This is my first post (total newbie here ) and I did a search and couldn't find anything.

I have a mix (Betty Crocker) and normally I use one mix to fill 2 8" pans. The cakes always come out flat and humped in the middle. I did a rectangular one for my son's birthday and ended up making two to stack as they were so flat. So, I read that I need about 3 cups of batter for one pan. I have to make up two mixes then right and then will have leftovers? Why isn't their more 'stuff' in the box to make a nicer cake or is it just me?? My daughters 1st birthday is in a few weeks and I'm searching for answers so I can make her a nicer cake. This site is awesome .
Thanks
ging

have you tried the cake mix extender recipe? That should be the ticket. It's in the recipe section. just type in "cake mix extender" into the search bar and away you go!!!!! woohoo,
a bad day decorating cakes is always better than a good day at work!!!!

Hello and welcome to CC. I almost always use a doctored cake mix and if I have leftovers, i just make a few cupcakes with the batter. Keeps hands off my cake!
I don't worry about the cake having a hump. Once the cakes are cool and I'm ready to decorate, i use the wilton leveler and viola perfect layer, nice and even! The wilton site has the batter and icing amounts for the pans.

You also want to make sure your oven temp is correct. An oven thermometer is pretty inexpensive. I have also started using a greased and floured flower nail in the center of my pans 8in and over (I used to only do 10in and over but it works great for smaller cakes as well) to help the center cook more evenly.

If you would like the recipe to doctor the cake mix, PM me and I'll give it to you!

Glad to have you here!
dori

Try using the cake extender in the recipe files here. Cake are supposed to bake flat. If you have a large bump in the center your oven is too hot
325 is usually the best temp. Try using a heating core for larger cakes. Just remember to fill the core as you would a pan. I use 4" pans and push my luck on even baking. When I make a 9X13 I l always make 2 cakes.
Good luck

Thank you everyone for such quick replies. I found the recipe for the extender and will try it out.

Welcome to CC!

Here is my question...can someone answer?

If you are going to use the cake extender, why not just use an extra box of cake mix?

TIA

Not sure about this cake mix extender recipe on the site but many of them increase your cake mix by about 1 - 2 cups of batter. So it is a bit better when you don't need 4-5 cups that a mix normally makes.
Your cake should have a bit of a bump or crown in the centre unless you are using the baking strips etc. that people use to try to keep their cakes a bit flatter. There is nothing wrong with that, in fact a cake should rise like that to some degree. It is only when you have a huge hump in the centre that there is a problem.
A sign of a good cake was traditionally a raised centre it is just that as decorators we try to limit this crown so that we have less to level when we decorate.
Hugs Squirrelly