Veejaytx, where do you find Dream Whip in the store? I honestly don't recall ever seeing it? Is it like an instant "homemade" cool whip? Thanks!

So it does the same thing pudding does? Interesting~ Thanks for the tip veejaytx. I'd like to try it.

I think it is usually somewhere near the jello/pudding sections. Last week I found it there, but down on the bottom shelf, but I've also found it on the top shelf, so probably better to just ask somebody where the Dream Whip is. LOL

TC, I wouldn't say it does what the pudding does, to me pudding will make a cake more dense and probably sweeter, I don't think the powdered whip does that, maybe just makes it smoother. LMK what you think if you try it. Janice

Cool thanks for the info on that! I'll let you know~

I haven't forgot to post the recipe.. I truly looked for it, however I moved to a new home not too long ago & the recipe is not where I thought I left it
Promise as soon as it shows up I will post it on this same forum.
I tried looking in past forum where I originally found it (sometime in Apr) it was on one of those topics scratch vs mix, but no luck either

I add a box of pudding per cake mix, an extra egg or two, and double the oil called for.

I've always baked from scratch. I hated box mixes until I found this site and started using the extender recipe. I can doctor up a cake mix that taste like scratch by adding sour cream,milk instead of water, 1/4 cup soft butter along with 1/4 cup oil and real vanilla. Sometimes I add a whole stick of soft butter and the oil. I made the Almond pound cake recipe in the CMD book but used milk instead of water and the 1/4 oil and 1/4 butter. Everyone thiks the cake is from scratch. I've tried all the mixes and DH is the best and taste more homemade. The other mixes tasted kind of chemical to me.

I think it's just instant pudding~

Yes, you have to use instant pudding. I have no idea why!

i use the CMD 'Darn Good Chocolate Cake' recipe with DH devil's food cake mix and devil's food flavored pudding mix. OMG it is delicious!

I finally found the recipe here it goes!!!

1 box white cake mix
1 box vanilla instant pudding
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water + 2 Tbsp
1 pkg soft cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
¾ cup oil
3 eggs

Grease & flour two 9pans.
Stir together first 3 ingredients. Make a well in the centre & add the rest of the ingredients. Mix for 4 mins. Bake in preheated oven at 325 for at least 30 mins, check every 5 or 10 mins after until fully baked.

Sorry for the delay!

Like others, I add an extra egg, a box of instant pudding, and substitute milk (or buttermilk) for the water. After reading this post though, I'm going to try subbing the oil with butter. Sour cream sounds good too.

For those of you who add Sour Cream, how much do you add and is it in addition to other ingredients or does it replace something else?

I love this thread!!!

Thanks to everyone who has posted. These are some great tips and I'm looking forward to trying. I usually follow the box directions and add another egg and the pudding mix.

Now for my questions. How do you use the sour cream with a boxed cake? Do you replace it for something or just add? How much do you add? And do you add it with the pudding mix too?

Veejaytx, when using the Dream Whip, you do not use it with the pudding mix right?

While we're on this subject, does anyone have a recipe for a zesty lemon cake from scratch? I have one that I use but I think it could be better...

Cake Mix Doctor cookbook is very helpful!

Yummy!! I'll definetly try it!! Anything with cream cheese in it has to be good!

I like just cook just as much as bake (probably more so), I made my famous manicotti over the weekend. DD noticed a chocolate cake recipe on the carton of ricotti cheese. So we decided to try it. Wow, was it delicious! Moist & smooth, very good. I will use it again~ Next time I'll add a little cocoa to it. I'm not a fan of devil's food cakes but this one was good.
All it was was..
1 devils food cake mix (I of course use DH)
1 cup water
1 cup ricotti cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup veggie oil
Bake at 350* till done~

I use the CMD Darn Good Choc Cake too cakerator. I use it for all of my choc cakes. I love that recipe! That & the Hershey's Cocoa recipe are my favorites.

Yes, I have the Cake Mix doctor and the Cupcake book she did. I just think that the gals on CC are the greatest cooks though

About the sourcream, I add 1 cup to my cake mixes along with the other ingredients on the cake box. I add butter instead of oil (same amount). I use milk instead of water. I add 1 extra egg~

What a great thread

Quick question....I am dying to try some of these methods....When substituting butter for oil, do you use room temperature butter or go ahead and melt the butter?

I tried some of these tips - like substituting milk for the water and butter for the oil. It tasted good, but the cakes were so heavy and dense. Not light and fluffy and moist like my regular cakes from a mix and just adding a box of pudding. I don't know if it was the milk or the butter that made the difference. Has anyone else noticed this or did I just do something wrong?