So I have never made a scratch cake before and a student of mine was wanting to know if there is a good recipe that is dairy- free her daughter is ALLERGIC. I'm looking for a good cake (yellow or white) that can be decorated easily or doctored with fruit and stuff.  I could really use some help thanks 

There are lots of dairy-free "milks" and dairy-free margarines around.  Would you have time to experiment? some of the milk substitutes are sweetened and you may need to reduce the sugar in the recipe.

I have not tried the white version of Miracle Whip cake.   But I have made the chocolate version many times, even winning a Blue ribbon at the County Fair many years ago.  Miracle Whip does contain eggs but no other dairy product.

Miracle Whip White Layer Cake

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. soda
1 c. Miracle Whip
1 tsp. vanilla

The recipe should read Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; then remove from pans. Cool completely before frosting.

Check out Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, we adapted several of the recipes in the book (including the yellow cake recipe) as cakes for our allergy-friendly bakery. All recipes are dairy-free as well as egg-free.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1569242739/?tag=cakecentral-20

You may need to contact the manfuacturers of your ingredients if they also sell other products that contain dairy to ensure there is no cross-contamination.

I can also attest that these are wonderful, dairy-free recipes. The frostings in the book are also super delicious!

 Chloe Coscarelli also has a recipe for white birthday cake...

 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FLNZVU/?tag=cakecentral-20

However, plant-based milks are an easy one-to-one sub. I use organic soy milk as that has the thickest consistency among plant milks and doesn't impart any strong flavors. As for a dairy-free butter sub, I use Earth Balance baking sticks.

Have you looked at the Depression Cake...otherwise called Wacky cake or poor man`s cake.  It`s an egg, dairy and butter less cake.  I made the chocolate version and although it`s not as moist and nice as a dairy/egg cake, it's not at all bad.

Check out this website:  http://www.sweetlittlebluebird.com/2013/03/tried-true-tuesday-crazy-for-crazywacky.html

Laura