I want to try my hand at hand carving a topsy turvy cake (pans are too expensive right now lol) can I use any cake for this? Or is there a certain cakes that works best? I typically use DH mixes.

Thanks!

You can use DH mix. I would recommend you dense it up. There are recipes on here forthat, I think its the sour cream cake.

I've done several with just cake mix (Duncan Hines or betty crocker) and haven't had a problem. Just make sure you support each layer (I use the plastic straw-type dowels).
This is the method I use, except I carve out the center "holes" before I do my crumb coat. I get crumbs everywhere (might be the softer cake mix) on my crumb coat if I do it first.

(that's not my video, just the best one I've found)
Good luck!