This is an easy white sour cream cake with a great vanilla flavor. It’s moist, super quick to mix up and comes out perfect every time. This is a cake you can easily make over and over and one your family will love.
Hey there! Before you scroll, there’s lot’s of important stuff in the post!…including a section about updates to this recipe, which may answer any questions you might have. Enjoy!
This recipe is an oldie, but goodie. If you’ve ever heard of the WASC cake, this is it, but with my spin on it.
It’s super easy to mix together and bakes up the same every time. It starts with a box mix, but you add other ingredients, which really makes the difference.
If you are hesitant to use a box mix, don’t be. They are so predictable and really an easy way to get started baking cakes.
I find many times when people are just starting to get into baking cakes, a scratch cake seems really intimidating. These doctored cake mix cakes are a great way to get your feet wet in the cake baking world, and they come out moist and tasty pretty much every single time.
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I will admit, when I was taking cake orders, I used a scratch cake recipe. It was truly an awesome recipe, but I will tell you no matter how good you are, sometimes a scratch cake just doesn’t turn out the same every single time. That’s just the nature of a scratch cake.
This cake is a ‘no-worries’ cake and I use it as the base for my other doctored cake mix flavors now. Try it out! I think you’ll love it. Oh, and it’s also great as cupcakes.
(And if you’re feeling adventurous and want to try your hand at scratch cake baking, you’ll want to check out my Favorite Vanilla Bean Cake Recipe. It really is amazing.)
So here’s my spin on the WASC cake (which is what it’s called in the caking circles). Instead of plain vanilla extract, I use vanilla bean paste. Yes, it really makes a difference.
The next spin is that I use a tiny bit of almond emulsion. You’ll notice I didn’t say almond ‘extract’. There is a huge difference to me. I personally don’t care for almond extract, but using a tiny bit of almond emulsion combined with the vanilla extract will knock your socks off.
I know you’re probably saying, but I don’t like almond flavor! Well, it doesn’t taste like almond flavor. It’s hard to explain, but the small amount I add to the cake batter, just brings out the vanilla flavor even more.
I’ve had people ask me what kind of illegal drug did I put into my cakes that makes them unable to stop eating it. Just try it once and I promise I’ll get off your back about it 😉
Update on this recipe:
Lately, some of you (as well as I) have noticed this cake isn’t baking up the way it used to. (Ex. the middles were sinking slightly and it just didn’t have as much bounce.) I initially thought it was because they lowered the amount of cake mix in each box.
I did a little research online and it appears this is a problem a lot of people are having now with doctored box cake mixes. It appears that the cake mix companies have changed not only the amount included in the boxes, but the ingredients and that’s causing what was once a favorite recipe, to come out differently.
I decided I’d do some experimenting and came up with something I think gets you closer to the original WASC recipe. The recipe card below reflects those changes, but here’s a short explanation:
The first change is since there’s less mix in the box, I lowered the amount of water to only a cup. I was noticing (as well as another reader) that when I made this with whole eggs, it came out much better, so instead of 4 egg-whites, I’ve changed it to three eggs. Although, it won’t be a bright white cake, it now bakes up much better, since the cake mix formula was changed.
I hope you try it out and let me know how it goes. I’ve also found that this same recipe works wonderfully with other flavors. I just recently tried it with a Red Velvet cake mix and it was amazing.
Need an icing recipe? Try this cake with these buttercream recipes:
You also might want to check out my post about freezing cakes and cupcakes. There are lots of tips there to help you freeze them successfully.
Now onto the recipe!
Note About Recipe Measurements: I write recipes using volume (cups) measurements because here in the U.S., this is what people are more familiar with and I don’t want anyone to feel intimidated when baking. For metric/weight measurements, click the ‘metric’ button under the ingredients in the recipe card below. The weights are converted by a program, not me, and it’s just a best guess. I can’t guarantee that weighing the ingredients will produce the exact same results, since I test recipes using volume measurements.
Recipe
Easy White Sour Cream Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix Make sure it’s a mix of at least 15 oz. Pillsbury works best
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla paste (you can use vanilla extract if you don't have vanilla paste)
- ½ teaspoon almond emulsion (this is optional, but gives the cake that secret ingredient taste)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease or spray your pans.
- Put the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.
- In another bowl, mix the remaining ingredients, then pour onto the dry ingredients.
- Beat on medium about two minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat for another minute.
- Pour into greased pans.
- Bake at 325 degrees for about 40 – 50 minutes. Cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs on it, but no liquid batter.
- Set cake pans on wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out of the pans onto the wire racks to cool completely before adding buttercream.
Notes
Nutrition
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Barbara
I made this cake last Friday for my daughters birthday and I can’t tell you how amazing it was. Better than a bakery cake. Everyone gave it great reviews. I will definitely be baking this one over and over. Thank you for the delicious and easy recipe. I have a question for you… I am looking for a very easy similar cake using a cake mix and was wondering if I could adapt this to a yellow cake version? Maybe without the almond extract? My daughter in law has a birthday coming up and I’d like to make her a yellow cake with chocolate buttercream. Thanks in advance!
