I used to be a home economics teacher and now I cater professionally. Maybe the following will help you in achieving a more satisfactory result:
For over a year now, I have noticed that DH cake mixes are not the same as they used to be. My sister, who is also a professional cake decorator, said she had quit using that particular brand as she was having issues with them. They are not stable, nor dependable.
Cake mixes have emulsifiers, etc. that give it what is known in the commercial industry as "tolerance." This enables bakers to add all kinds of juices (orange, lemon, purees, etc.) and come out with a beautiful product.
Fruit and/or fruit juice should react with the baking soda to leaven the cake, so there should be no problem. Apparently, there is a problem, so it must be that they have taken the "tolerance" and changed it (usually a "bottom line" decision).
Here is a suggestion: boil your fruit (juice) with a simple syrup and use that to coat the complete cake before decorating. Poke holes, if desired, into the body of the cake to allow the flavors to enhance the cake. That way, you can still use your preferred cake mix brand, and have the flavors in the cake of your design.
Sometimes heating the juice will not interfere with the reactions in the baking.
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