Hi you guys! I t's me again . I had asked about a coconut and pineapple cake a few dasys ago. well I tried two recipes out, and they were made from scrath. The first one came out so dry that I had to make it a tres leches cake 
.The second one I thought had come out really good,but when the next morning when I cut a slice to taste it I almost choked!! 
. I'm so frustrated cause I really wanted to make this out of scratch. What I did notice is that these wo recipes have so much butter in them. Do you think that if I add half oil and half butter it would make a huge difference? I thank you guys sooooo much cause you have been soooo helpful 
I don't know what recipes you tried, but here is a link to a cake I posted:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2308-18-Coconut-Pineapple-Cake-w-White-Choc-Cream-Cheese-Icing.html
It is really a good cake and very moist.
Cindy
I read on baking911 that butter cakes don't refrigerate well - it dries them out.
Were your cakes refrigerated?
If not, mixing - either over or under has a great effect on scratch cakes.....
Here's a list for Troubleshooting Butter Cakes:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-1852911-.html
I wouldn't recommend adding oil in place of butter, that would add a lot of additional liquid to your recipe.
HTH
I only make scratch cakes, couple of rules
DO NOT OVERMIX, mixing developes the gluten, makes a funny texture
Bake till a skewer comes out just dry or with slight crumbs, makes a moister cake.
When cooled, wrap well in plasticwrap, then aluminium. If baking for sculpting, refrigerate (I put the ckaes into plastic bage as well before putting them in the fridge)
I use flavoured syrup before decorating to give an extra boost of flavour, but not always, depends on the cake
Small hint, using buttermilk instead of milk makes a slightly lighter and moister cake, I also add some whipping cream into the batter, makes it richer. In my choc cakes, I add some ganache into the batter, people love it and my daughter demands it. Yeah right, now I can't eat cake anymore, too fat(big) as I am already. Just knowing how rich the cake is, is putting a couple of pounds on me
I only make scratch cakes, couple of rules
DO NOT OVERMIX, mixing developes the gluten, makes a funny texture
Bake till a skewer comes out just dry or with slight crumbs, makes a moister cake.
When cooled, wrap well in plasticwrap, then aluminium. If baking for sculpting, refrigerate (I put the ckaes into plastic bage as well before putting them in the fridge)
I use flavoured syrup before decorating to give an extra boost of flavour, but not always, depends on the cake
Small hint, using buttermilk instead of milk makes a slightly lighter and moister cake, I also add some whipping cream into the batter, makes it richer. In my choc cakes, I add some ganache into the batter, people love it and my daughter demands it. Yeah right, now I can't eat cake anymore, too fat(big) as I am already. Just knowing how rich the cake is, is putting a couple of pounds on me
Do you measure or just add? I thought that would reak havoc (sp?) on a scratch cake. 
I've used mixes maybe twice in my life, and started baking when I was nine. i look at the texture of the batter and use the twist of my wrist to add ingredients. Sugar butter and flour I measure, but the rest, well sometimes stuff in my fridge start winking. Ok it doesnt always turn out, that's why i always put some in a muffin and let my daughter taste, but usually it tastes really good. You develope a sort of sense with time, what will work and what won't. Can't explain it in any other way, but I've lived in so many places where I couldn't get the one or other ingredient I've learnt to cook and bake differently I suppose.
Ursula, I know exactly what you're saying.
I had two aunts (who were farm wives in WI) that made their cakes in the same fashion. After so many years, they also just "knew".
Modern baking has become very standardized, but it hasn't always been so.
Here's a link to Civil War Wedding Cakes complete with "directions:"
http://www.civilwarinteractive.com/CWCBWedding1.htm
Thanks ursula40!!. Your responce is very helpful . About how much should I mix for, because I have a hand mixxer only so maybe thats why I over mix. I also heard that if oven is too hot it makes your cakes dry.Is this true. I have made pound cakes before out of scratch and they come out better than these recent ones. I also was wondering how much do you guys preheat the oven for? Thanks 
When you've added the dry ingredients use the handmixer to pretty much incorporate eberything until you have big clumps, then just to be on the safe side, fold the rest in with a spatula. that way you don't overmix until you've got the feel for it. Bake the cakes always a bit lower in your oven preheated) for most cakes. I'd rather leave them in 10 min longer than burn the outsides and have the insides not done
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