I have been doing this for a little more than a year now and I am still not happy with my cake mix. I can not get it even as moist as the nasty cakes from the store. What am I doing wrong? Someone please give me a good recipe that has worked for you. I have tried the scratch cakes from the Pillsbury book I have tried making cakes from cake mix and then adding a few things, and I have tried some of the recipes from the CC recipes. I hate my cakes and I want to cry and throw them across the room and then kick my oven. Whew that feels better. Now on with some good cake recipes. Anyone willing to give me their secret?

I would try one of three things. First, try baking at 15 degrees less than you have been. OR...try coating the layers in simple syrup and refrigerate about 15 minutes before frosting them. OR...I recently begun adding a tub of store-bought frosting to my cake mixes and mixing in all the other ingredients like the box calls for. This makes the cake supermoist, and just slightly more dense. Good luck! Someone else may have some better ideas.

Are the cakes that you are unhappy with all from scratch??
Almost all my cakes are doctored from the box. Only cake I make from scratch is a carrot cake! And with doctored mixes, they always turn out moist and no one ever knows!
I usually add an extra egg and bake lower. On chocolate I add mayo.

I agree with Misdawn about the 15 degrees less
I add pudding to all my cake mixes.They are always
moist with the pudding.

I also always use cake mixes and then use the cake mix extender with it. My cakes are always super moist and you can't tell they are box. I bake at 325

Missdawn, what kind of syurp? i am unhappy with all the cake i have done. i must admit i love my carrot cake from scratch too. So should i stick with my scratch cake and just cook on 325? you add pudding to the scratch cakes?

Try making a cake as you normally would first. Bake at 15 degrees less. Then coat each layer in simple syrup.

Simple syrup

1 part sugar (usually 1 cup)
1 part water (usually 1 cup)
Flavoring to taste

Boil until mixture becomes slightly thick and all sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool and it should be syrupy. Pour into a squirt bottle and pour over each layer of cake before frosting. Let layers "set" in refrigerator about 10- 15 minutes before frosting.

Hopefully that will be the easiest solution for you!

Thank you so much i hope this works because i am so stressed about this i think that is why my SIL didnt want me to do her wedding cake. because my cakes are so dry. thank you misdawn, mamafrogcakes, bigboots, and sls0812.

I use this recipe for almost ALL my cakes.. I just change the flavored mix and add additional flavorings... You cannot go wrong with this!! I've accidently over baked a cake one time and it was still moist... I always let my cakes sit for 10 minutes and then I wrap them and throw them in the freezer to cool. I don't think I've ever had a dry cake.. Also, I bake at 325 degrees. I got this recipe off another cake board!!

White Almond Sour Cream Cake
2 boxes white cake mix (I prefer Betty Crocker)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
2 2/3 cups water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp real vanilla
2 tsp almond extract
2 cups (16 oz) sour cream
8 large egg whites

Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together with a wire whisk. Add the remaining ingredients and beat on a low speed for 2 minutes. Bake at 325 degrees until cake tests done.

This recipe makes:
One 14 round and one 6 round or
One 16 round or
One 12 round and one 10 round or
One 12 X 18 sheet cake or
One 12 round and one 8 round and one 6 round

Half the recipe makes:
Two 8 rounds or
Two 6 rounds and 6 cupcakes

Double the recipe makes:
one 18" round + one 10" round
all 4 sizes in the Wilton petal pan set


For chocolate cake: use chocolate mixes, omit almond extract and substitute 6 whole eggs for the whites.

For liqueur flavors: substitute alcohol (such as champagne or Kahlua) for about 1 cup of the water in the recipe

For berry flavors: Substitute one 3oz pkg Jell-o in a coordinating flavor for part of the sugar in the recipe. Use a 16 oz pkg frozen berries, thaw reserving the juice. Substitute the berry juice for part of the water in the recipe, and stir the berries in at the end. *You'll need to add a little extra batter to each pan for this version.*

do you mix the cake mix as it says to on the box and then add the other stuff? and when you say real vanilla, do you mean the dark vanilla instead of the clear? for the berry recipe how much sugar would i take out for the jello mix and do i use just the powder from the jello or do i make the jello mix as it says to?

I hope i am not being difficult. I do appreciate all of your help.

alracntna,
I use a box of pudding, an extra egg, more vegetable oil, even more milk. Bake at a lower temperature. I would suggest you get a copy of the cake mix doctor she has really great recipes and tips for baking a great cake.
Karen

thank you for all your help.

I use a white cake mix, and instead of using oil and water I use 1 cup milk, 3 eggs and a stick of unsalted butter. to flavor i use 1 tsp of vanilla and 1 tsp of lemon extract. Believe me you can't tell it's a box cake and I get so many compliments on the flavor. I hope this works for you! Oh, and I bake on 350 degrees

Your oven may be too hot causing your cakes to overbake. Cakemix cake with pudding added is almost wet. I'd reduce your oven temp and check your cake 5-10min before the end of the baking time.

hth

If they are dry your oven could be running a bit too hot, you could be overmixing your batter (creates gluten), or you may not be measuring properly. Try reducing your oven, mixing just until everything is combined, and make sure you use liquid measuring cups for oil, milk, etc... and dry measuring cups for flour and sugar.

The yellow cake recipe from the Pillsbury Complete Book of Baking is fantastic.