Has anyone who uses this mix noticed a change in the way the cakes are baking? We use this one at work and they are not rising very well, the top has a hard shell, not browning and it's almost like a cornbread texture. We haven't changed the brand of oil or eggs and the oven temperature is true. It's been going on for about 2 weeks now. I've sent an e-mail to Duncan Hines to see what they have to say, but I wanted to see if anybody else was having a problem.

Sometimes I have the same problem. It's weird because other times they don't brown like that? Who knows! I just level off the top and it goes away!

I noticed just last week that when I made a batch of cupcakes from a DH mix that I enhanced the same way I always do, it came out almost like an angel food cake. I actually really liked it. I'm planning on making another batch tomorrow to see if it comes out the same way.

I had that cornbread texture thing going on not too long ago. I checked the expiration date on the box and it wasn't expired but it was very close (like within a few days). I chalked it up to the cake mix being too old. Keep us posted on DH reply to your inquiry.

OMG...it just happened to me yesterday! It literally looked like cornbread on top! Once I leveled it the cake looked fine inside....but that was very weird!

Well I'm glad to hear that others are having this problem as well. I did get an e-mail back from Duncan Hines and they don't want to take resposibility for any changes and basically said that we were doing something to mess it up...but they are sending us some coupons!!!! Can't wait to get those so we can buy more crappy cake mixes. But thank you to all that posted.

I just used one this week enhanced it and it was awesome. Baked up beautiful. Are you using any milk or sour cream in them. I think because the change they had a while back in formula that you need the milk.IMHO

No, we're not using milk or sour cream, just water, oil and eggs.

I always add a sm. pkg of instant pudding and 8oz sour cream. It is delicious and I have never had a problem with it.

There was a big discussion about this a long time ago with the DH mixes! They changed their recipes or something.
It's been probably a year ago or more that the thread was started. Maybe search it?