I hear a lot of people say that they love white cake.

I stay away from white cakes if I can because they seem to have a strange odor (similar to spoiled milk). I do not even use milk in my cakes or icing. I have tried two name brand packaged mixes and they both have the same odor. When I have a white cake order I don't make it until the day before which can put a lot of pressure on me.

Does anyone else have this problem? Does anyone have a solution?

Nope. No smelly white cake here.

I've used DH white cakes with no problem. No smells.

Sorry, I never noticed an odor. I love white cake.

No odor here. How are you storing the boxed mixes?

I LOVE white cake! I've never noticed any odor with mine. I use cake mixes.

I have never had a problem either! That is really weird. I always add a teaspoon of vanilla to mine so maybe that would help with the oder.

this is going to sound like a dumb question....but are you talking about the batter or the actual baked cake? .....and if baked do you mean right when its baked or like the day after?

I also use DH white or BC Golden Vanilla and never smelled anything. Actually, I really like the smell of it. No idea why you're getting a bad smell. Maybe you're alergic to something in it?

I use DH white cake all the time and I never noticed a smell. I love white cake...yummy!!

I think white cake is sort of weird-smelling too...I have never cared for white cake and rarely bake it unless pressed by a client to do so.

But recently, I tried the White Almond Sour Cream cake recipe here on CC, to test it for an upcoming wedding cake. And it was FABULOUS!

maybe you're just extra sensitive to the milk? especially if you don't use any

I notice the weird smell alllllllllllllllllll the time. No matter what type of white cake it is. The only time where I think it is less noticeable is in the form of cupcakes. The batter never smells to me....but I really don't like a white cake......I have no idea what it is, but it sometimes just makes me want to pay homage to the porceilin god after smelling it. I think it may be something with the eggs???? I don't know. I may try adding the vanilla thing. But I am a chocoholic to begin with so I usually just do a chocolate one anyhow....So my CCers what is this we smell????

Well, next time I bake a white cake I guess I'll have to really smell it to see if I notice anything. I have only done 2 white cakes thus far and have not noticed anything, but then again, I really did not get too close - that's got my curiosity up! I think I'll go bake a white cake.

its probably the perservatives, artificial flavors, etc. in the mixes that you are smelling, i've heard others complain of it as well.

Funny, could it be an illness? Sinus infection? or is this an on-going whitecake smell? I once had a bad sinus infection (yuck) and the smell of anything strawberry repulsed me. I couldn't eat anything strawberry either. Just a thought.

It may be that you are ultra sensitive to the preservatives in the cake mix. I too have tried the sour cream almond cake recipe on this site and really love it. Best of luck to you!

I noticed it once when I made a scratch white cake, not a box mix. I brought it to my classroom (high school) and by third period one of the students commented that "It smells like butt in here." (Sorry!) Someone recently posted about a bacteria test she did with box vs. scratch; it's almost convinced her to use box mixes only! I think that scratch cakes are designed to be eaten 1-2 days after baking, no later. Try adding a simple syrup to help preserve it; that might help.

Never warm your hands in your underpits before baking.

Someone was talking about smelly cakes a few days ago. There was a lot of talk about if you are in a humid area that the cakes take on a "smelly" fume. Maybe that is it. I live in the south and white cake is my most requested cake. I never notice a bad smell just a "wish I didn't have to give this to someone else so I could eat it" smell.

i smell a not so pleasant fume once in while. kind of alco-holly... have no idea what it is but cake still tastes fine, i think...

I seem to have an aversion to cakes made with sour cream. (But not the cake mix versions.) In a scratch cake I so much prefer a cake made with buttermilk.

But it's more a taste thing with me, not as much a smell.

Thanks for all the comments. The batter smells delicious and the cake tastes delicious the 1st and 2nd day. After that ~ Yuck! But I make my strawberry cakes with the same white mix and add strawberry Jell-o and fresh/frozen strawberries and it's delicious for about a week. My yellow cakes last for a week without refrigeration.

Dale ~ I'll take your advice LOL LOL LOL

I'm going to try the recipe SugarFrosted mentioned.

Im VERY VERY sensitive to whats in cake ......but not just white....or just mixed or scratch....

its allof them.....

they all go straight to my *** !!