Love the convenience of a boxed cake mix but want it to taste richer and homemade? Then you will love this Cake Mix Recipe which will turn any boxed cake mix into a deliciously moist and rich cake that tastes like it came from an expensive bakery.
BOXED CAKE MIX RECIPE
Years ago, it was literally one of my very first published posts, I posted this doctored up cake mix recipe. It’s a boxed cake mix with some added ingredients to make a delicious, straight from the bakery cake.
Back then the boxed cake mixes were larger in size so it needed the extra “moist” ingredients like instant pudding mix, milk, eggs, oil, plus sour cream.
Since then they’ve changed the boxed cake mix so they’re smaller and they even now have ones that already have pudding in them. I have tried different hacks to doctor up a boxed cake mix and love this one that I am sharing today.
I don’t want to delete or change the old one because I know it works well for lots of you but I also know a lot of you have problems with the older version of doctoring up a cake mix.
HOW DO I MAKE A CAKE MIX TASTE HOMEMADE?
You only need 5 simple ingredients to doctor up a cake mix!
15.25 oz boxed cake mix- I have tested this recipe so many times using a regular cake mix and a cake mix with pudding in it. DO NOT USE THE PUDDING CAKE MIXES. There is a picture below so you can see the difference. You want a regular cake mix without the added pudding in the mix. I love the Betty Crocker brand but feel free to use whatever brand you prefer or whatever is cheapest. Just make sure there is NO PUDDING IN THE CAKE MIX.
The added pudding made the cake way too moist so it did not rise as it should in the middle. Just stick with the regular cake mix and with the added ingredients it will taste so amazing and moist that you won’t even miss that pudding 🙂
Sour Cream- This is what provides the rich texture and adds so much moisture to the cake. It also mellows out the sweetness of a cake, which I think is a good thing because most of the time you top the cake with a thick, sweet frosting so I love a mellowed cake. Please use regular, full-fat sour cream, I am afraid that the lite sour cream will have too much added water in it which will effect the outcome of the cake.
Whole Milk- I always use whole milk versus low fat milks in baking recipes because it’s adds fat which makes a more moist cake. I know you may be tempted to use whatever milk you have but just know, that yes using other milks will work, but for best results stick with the whole milk called for in the recipe.
2 Large Eggs- Just two, regular large sized eggs. Nothing fancy here.
Oil- I keep canola oil in my pantry so that’s what I use. Feel free to use vegetable oil, an oil blend, or even avocado or olive oil. Just note that avocado and olive oils have a taste to them (or maybe it’s just me) so it could change the flavor of the cake. If you use them, be sure to get a extra virgin light tasting olive oil.
MY TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- Do not use a cake mix with the added pudding mix. I always use the Betty Crocker Super Moist cake mix with great results. Just make sure it says nothing about “added pudding in the mix” on the front of the box. Refer to the picture above for clarity.
- I use a handheld blender because I think it mixes everything better but you can also just mix it by hand as well. Not literally by hand, but ya’ know with a wooden spoon, spatula, or whisk 🙂
- Follow the cooking direction on the cake mix box. You can use this for cupcakes, cakes, bundt cakes, etc. If using for cupcakes, please be sure to not over fill the cupcake tins. They should only be slightly over halfway full.
- I always use the cooking time (on the box of the cake mix) as a guide. My oven cooks super fast and high heat so my cake takes about two minutes less than what the box says. You know your oven so adjust the time accordingly, and if you are not sure then use the minimum time suggest on the box and go from there.
TRY THESE OTHER DESSERT RECIPES WITH A CAKE MIX
- Peach Cobbler Dump Cake
- Cake Mix Monster Cookies
- Pumpkin Pie Pecan Cobbler
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Whoopie Pies
- Berry Crisp Dump Cake
Cake Mix Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 oz) cake mix (NOT one with pudding added in the mix)
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Heat oven according to cake mix directions. Usually it's 325° for glass pans and 325° for dark, nonstick pans.
- Spray whatever pan you are using with cooking spray. You can make this in a 9x13 baking pan, 2 9" round cake pans, bundt pan, or 24 cupcakes. If making cupcakes I would use cupcake liners instead.
- In a mixing bowl combine the dry cake mix, sour cream, eggs, milk, and oil. Blend together until well combined but be sure to not over mix. I use a handheld blender but you can also use a wooden spoon or whisk by hand.
- Pour into the baking dish and cook according to the package instructions on the back of the boxed cake mix.
Notes
recipe found when I made these rainbow cupcakes from The Girl Who Ate Everything
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