I have always used Pillsbury Plus, for about the last 17 years. The one time I tried DH, my cake never rose so I never used it again. I always use the Wilton belts and bake at 325. I've never tried the flower nail and I've never added anything to the cake mixes either. I'm going to start experimenting (as soon as we finish this stupid bathroom remodel) and I'll post my results.

I have a possible theory to some problems. I know that DH has changed its formula on certain mixes because some of them contain milk and others don't. Apparently when they started adding milk to the classic yellow, they were inundated with complaints from people who suffer from allergies or parents of children with allergies. I know because I'm currently working on a graduation cake for someone with allergies and his mom hipped me to this. It happened about two years or so ago.

If you check out their ingredient list and the warning which follows it, it'll sa that it contains either wheat or milk or both or even soy. Sometimes on the same flavors there's a difference, so you have to watch out for that.

I apologize if anyone has mentioned this previously as I have not read the entire thread.

I've used D.H. my whole "baking life." I've discovered that I can't overmix it especially on a high speed. I follow the mixing directions on the box.

In addition to ANY of the D.H. mixes, I add an extra egg (for a total of 4) and 1 TB of meringue powder. I also bake the cake at 325* instead of 350* for about 45 minutes.

Another way I've used D.H. is to add 1 envelope of Dream Whip 4 eggs and 1 cup water (no oil). I beat it for 5 min. (on med. high). I also baked this at 325*. People have really enjoyed this because it's something different.

I hope this was helpful. Happy Baking!

Debbie

I also only use DH. I always add an extra egg, pudding mix and 1 tablespoon of Meringue Powder. So far, I haven't had any problems. Maybe the Meringue Powder is helping it rise.

i always use the DH when using a box and Ive never had a problem, but then again I always use the same 3 flavors!

I'm a betty crocker girl myself but DH was on sale a few weeks ago so I stocked up. WHAT A MISTAKE. The last 5 cakes I've baked with the new boxes of DH have fallen. I will never use DH again. I know some of you are die hard DH fans but go get some DH mixes that are currently on the shelf. I think you'll see a huge difference in your cakes. No wonder they were on sale!!

CDH

Hmmm... I'm not risking it....

Switching to Pillsbury!

Please tell me none of you have trouble with PB!

I just baked a doctored dark chocolate mix (DH) and it looks like it was cooked around the edges but the middle is sunk in and looks underdone. I'm afraid to bake it more or the rest will burn. This is the first time I've used DH- I usually use only BC but DH was on sale last week. I wont' be buying that again! I thought it was because I didn't use a flower nail (10" round)- at least I know it wasn't something I did!

The mix seemed much runnier than BC too.... And of course this is for my first paid cake!!! Grrrr!

My poor hubby has already run to the grocery store twice tonight, (I needed more eggs and yogurt for the doctored mix and then he bought me some BC mixes on sale but got the wrong kind so he's going to exchange them) I don't have the heart to ask him to go again for more stuff to doctor up the BC mixes he's bringing home!

Those of you that have had the center sunken in, was it cooked in the middle and just sunken, or raw and sunken in???

Hmmmm, I went ahead and boght some BC classic yellow because I didn't want to risk the DH issues....my problem, the BC cakes both have stuck to the pan. 1 MAJORLY..the other just a little...this wasn't a problem for me with DH. Is this common with the BC mix?

I've never had trouble with BC sticking to the pan but I use Wilton's Cake Release and it works perfect every time.

I've never had a problem with BC sticking either, but Pillsbury did. I always generally grease the pan with Crisco and line the bottom with parchment, this always works great for me (unless it's Pillsbury!).

OH NO!! The DH was on sale at my store 10 for $10. I bought 20 plus the usual 4 or 5 that I always keep in stock......I hope mine are ok. Haven't had a problem yet....

Please let us know because the ones that I bought a few weeks ago at 10 for $10 were the ones that fell.

WELL I GOT ALL 100 CUP CAKES BAKED AND A TWO TIERED CAKE...
NO FAILURES.....8 OR 9 BOXES OF DH.......I DID ADD SOME FLAVORED CREAMER.....UUUUUUMMMMMMM GOOD....ALL CAME OUT GOOD.. BUT I FEEL BETTER THAT I KNOW THAT BC IS A GOOD MIX ALSO.... A BACK UP IS ALWAYS GOOD......

I just wanted to chime in on the BC...I tried it out on 2 cakes this weekend. Everyone loved them, but as I mentioned I had issues with it sticking to the pan....so, I wanted to "taste test" and got to from the cake I made for our family reunion....MPO..I like DH way better. I'm a yellow cake fan..and nothing beats DH butter recipe yellow...it's just my favorite. I thought the BC seemed a little dry for my taste.....JMHO...

I am so glad I seen this. I have always used DH butter recipe mix and never had a problem with it rising. But here lately no mater what I do they rise and before I get them out of the oven they have sunk in the middle. I started using the Wal-mart great value butter mix and they rise beautifully.

