I have made two batches of cupcakes in the last two weeks (Duncan Hines white cake mix and cooked according to directions on the box).

They are so dry! Kind of. The very center is "normal" (not nice and moist but not exactly dry either). It's like the outside and about halfway into the cupcake it is very dry. The top tastes like leather.

What am I doing wrong? My cakes come out ok, but not my cupcakes. I decided to try rainbow cupcakes tonight. I colored them with Wilton gel colors. They were very pretty but tasted dry. What good is a pretty cupcake if you can't eat it?

Sounds to me like you are overbaking them. On what temp and for how long did you bake?

Is is your cupcake tray? I have one cupcake tray that is newer and a thicker metal and cuppies I bake in it always bake up taller and taste nicer. My other tray is older and thinner - cuppies in there don't bake up as tall and always seem dry. Also, are you rotating them during baking? I don't think the box says to, but I've always rotated my trays top/bottom and front/back about half way through.

If i use box cake i always use Betty crocker cake mix. I also substitute the oil with applesauce. Makes the cakes light a moist... Hope this helps

Find yourself a decent scratch recipe. I only bake scratch and have never had a dry cupcake of any flavour.

It is probably a combination of all of those things, I bet. My cupcake pan is old, but I am getting a new one for Christmas. I cook it at the temperature according to the box (and I threw the box away so I can't remember...I think maybe 350?).

I'll have to do a search for a scratch receipe. Thanks!

I cooked cupcakes last night using Duncan Hines and they came out hard on top and dry in the middle. I usually use Betty Crocker. Try a different cake mix.

I use doctored Duncan Hines for cupcakes (my scratch recipes tend to pull away from the papers) and they are always SOOOO moist!!!!

Try turning your oven down a bit...my cupcakes never really "brown", maybe just a hint on top, when fully baked. Also do not overfill them...only need a scant 2 oz of batter per cupcake. I bake mine about 25 minutes or so at 335 degrees...and I start checking them after 20 minutes.

Maybe get an oven thermometer and see what your oven is really baking at....I'd venture to guess your thermostat is off and your oven is baking too high. That's the only way to get a hard or leathery outside...is much too hot.