Lately my clients have been complaining that my cakes are dense. They love the designs but wish they could be lighter and fluffier. My Wilton instructor told me a dense cake must be used with Buttercream icing otherwise the icing will not hold and also for use with 3D cakes to allow for carving and structure. Is this true? Since taking Wilton Courses I, II and III - I just threw away everything I thought was correct and listened to all that my teacher taught me including her recipes since she's a Pastry Chef of 10 years.
If anyone decorates lighter and fluffier cakes would you please share your recipe with me as I'd love to experiment with a lighter cake. Before the classes I only knew of box cakes which my teacher said are a no no.
Thank you in advance. 
I use box mixes at times also and I've never had a problem with icing them and everyone compliments me on how moist they are. They think it's from scratch. I also use Rose Levy Beranbaum's recipes in her Cake Bible book. Every cake I have tried from there is moist and not dense. It's also her way of mixing the ingredients. She uses the hi-ratio mixing method. That makes a difference and it can be applied to almost any scratch cake.
I'll explain it to you if you want. Let me know.
Before taking Wilton 1,2, and 3 and learning of CC, I used strictly box cake mixes with Wilton BC recipe. I have never had a complaint. If you want to kick it up, add an extra egg and a box of pudding mix. It should be just right. If your cakes are mostly sheet cakes or singles, don't worry about them not being dense enough unless they're being stacked or tiered.
ang_ty95,
Common problems in butter cakes:
(most caused by under/over beating)
http://www.joyofbaking.com/ButterCakeTroubleshooting.html
Butter and margarine have more water content than Crisco shortening. If you use shortening you have to adjust your recipes by adding water....
See substituting Crisco shortening for butter/margarine:
http://www.crisco.com/about/faqs.asp
I don't know why your instructor said a boxed mix cake is a no-no?
The White Almond Sour Cream cake recipe on CC is highly regarded by many:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2322-White-Almond-Sour-Cream-Cake.html
It can be adapted to other flavors, even chocolate, and is light and fluffy, but sturdy enough to be used for wedding cake.
Think it would satisfy both your clients and your Wilton instructor.
More threads on cake mix extenders, add-ins:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-66313-.html
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-68873-.html
HTH
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