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.
MelaneehS says
Thank you for your recipe! My first time doing a 3 layer cake and this thing was so bomb…did strawberry flavored simple syrup!
Olivia says
Hi MelaneehS! So glad you loved it. Thank you!
Debra says
What temperature would I bake a 9×13 and for how long?
Olivia says
Hi Debra! Temperature would stay the same. Baking time should be similar, maybe a bit less.
Julia says
I am using this recipe for a 3-layer 7” cake. How long should I bake for and at what temperature? I looked at the conversion website you linked but it is too confusing to figure out.
Olivia says
Hi Julia! Temperature would stay the same. Baking time is hard to say as all ovens differ. I can’t give an exact answer but it shouldn’t take as long as the layers will be a bit thinner than mine here.
Julia says
Could I add fresh blueberries to the batter? If so, how do I do that?
Olivia says
Hi Julia! You can fold them in at the end but be sure to toss the blueberries in some flour first. The batter is not super thick though so there is a chance they could sink to the bottom when baking.
Julia says
Thanks! What amount of blueberries do you suggest I add so that it doesn’t overwhelm the batter? Also, is it okay to bake with frozen blueberries? Do you have any tips on how to do this?
Olivia says
1 cup of blueberries either fresh or frozen would work (don’t forget about tossing them in flour!). Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Sharla says
Was curious if for the chocolate you could sub coffee for water or if that even makes since.
Olivia says
Hi Sharla! For sure, that would work great!
bonnie cardwell says
would like to use egg whites olnly, how many or how much
Olivia says
Hi Bonnie! I mention this in the Tips section of the post: For a pure white cake, use a white cake mix and 5 egg whites in place of 3 whole eggs.
Theresa says
Works great with Duncan Hines Strawberry Supreme! Would have been perfect if I had remembered to buy strawberry extract or emulsion. Lol
Olivia says
Hi Theresa! Thanks so much for your feedback. Glad you loved it!
Robin says
I made this recipe. I’m an “all scratch baker” but I was in a hurry. Oh my word, was it delicious??? YES YES YES!!! AWESOME!!
I’m a definite experimenter! My question to you would you recommend trying to cut chunks of butter into the dry ingredients like you’d do in reverse creaming?? Your recipe calls for 2 tbsp’s of oil. So would you just add a couple of tbsp’s of chunks of butter and then maybe add 1 tbsp of oil to the wet ingredients?? I’d like to try doing that!
Thanks for your time!
Olivia says
Hi Robin! Thanks so much for the high praise. I’m so happy you love it! If you want to add butter instead I would probably do melted (cooled) butter. It’s such a small amount that I don’t think it would incorporate well with the dry ingredients like in reverse creaming. Let me know if you try it 🙂
Liz says
I just used this recipe for a birthday cake in my favorite bundt pan. It was VERY good! I love white cake mixes, but I noticed that I usually have to use two boxes mixes to fill bundt pans. Not so with this recipe! Two boxes are great, but are usually not as stable as I’d like them to be and crumble too easily when they are sliced. I will use this recipe again when I know I”m going to use a deeper pan. Thank you for the beautiful blog post and sharing your knowledge in baking!
Olivia says
Hi Liz! So happy to hear you liked it. Thanks for the wonderful feedback!
Nadine says
Hello, do you know what will happen if I add pudding mix to make it more moist? I am wondering if I would reduce some of the flour trying that.
Olivia says
Hi Nadine! I haven’t tried that myself so I can’t say for sure. Have you tried this recipe as-is? It’s quite moist and delicious already due to the sour cream.
Gina says
Can you use this recipe making a bundt cake and at 325 or 350 and for how long
Olivia says
Hi Gina! Yes, a Bundt pan will work fine. I haven’t baked it in a Bundt before and every oven varies so I can’t say for certain. My guess would be at least 1h 15 but be sure to check on the cake as it’s baking.
Jeri says
Hi there – how much approximate time to add for a bundt cake pan?
Olivia says
Hi Jeri! I haven’t baked it in a Bundt before and every oven varies so I can’t say for certain. My guess would be at least 1h 15 but be sure to check on the cake as it’s baking.
Kaitlyn says
How much time should I cook for 9 inch cake pans?
Olivia says
Hi Kaitlyn! I haven’t baked in a 9″ myself and every oven varies so I can’t say for certain.
Melanie says
Hi! How many days does the cake usually last/ stay fresh for if you wanted to make it in advance? (Then ice and decorate it a few days later)
Would you refrigerate it?
Thanks!!
Olivia says
Hi Melanie! For just the cake layers themselves I would freeze them to retain moisture. Cool the layers, double wrap in plastic wrap, freeze for up to 3 months. Take out 2-3 hours before assembly.
Maria E. says
Hi, what about spice cake?
Olivia says
Hi Maria! Yes, I talk about this in the Tips section of the post. Any box mix should work just fine.
Jeri Trimmer says
Can you use carrot cake box mix?
Olivia says
Hi Jeri! Yes, that should be fine.
Sydney Warren says
Hi!!
Is it better to use the water or milk?!
Olivia says
Hi Sydney! Really either works totally fine. Milk will add a bit more richness but both are delicious.
Roe says
Hi can I use yogurt instead of sour cream
Olivia says
Hi Roe! Yes, that should be fine.
Becky says
Can this same recipe be used on a chocolate cake mix? Would I have to add cocoa powder to it to keep it chocolate?
Olivia says
Hi Becky! You can replace some of the flour with cocoa powder if you like. I talk about this in the Tips section above the recipe.
Nancy says
Can you use a Bundt pan for this recipe?
Olivia says
Hi Nancy! Yes, that will be fine. You’ll just need to increase the baking time.