I need a durable chocolate cake for a wedding cake. I bought Pillsbury Dark Chocolate cake. Will this hold? Its a four tiered cake alternating chocolate and white cake.

Yes, I have used this brand it is very good. However, I always add a box of chocolate pudding per box of cake mix, to increase the density of the cake to make it hold up better (also makes the cake more moist as well). Hope it works out well for you.

Thanks for the tip. Do you use egg whites or whole eggs? I know it white cake mixes you use egg whites but I was unsure about the chocolate cake.

whole eggs for chocolate

Thanks!!!! Thats what I figured but I wanted to double check.

What about from scratch recipes? I wanted to try some from a couple of books, but wasn't sure how to tell if they would be sturdy enough..... is there any way to tell from looking at the recipe??

I make a chocolate cake that is very rich and sturdy... it calls for Pillsbury Devil's food cake mix, sour cream and an added box of pudding... I think there is some strong coffee too...

If anything, it is too moist! I have tried so many scratch recipes and none are as good as this one. I am embarassed to use a box - even doctored but what can I do when that tastes better than all the rest?

Hmm. Maybe I will use a mix....... I just have all these wonderful sounding recipes.... but I'm afraid they won't be strong enough for a wedding cake...... no way to tell, huh? Like a certain ingredient to look for?

This is the recipe I use and it is fantastic!

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2185-1-Dark-Chocolate-Cake.html

Awesome! Now does anyone have a great from scratch vanilla recipe? one that could be used for wedding cakes and one that maybe doesn't call for a vanilla bean? Those things are so dag gone expensive!!!!

so what about vanilla recipes? anyone?

I'm interested, too. I need a French Vanilla recipe.

I use Toba Garrett's chocolate fudge cake recipe and Rose Levy Berenbaum's white velvet butter cake for wedding cakes. They are both really good, and a whole different "creature" from mix recipes. No problem with them being un-sturdy...they're wonderfully dense and rich. Sylvia Weinstock's book has a great yellow cake, too...

I'm pretty sure Toba's recipe is at epicurious.com.

I have a french vanilla recipe but it is Dr'd cake rather then scratch.... calls for French Vanilla cake mix and I add vanilla pudding, milk, eggs and regular vanilla extract as well. It is very, very good and moist! Perhaps too 'vanilla-y' for the more sophisticated pallate.... I love it - so do the kids and it is the only cake that my friend orders.... doesn't matter whose b-day or what they like - she gets the FV!

I then make a faux custard filling with FV pudding with added vanilla and just a hint of butter extract and it tastes straight up, just like custard cooked on the stove top but better and more stable.

The best combo I have ever tasted is a FV/Choc w/ rasp. filling.

Thanks Cakediva for the tip the cake sounds good..I agree with maeliza I put extra pudding in mine too.