I've made Red Velvet cupcakes from scratch (butter based recipe) twice, but both times they have turned out a bit dry - not overly dry, but by the second day I don't think they would be very moist. I've got a wedding to do in a couple weeks and the couple has asked for Red Velvet as one of their flavors. The wedding is on a Friday, and they are picking up the cupcakes the day before (Thursday) which means I'll have to bake them on the Wednesday night. I haven't found a good enough Red Velvet scratch recipe that I'm confident will stay moist for a couple days, so I'm thinking about making the Red Velvet cupcakes from the Duncan Hines mix - which I have never tried before. Has anyone tried it? Is it any good?

Also, does anyone have a really good tried and tested Red Velvet recipe that's oil based so it will stay moist longer?

I don't use the DH red velvet cake mix it is way too nasty tasting for me. Try doing a receipe search on here and there is a red velvet recipe that uses french vanilla DH mix. That is what I use and I have had a lot of compliments on it and it is super easy. If you want a scratch recipe you can doing recipe search the website and there are a lot of oil based recipes out there for red velvet but I have found them to be way to heavy for me.

I have used the DH recipe all the time. I make my cake balls with it. It is moist. It is also easy to make.
It is popular because of the colour but I am not sure the taste is anything to speak of.
I buy it on sale when it is $1.00 since I usually give all my cakes away and try to reduce my costs.
Good luck.

Ok, well since the DH mix hasn't gotten very good reviews from people on here, what do you think about me taking the origional recipe I was using, but then replace half the butter with oil? Would it turn out ok?

Just finished posting this on anoter RV-DH mix question...

I used DH as a base and doctored it up A LOT and received rave reviews, I also added the coffee, sr. cream, etc..It turned out so moist.

But like I always say, 1 Recipe + 10 people = 10 different results!

I find it weird how you can say that DH RV hasn't gotten good reviews when you only had two reviews in this post?

I have used DH RV for every RV cake I have done, and have always gotten great comments about it. I do use buttermilk in place of the water in the mix and I will add an additional egg and a package of chocolate pudding (3.4oz I think, small box) if I have it on hand.

I love the DH red velvet mix. Thats all I use. I doctor it up A LOT, but I have had people tell me it is the best red velvet cake they have ever had. They always think its homade and beg me for the recipe. I have to agree with them, its one of my favorites. Its my most requested cake flavor.

I have used the DH mix and added the cake mix extender recipe from this site with some additional cocoa and get rave reviews. the extender adds sour cream. yum.

I tried the DH RV mix and it was very moist. I wasn't as crazy about the taste of it, but that could have just been my personal opinion or the 1 tsp of vinegar i added to it (probably didn't need to do that). It was for the top part of a babyshower cake, which didn't get served, because the bottom part was plenty. I didn't hear any reviews from the family that took the RV portion home. I could find out what they thought about it, but i haven't asked, because i wasn't crazy about it. I've tried Cakeman Raven's and it was good.

I also have made a "not so traditional" RV cake using 1 box DH butter recipe golden cake mix. You add 1 cup (8 oz) sour cream, 1 TBS cocoa powder, 1 egg (in addition to the 3 eggs in the directions) and 1 bottle red food coloring. You prepare according to the directions on the box (with these additions). It's good and it's red. I suppose you could add a teaspoon of vinegar or use buttermilk in place of water, but i haven't tried that.

I tried the RV WASC (MacsMom recipe) posted here on CC and it was really good, got great reviews. It makes tons of batter (too much for my Kitchen Aid mixing bowl). This would probably be perfect for you wedding cupcakes. VERY MOIST and good!

I do the same as AZTOMCAT but I use the extender w/ 1/2 a package of chocolate pudding per box of cake mix. Delish!

It taste nothing like the real thing.

Use a chocolate base recipe, then add your red food coloring. then add sour cream. BAM!!! It is delicious! Very moist. And after you bake it, let cool. Wrap it in clear wrap, then put in freezer until you need to start working on it. (I dont mean leave it in the freezer for months, a day is fine)

dolled up,

Love your idea, I will try choc mix with food coloring and SC next time.!

what does it mean when u say: you add an extender???

An extender is a recipe addition to any cake mix to make the mix moister, denser and fill the pan better. Search the recipe section and you will find a few.....adding ssugar, flour, egg, sour cream and flavorings. I don't ever make a cake without it.

Dee in az