How do I make a box mix cake not so soft. I t seems to me that all my cakes are a little soft. All the cake in challenge and amazing wedding cakes look more stiff ( I don't now how to describe it.)I heard once before you have to add or subtract a egg from the recipe. Any tips and/or advice would be great
There are some great recipes here in the recipe section to make a denser cake from a mix, the white almond sour cream cake recipe makes a moist, dense vanilla cake and there is a chocolate version too.
In a pinch, Ive thrown in a box of instant pudding mix and 1/2 c. sour cream (lessening the water to 1 c.) with the 3 eggs and 1/3 - 1/2 c. oil to a boxed cake mix and it made a dense cake, nice and moist. (any flavor)
But, once you get started in the recipe section, beware, it will suck you in and you'll want to look at all of them! =)
I'm a scratch baker so the only mix i use is betty croker devil's food.I'm sure you would get a lot of help soon from here, but i would just add flour and sugar to the mix,i use self raising flour so i dont have to bother with baking powder.I don't think subtracting an egg is a good idea.Good luck
Why do you have to use a box mix? Are you thinking of carving the cake?? If you are thinking of making a cake for carving purposes I would go with a scratch butter cake that calls for all-purpose flour. They are denser and much better for carving. Colette Peter's books has some good recipes that carve beautifully. I wouldn't use box mixes for carving, even doctored ones are too soft and don't carve well enough. IMO
Most of the challenge cakes are these types of butter cakes or pound cakes. Brownen Weber actually has a special pound cake recipe she uses just for competitions.
I recently got a recipe from another woman on this forum and it's good, I don't want to think of what I did before I got this recipe for her cake idea. She said she worked for a year to get the right combination and I believe her, it's a lovely recipe, to say the least. I am at work right now and don't have her name on this computer, but I do have it at home. 
The recipe is :
1 DH french vanilla cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup flour'
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter melted
Mix all ingredients together, adding melted butter last. Bake at 325 , about 40 minutes. I use a flower nail as well ,at her suggestion.
This recipe makes, 2 ..2 1/2 inch very nicely formed 8" round cakes. I love this recipe and thank my lucky starts every time I make it for the forum member who took the time to work this all out for my benefit.
THANK YOU EVERYONE. NOW I HAVE TO GO AND TRY ALL THESE WAYS. THANKS AGAIN!
I recently got a recipe from another woman on this forum and it's good, I don't want to think of what I did before I got this recipe for her cake idea. She said she worked for a year to get the right combination and I believe her, it's a lovely recipe, to say the least. I am at work right now and don't have her name on this computer, but I do have it at home.
The recipe is :1 DH french vanilla cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup flour'
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter melted
Mix all ingredients together, adding melted butter last. Bake at 325 , about 40 minutes. I use a flower nail as well ,at her suggestion.
This recipe makes, 2 ..2 1/2 inch very nicely formed 8" round cakes. I love this recipe and thank my lucky starts every time I make it for the forum member who took the time to work this all out for my benefit.
Did u add eggs?
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%