I just did a large wedding cake this past weedend and I had read about the DH problem. This concerned me. But did the Cake Doctor Book recipe for Brides Cake. You substitute 1 cup of milk (nstead of water) and 1 stick of butter or marg. (for the oil) and whole eggs. Each cake baked up perfectly and I did the wet paper towel leveling and decorator nails in the center of the large cakes. I had very little leveling to do. See Cake on mutiple shaped cakes: Megan & Robs wedding. Hope this helps someone.

I'm still learning, but pretty loyal to BC at this point. Nine out of every ten of my cake requests are for chocolate cake, so I use the BC chocolate fudge. I only use DH if I'm making pineapple or banana and don't care much for Pillsbury at all.
I really need to find a good method of doctoring. The only time I tried it was with my first wedding cake (DH mixes, using their method) and it turned out way too firm, IMO.
To be honest, I'm so thrilled to learn that you guys use mixes! I'm new here and was worried that I might be viewed as a "cheater" for not baking from scratch.

SweetObsession - you should check out the Cake Mix Doctor books. I've tried several of her recipes and all are good. The ones I use most often are mom's layer cake (I think) and her chocolate cake that has buttermilk in it (can't remember the name of that one).

Anyway, she has some good ones. The mom's one (and something you could do in most cases I would think) is just 1 cup of milk instead of adding the water, a stick of butter instead of oil, and the 3 eggs. You also add some vanilla (a tsp. maybe?). Makes all the difference!

Thanks, Mandy. I'll have to try that.
I have used the milk/butter/extra eggs doctoring for a better cinnamon bundt cake and it's worked. I've just been paranoid about "hard" cakes ... and there's the extra cost issue too, especially when so many relatives (even distant ones) just assume the cakes will be totally free.

I used to swear by Duncan Hines and used to use it exclusively.....until they changed their formula last summer (I know there are many other threads about this). What irritated me was that they never indicated on the box that they changed the formula--I found out only because I kept asking for the white mix at my local grocery store (they had no DH white cake mix almost the whole summer--my busiest time!!!) Anyway, the store told me DH was reformulating something in their mix and the company was not shipping until they had completed their reformulation. When it came back on the shelves I could tell something was different by the taste--it tasted a little different and was no longer as moist. I used it for probably another 6 mos. and really wasn't happy about it and then decided to try Pillsbury white. I love it!!!!! Now I will not go back to DH white unless they go back to their original formula. Even then I might stick with Pillsbury.... My only complaint is I get less batter out of the Pillsbury mix than I used to with DH.

I guess that I should have read this thread earlier! I usually by BC mix but I used a DH chocolate fudge adn it sank before I got it out of the oven I have never had this happen before! The edges looked overcooked but it sank. Waiting for the cupcakes to cool to see if they sink as well...guess that means a trip to the store (again!) So are these cakes actually cooked? Can I use them for cake balls or just through it out?

I have recently had this problem too! when I bake a cake with DH it would always stick to the pan even after i greased it and the top tends to crack a lot. also when I was making cupcakes for a birthday party all the tops fell when they were cooling!I recommend using betty crocker and pillsbury. Duncan Hines is a recipe for disater!!!!!!!( and also a tip for baking cakes, to make your cake more moist add an extra egg or a third or a cup of pudding)

Wow this is interesting. I just started doing cakes again after a four year hiatus. I too have been a loyal DH user. I doctored the first cake with dream whip and creamer and it turned out great. The next time I did the exact same recipe to the tee, except I used the butter cake mix and it sank and stayed raw looking in the middle well past the time it should have been done. That scared me away from creamers so I did some cupcakes with the 1c oil, 1 c water, and 4 eggs recipe and they all sank. Did another with citrus zest and lemon juice and the cake had a very weird texture, but was good. I started getting really frustrated, but I blaimed it on being rusty from not baking for so long. I never had issues at all before doctoring cakes.

I wish I would have known previously about this recipe change DH has done.

I just baked a 1/2 sheet DH banana, no problem. A 1/2 sheet Pillsbury Plus chocolate, no problem. Then came the 1/2 sheet (1/2 Pillsbury white, 1/2 DH chocolate) That DH chocolate stuck to the pan AGAIN!!!!! I have had it with DH chocolate. I'm going to have to use them up in alternate desserts but NO MORE DH CHOCOLATE FOR ME. After a call to DH, they tried to pin it on the pan, the oven, the grease and flour, the flip time.......in the end she had no clue and sent me a free coupon. Like I'd buy another one.............right.

OH ..perfect timing..I am just waiting right now...I had a request for a pink strawberry cake...so used the DH. I am just waiting right now for some to come out of the oven....and noticed one...a 9x13 sunk in the middle....Horrible..That hasn't happened to me before...Hubby usually eats the tops of the cakes...
He isn't goin to like that he won't get as much cake now..hehe

I always use the Betty crocker...NO problems...

I baked a DH chocolate fudge cake on Father's Day and it fell, too. I thought it was something I did wrong. First time this has happened. The edges looked overcooked, it sunk in the middle and it was gooey in places.