Doctored White Cake Mix (WASC Cake)

Doctored White Cake Mix (WASC Cake)

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 35

Cool/Chill Time: 2 25

Total Time: 3 30

Servings: slices

Calories: 714kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

This doctored white cake mix is the ultimate baking hack! I've upgraded a standard box with sour cream and buttermilk to create a dense, velvety white almond sour cream (WASC) cake that tastes 100% from-scratch and is perfect for stacking.

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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
2 8-inch Round Cake Pan(s)
Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
Piping Tip Set (optional)

Ingredients

For the Cake

15.25 ounces white cake mix sifted (1 box)*
1 cup all-purpose flour sifted
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1½ cups buttermilk room temperature
1 cup full-fat sour cream room temperature**
3 large eggs room temperature***
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract ****

For the Buttercream Frosting

5 cups powdered sugar
1½ cups unsalted butter room temperature (3 sticks)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Optional Ingredients

Gel food coloring for the frosting*****
Rainbow sprinkles for topping

Instructions

For the Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray and line the inside bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir the dry cake mix, flour, granulated sugar, and salt together. Set aside for now.
15.25 ounces white cake mix, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the buttermilk, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract on high until well combined.
1½ cups buttermilk, 1 cup full-fat sour cream, 3 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
With the mixer on low speed, beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Switch to high, and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (about 749 grams per pan).
Bake for 33-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
Remove cakes from oven and let cakes cool in pans for 15 minutes before removing from the pans and immediately wrapping in plastic wrap while still warm.
Transfer the wrapped warm cakes to the freezer to chill for at least 2 hours.

For the Buttercream Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract together on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
5 cups powdered sugar, 1½ cups unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For Assembly

Once cakes have chilled, use a large serrated knife to cut the dome tops off both cakes so they both have a flat top.
Place a thin layer of frosting (about 2 tablespoons) in the middle of a cake board or cake plate then place one cake (cut side facing up) on top of that frosting.
Add a generous layer of frosting on top of that first cake layer then place the second cake layer (bottom facing up) on top of the first cake layer.
Frost a thin layer of frosting around the top and sides of cake (crumb coat).
Place the lightly frosted cake in the freezer for 10 minutes so the frosting hardens up a bit before frosting the next layer.
Optional: color the remaining frosting (using gel food coloring) if you want the final layer of icing to be colored.
Gel food coloring
Remove the cake from the freezer and apply the second thicker layer of frosting. Spread this layer as smoothly as you can using the cake scraper.
Take about 1½-2 cups of frosting and place it in an icing bag with a Wilton 1M tip. Frost swirls around the top of the cake.
Optional: add rainbow sprinkles to the bottom edge of the cake and add sprinkles to the icing swirls on the top of the cake.
Rainbow sprinkles

Notes

*Vanilla or yellow cake mix also work well in this recipe.

**Greek yogurt also works well.

***For a pure white cake, swap the 3 eggs for 5 egg whites, and be sure to use clear vanilla extract.

****For a richer flavor, swap up to half of the vanilla for almond extract.

*****I used Chefmaster Liqua-gel in the color Neon Pink.

Cake Tips:

Bring all ingredients to room temperature for the best results.
Measure the flour using the spoon-and-level method to avoid a dry cake.
Sift the cake mix and flour together for a velvety crumb.
Do not use the ingredients listed on the back of the box of cake mix; the cake mix is a separate, dry ingredient in this recipe.
Do not overmix the batter; otherwise, your cakes may come out tough.
The batter should be thick and almost pudding-like.
Because this cake is dense, the center takes longer to bake. If the edges brown too quickly, loosely tent the pans with foil until a toothpick comes out clean.
Chill the cakes thoroughly for the most even frosting application.

Decorating Tips:

If the frosting is too thick to smooth onto the cake, beat in a tablespoon of heavy cream. If the frosting seems too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
To create a solid base for decorating, place a bit of frosting onto the cake board/stand to secure the bottom layer of cake.
Be sure to level the cakes by cutting off any domed parts to ensure that the cakes will stack evenly.
Crumb-coat the cake before frosting to catch any crumbs for a smoother appearance.
Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.

Alternative Pan Sizes:

Sheet Cake: Bake at 350°F in a greased/lined 9x13 pan for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean; cool completely in the pan to prevent cracking.
Cupcakes: Fill liners ⅔ full (yields ~30) and bake at 350°F for 18-22 minutes; remove from the tin after 5 minutes to prevent the liners from peeling.

Make-Ahead: You can bake the cakes 1 day ahead and store them in the fridge until ready to frost.

Storage: Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition