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Find out why people have called this easy white cake “the best cake they have EVER had”! Be prepared for tons of compliments when you make this! Follow my easy hacks to make a box cake taste homemade and you’ll be shocked how good it is!
This was the best cake I have EVER had. Thanks so much. Now, I am making the chocolate version for my friend.
-Jill
These are the Best Box Cake Mix Hacks
I’m a fan of box cake mix recipes probably just as much as you are! They are super quick and convenient.
I wanted to share this recipe because I know many of us don’t have lots of free time to be spending in the kitchen, but when you make something, you want it to taste good, right?
This cake mix recipe is perfect for all of us who like the ease of a box mix, but maybe want to doctor up the cake mix for more of a homemade taste. Plus, I feel that this doctored up version of a white cake comes together just as quick as the box mix because you can still put everything into one bowl and beat it together.
I love a good Boxed Cake – Why Make Box Cake Better?
I consider an easy cake to be one that starts with a box mix. Box cake mixes are great and very handy, plus they can be transformed into bakery style cakes with a few extra ingredients. You are essentially doctoring up a cake mix with a few cake mix hacks.
No one will know it came from a box with these Boxed Cake Mix Hacks
It’s all about adding ingredients to the cake mix to give the cake better texture & taste. In our case, we’re adding ingredients with moisture.
Ingredients to Make Box Cake Better
- 1 box of white cake mix
- sugar: adds sweetness and flavor
- all purpose flour: flour is necessary to build structure
- salt: just a pinch to balance the sweetness
- egg whites: binds the cake together by providing structure – using only egg whites keeps the cake more white in color
- vanilla extract: adds that classic vanilla flavor to the cake
- skim milk: adds moisture
- buttermilk: adds moisture & fat for richness
- sour cream: adds moisture & fat for richness
Boxed Cake Mix Hax: Doctoring up your box cake
For this recipe you’ll want to use a 15.25 oz box of Duncan Hines white or vanilla cake mix. I know some boxes out there are 18.25 oz, so be sure you’re getting the right size. You’ll use egg whites only to keep the cake looking extra white.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, sugar, flour, salt, egg whites, milk, buttermilk, and sour cream, beat with an electric mixer until combined, 2-3 minutes.
- Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 37-43 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding frosting.
What Brand of Cake Mix to Use
I prefer Duncan Hines cake mixes, as do a lot of food bloggers, plus Wilton recommends Duncan Hines brand and Wilton is a cake powerhouse, so I trust their opinion.
Frosting to Pair with Vanilla Cake
- Chocolate frosting
- Peanut butter frosting
- Salted caramel frosting
- Pumpkin frosting
- Strawberry frosting
- Lemon frosting
- Oreo frosting
- Cream cheese frosting
- Chocolate whipped cream
Try our chocolate cake mix recipe from a box or our easy white cupcakes from a box!
Box Cake Mix Hacks FAQs
White cake is technically made with egg whites only, to keep the cake as white as possible. Bakers may also use clear vanilla extract to keep the cake white.
Vanilla cake is typically made with whole eggs (the white and the yolk) and contain regular vanilla extract. The flavor of white cake and vanilla cake are nearly identical. This recipe for easy white cake could also be called vanilla sheet cake. The are pretty interchangeable.
To make a box cake mix more moist, add buttermilk and sour cream. These ingredients add fat to the cake, making it more moist and richer in flavor!
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How to Make Box Cake Better (White Cake Mix)
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box white cake mix, 15.25 oz (I prefer Duncan Hines)
- 1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (120g) all purpose flour
- ¾ tsp salt
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, clear or regular
- 1 cup (236ml) skim milk
- ½ cup (118ml) buttermilk
- 1 cup (228g) sour cream
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 2 sticks
- 3-4 cups (339g-454g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp milk, if frosting becomes too thick
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, sugar, flour, salt, egg whites, vanilla extract, milk, buttermilk, and sour cream, beat with an electric mixer until combined, 1-2 minutes.1 box white cake mix, 1 cup (198g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (120g) all purpose flour, 3/4 tsp salt, 4 large egg whites, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 cup (236ml) skim milk, 1/2 cup (118ml) buttermilk, 1 cup (228g) sour cream
- Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 37-43 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream
- In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and vanilla extract, beat using an electric mixer until fluffy. Begin to add the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, mixing by hand. Continue adding powdered sugar until the frosting no longer looks wet and tastes good to you. Then I use my electric mixer one last time to make sure the powdered sugar is really incorporated and ready to go. If the frosting becomes too thick, add a dash of milk.1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 3-4 cups (339g-454g) powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 Tbsp milk
- Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake, add sprinkles if desired.
This recipe looks great! I was wondering if it’s okay for a layered cake, or will the layers not hold up?
Hi Rebecca! I’m not sure because I haven’t tried it myself yet!
Hi Rebecca, I want to make this recipe into a layered cake. Did yours turn out well?
This was the best cake I have EVER had. Thanks so much. Now, I am making the chocolate version for my friend.
Didn’t need a lot of cake, so just subbed buttermilk for milk/water on box and added a tablespoon of labneh instead of sour cream for one of the eggs. Turned out well.
I just made this and it is wonderful. It makes a slightly bigger cake with the additions. Especially love the frosting. Thank you Beth for this recipe.
So glad you loved it Andrea!
I live in a high altitude area. Would I need to make adjustments, If so, what do you suggest?
Perfect! I made 36 cupcakes exactly as stated in the recipe (where it says milk, I used whole milk), including Duncan Hines cake mix and they came out with perfect little domes on top! They taste great too! I didn’t make the frosting, I wanted to use a strawberry buttercream instead. I’ve had some disasters with cupcake recipes I found online( throw them in the trash disasters) but this is a keeper. So fast and easy to make too! Thank you!
I’m so glad it turned out well and that you loved it Kathy!
I make an apple cake using a boxed white cake mix. In a 9×13 pan you layer with batter, granny smith apples, and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. You repeat this process until batter is gone. Adding apples, cinnamon & sugar to the top then baking as directed on box.
Your recipe sounds delicious and I want to try it. Do you think it would work for my apple cake?
Hi Tammy! That sounds delicious with the apples!! This doctored up white cake mix definitely makes more cake batter than if you were to just follow the back of the box instructions, so that’s my only caution – you might have leftover cake batter because you don’t want to fill the pan too high!
Would this recipe be good for cupcakes, too? With the added ingredients, how many cupcakes would it make? Bake time?
Hi Judy! Box mixes usually make 24 cupcakes! I would suggest checking the cupcakes at 13 minutes and adding time as needed!
Hi! I’m new to baking and I want to bake my daughter’s cake for her 4th birthday. I really like this recipe but I want to combine this with another recipe to make it a lemon cake instead! I plan on using a 12×3 hexagon pan. Will this recipe be be enough to fill the pan? Thank you
Can I use almond milk in leu of skim?
This cake turned out awesome!!! Did just what the recipe called for on the cake. I cheated and use Duncan Hines strawberry icing though. I will always make my white cake like this from now on.