the lower cake.
Valerie says
Hi Olivia! Can this recipe be used for fondant cakes?
Olivia says
Hi Valerie! Yes, for sure. It would work great for those 🙂
Mary says
Made tonight. Came out perfect! Used softened butter instead of oil and almond and vanilla extract . Yum !
Olivia says
Hi Mary! Thanks for your tips. I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Adri says
Hello. ..how about altitude??? Everything stays the same???
Olivia says
Hi Adri! Do you normally make adjustments for box cakes at your altitude? If so then you will need to make some adjustments and it might take some experimentation on your part. I’ve never baked in high altitude, but here are some tips: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Here are some general guidelines if you’re at 3000ft:
• Increase the oven temperature by 15-25F
• Decrease baking time by 5-10mins
• Decrease sugar by 1 Tbsp per cup
• Decrease baking powder by 1/8 tsp per cup
• Increase liquid by 1-2 Tbsp per cup
• Add 1 Tbsp of flour
If you’re higher up than 3000ft, you will need to increase/decrease the ingredients incrementally. Again, it will require some experimentation. There are some great resources for high-altitude baking out there.
Kerianne says
Do they wet ingredients have to be room temperature? or can i use them cold?
Olivia says
Hi Kerianne! For best results use them at room temperature. They will emulsify better.
Deya says
can i use butter rather than oil? and if yes whats the measurements?
Olivia says
Hi Deya! You can use cooled, melted butter but it will make the cake slightly more dense. Use the same amount as the oil.
Lucinda says
How long do you bake for cupcakes. And how many cupcakes will it make
Olivia says
Hi Lucinda! I mention this in the Tips section above the recipe: 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.
Barb says
Love, love, love this recipe hack! I have tried several others and nothing compares to this one. Thank you so much for sharing, you saved my day when I was in a pinch!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Barb! Glad you love this one 🙂
Trina says
Can i use this recipe for Red Velvet cake?
Olivia says
Hi Trina! Yes, that should work fine.
Annie says
Can I use a burnt cake pan instead of 2 rounds
Olivia says
Hi Annie! Yes, you can use a Bundt cake pan but you may need to increase the baking time.
Cayla says
I’ve used similar hacks before with the general instructions of butter replaces oil, milk replaces water and one extra egg yolk attempts.
But this right here was next level! This will absolutely be my go to for cake mixes until I learn to master the actual from scratch attempt.
I did a French vanilla mix and a chocolate mix (for the volcano part of my cake) and they were both so perfect I could’ve eaten it without any icing!
The vanilla baked perfectly. I disturbed the chocolate and the middle fell but that was my fault.
I baked both at the temp directed but was reluctant on “50 minutes” at first so I set a 30min timer just to check. They def weren’t done so I added another 20mins and again- PERFECTION!
Can’t wait to explore more of your recipes!
Olivia says
Hi Cayla! Thanks so much for the amazing feedback! I am so happy you loved these. I can’t wait to hear what you try next 🙂
Jenifer Carter says
Ever try this making a pineapple upside down cake?
Olivia says
Hi Jenifer! I haven’t myself but I think it would work fine. I’d recommend pans that are 3″ tall though, or 9″ round pans, as the cake currently bakes right to the top of two 8×2″ pans.
judith says
how long to bake 9×13 pan
Olivia says
Hi Judith! Baking time will be similar.
Kat says
At 325 F, this cake took a lot longer than 50 minutes! Also, the middle sunk a bit.Hopefully the taste will save this cake and it won’t be too dry inside.
Olivia says
Hi Kat! Did you bake it in two 8″ pans? If so that doesn’t seem right. It’s possible your oven runs a bit on the cooler side which would increase the baking time. Do you have an oven thermometer that you can verify the temp with? The middle sinking in leads me to believe it wasn’t fully cooked 🙁
Charlotte says
My cake only took 40 min at 325.. came out perfect, I used Duncan Hines Strawberry cake mix..
Olivia says
So happy to hear that Charlotte!
Brenda says
Can almond flour be used for this recipe in place of all-purpose flour?
Olivia says
Hi Brenda! I haven’t tried it myself but you could give it a go. Is there a reason you want to use almond flour specifically?
Sundae says
I’m making a 3 tier round – using 1 each of 9″, 7″ & 5″ springform pans – do I need to double this recipe? I’m thinking that will be too much batter – but worried single batch won’t be enough.
Any suggestions?
Olivia says
Hi Sundae! 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
I would double the recipe for ease and just make cupcakes with any extra batter 🙂
Janet says
Can I omit the extra cup of sugar or maybe reduce to 1/4cup since cake box mix are usually sweet already.
Thanks.
Olivia says
Hi Janet! I think that would probably work fine. Let me know how it turns out!
Krysten says
How did that turn out? I wanted to reduce the sugar as well.
Judy says
Absolutely the BEST yellow cake I have ever made and all my guests told me it was the best they had ever eaten!
Olivia says
Hi Judy! So happy you and everyone loved it 🙂
Rhonda Caldwell says
If I wanted to make a strawberry cake by adding reduced purée to this recipe, how do you suggest I adapt your recipe to account for the addition of this wet ingredient?
Olivia says
Hi Rhonda! I would use a strawberry cake mix. Adding puree would affect the texture of the cake and it would require some experimentation to figure out how to get it to work.