I see a lot of discussion about "doctoring" your cake mixes to extend them and make them taste better, I'm just wondering, what do you all add to them? I tried a couple of scratch cake recipes over the weekend and they are so dry and crumbly I would be ashamed to sell them to someone. I don't have a problem baking from the box, but if I can make the box mix taste even better, I'd like to give it a try.

I'd also like to say I'm thrilled to find this website and all of you guys and gals in the cake decorating community! You guys totally fill my jones for all things cake!!!!!

Shelle

There are a couple of excellent cake extender recipes in the recipe section. White Almond Sour Cream cake is an awesome recipe that can be easily changed for different flavors.
Often, I'll just add a box of instant pudding (complimentary flavor) and an extra egg to the mix, and sub milk for the water called for. IMO, this makes a moister and denser texture.

what I've been using (and love) is this:

1 cup flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 milk
1 cup softened salted butter (2 sticks)
1 tsp baking powder

I love what it does to the cakes. Makes them nice and moist and dense too.

Good to know, I was wondering about a good cake extender recipe. I searched thru the recipes and only a chocolate extender was coming up.

I do exactly what shelbur10 does. Seems to work great. I've also made the white almond sour cream cake - yummy. This week I'm going to try the cake extender recipe.

Try the extender...
one cup sugar
one cup flour
one extra egg
pinch'o'salt
couple teaspoons of whatever extract
one 8 ounce container of plain/vanilla yogurt OR sour cream

Add all of this IN ADDITION to whats on the box....
Bake at 325 for 10 to 20 minutes longer than the box says.....

Mmmmmmmmm....yummy, moist cake!

rlsaxe and Wendoger how many cups does your recipes make? I have to make a wedding cake for 150 people and my cousin said "Just make a yellow cake with white buttercream. I don't care if it comes out of a box or not." I don't want to make just a plain yellow cake. It seems kind of boring.
Does anyone know where to get white butter? I need to make a white buttercream and I don't want to use all shortning. I don't care for the mouth feel.

Thanks

Silver......the extender recipe I use makes a perfect 12x12 square cake.....about 10 cups, I think.

Here's a super (multi-linked) thread on doctoring cake mixes:

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-2047091-.html

The above includes all the extender/enhancer recipes, plus just about anything anyone has ever thought of to add to a cake mix.

Also includes the popular White Almond Sour Cream and the Durable 3D/Wedding CAKE recipes.

For even more flavor variations on the WASC:

http://tinyurl.com/2cu8s4

HTH

rlsaxe Thanks for the info!

Ok one more questions. What does the White Almond Sour Cream taste like? Is it durable enough for a wedding cake? I might make this in the fuiture. It look like it is a popular flavor.

If your buttercream comes out yellowish from the butter, you can add just a touch of violet color. The violet will cancel out the yellow, brightening the frosting.

you're welcome, Silver.

There is a cookbook called "The Cake Mix Doctor" that has a ton of great recipes for doctoring cake mixes. You can get it fairly inexpensive on Ebay or half.com. I use it all the time and get rave reviews on my cakes (I cannot make a good scratch cake to save my life).

Mine is a variation of a recipe on here:

1 egg
1 cup flour
2 (3.5 oz cup) snack pack pudding cups (flavor depending on cake mix)
1 cup white sugar
1/3 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla or other flavoring

I have had really good results with this added in every time. Then as soon as I pull the cake out of the oven, I wrap in saran wrap and let cool for an hour or so. Makes them really moist.

which is better--the white almond sour cream cake or the doctored mix?????

I don't have a lot of requests for almond, so that's why I doctor. IMHO

I alway just doctor, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything with the other. A lot of people seem to like it.

I went to a day of sharing in Ohio on Sunday and Geraldine Randalsome was there. She makes all her cakes from scratch and says she only uses the egg yolks in her cakes not the whites. She uses the whites for her icing. She also bakes her cakes at 290 degrees. And she tortes her layer so she doesn't really do like 2 eight inch cakes...she will do one 8" round cake and torte it twice. She freezes all her cakes after she has filled, iced and put the sugarpaste (fondant) on it.

So I guess if you want a moist scratch cake cook it at a lower temp and just add the yolks.

Oh and she takes them out of the pans right as she takes them out of the oven because she says otherwise they continue to cook...makes sense...Guess I will try it to see if it works..

You have to try the WASC (white almond sour cream) - it is yummy. Just do a trial cake for your family or whip up some cupcakes and take them in to work. I don't think that many people come up with "almond" off the top of their head to request but if they taste this one - they definitely will want it again. You gotta just try it. Yum...

Thanks for that adding violet tip....ill be sure to try that out!

Wow these all look incredible! I prefer scratch but you guys might just be making me want to try a box sometime

What can I add to a box of carrot cake mix? Thanks.

I quickly scanned the cake mix dr. book and I don't see any recipes to enhance carrot cake...sorry! I do however use the extender recipe from CC
and use yogurt and almond extract all the time and everyone loves it.

for carrot, you could add some carrot juice, shredded carrots, nuts, raisins

WOW! Thanks for all the answers! I don't know which one to try first!!!

Shelle

There is actually an excellent carrot cake recipe in the Cake Mix Doctor. It starts with a yellow cake mix, but I have used a carrot cake mix to start with. I don't have the book here with me but I will try to post later.

The Cake Mix Doctor's buttermilk chocolate cake, yellow butter cake, and red velvet (which starts with a german chocolate mix) are awesome. The book is definitely worth having.

Hi
I would also like to know if anyone knows about "white" butter. If so, can it be purchased on-line?
Thanks