Kara Jane
Yay, I’m so glad you liked it! I think this would work just fine using a different cake flavor.
carrie moore
hi, Can I use a yellow cake mix instead of white??
thanks
Carrie
Kara Jane
I think that would depend on the type of yellow cake mix. If it’s the type that calls for actual butter, it might not work, but if it just calls for oil and eggs and milk or water, then it should work just fine.
Habs
Could you use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream
Kara Jane
Yes that should be just fine.
Joan Stuehm
I made this and it turned out great! I added coconut extract instead of almond emulsion and it was amazing.
Kara Jane
That’s great! So glad you liked it. 🙂
Bitsy
Can I use almond paste instead of vanilla paste?
Kara Jane
I wouldn’t. You can just use vanilla extract instead of vanilla paste though.
Em
I tried this receipt, it was very dried.
Kara Jane
Hi there, this cake should not have come out dry. It’s a cake mix based recipe and is usually pretty predictable. I would check your oven temp and make sure that it wasn’t baked too long. If your oven runs a little hot, then you may want to start checking the cake about five minutes before it should be ready.
Sharon
Mine turned out dry as well. Is 2 tablespoons of oil correct? I believe my overnight temp is correct since I haven’t had any trouble on other recipes.
Kara
Hi Sharon, hmmm I’m not sure what happened. 2 tablespoons is correct. I haven’t had this issue, but I’m wondering if maybe baking it for a little less time would help.
amy
does this work in a bundt pan?
Kara Jane
I haven’t tried this one in a bundt pan. I think it should work although you may have to bake it a little longer.
Maura
What size cake pans did you use? Thx
Kara Jane
Two, 8 inch pans for this one. 🙂
Suzi
So you mixed the box cake mix plus the extra flour, salt, and sugar? I plan on making cupcakes with this recipe.
Kara Jane
Yes, you’ll mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl and the liquid in another bowl, then add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and mix. I have not tried this recipe out as cupcakes, but I’m thinking it should work however you’ll need to change the baking temp to 350 degrees and start checking them at about 18 minutes or so…give or take a bit of time, you’ll just need to watch them.
Gaye Gieske
So just to clarify…that is 1 cup of all purpose flour and not self-rising?? I was afraid it wouldn’t rise properly if I got this wrong.
Kara Jane
Yes just use all-purpose flour. The leavening ingredients are already in the cake mix, so it will still rise.
Marge
What temperature should I bake this cake in. Bundt pan
Kara Jane
I haven’t tested this one out in a bundt pan, but I would keep it at 325 degrees. You may end up baking it for a bit more time though.
Maura
Made this exactly per the recipe for a friends birthday and it was one of the best cakes I’ve ever made hands down! Everyone raved! Said I should open a bakery!
Kara Jane
Yay! Thanks for the wonderful review…so glad everyone loved it 🙂
Dave
Many years ago my Mom made white cakes for numerous family occasions. Unfortunately when she passed her recipe went with her. For years with box and from scratch recipes I’ve tried to duplicate but with no luck, but yours is the best since Mom’s. The cake was fabulous
Kara Jane
I’m so glad you found something so close to your Mom’s cake! And wow what a compliment that is…it’s wonderful to hear! I too have recipes that were lost when my Mom passed, so I know how nostalgic it is to finally taste something that tastes just like (or close to) what she made. Thanks again for your comment.
Sharon
This is a wonderful cake. Light and moist!
Kara Jane
I’m so glad you liked it!
Sarah Bullington
I made this cake for my Daughter’s wedding in 2012. Everyone raved over it. Said it was the best they had ever had!
Kara
Oh yay! So glad everyone loved it. 🙂
Jennifer
Love this cake!!! Made it many, many times and it’s been amazing………until the last 2 times I’ve made it. The last 2 times when its cooking its formed a hard layer on top, it kind of looks loose, and crinkley. You can’t do the spring back test to see if it’s done, because it’s hard. Not sure what is going on, I’ve done everything the same, including the cake mix. Maybe there’s something they’ve changed in the mix……any thoughts?
HELP!!!!
Kara
Hey Jennifer, glad you’ve liked the cake! That’s really strange about it coming out differently. It does sound like something has changed in the cake mix though. I haven’t made this one in a while, but that’s really interesting. I’m guessing you’re on to something though that the cake mix is the culprit. Lately, I’ve done several cake mix based cakes and have used Betty Crocker. If you haven’t tried that brand, maybe give that one a go here and see if that makes a difference. They’ve been working well for me lately. Let me know how it works out!
Kelly
Can I use a Betty Crocker box mix even if the ounces on the box is 16.25 OZ
Kara
Yes that should be fine.
Jennifer
Sorry it took me so long to get back to you, just saw it a couple of weeks ago.
so I made this recipe again, this time with Pillsbury (I was afraid of the Betty Crocker mix because it was 20oz) and while the taste wasn’t quite as good as when I used Duncan Hynes, it fixed the hard crust issue. my Mom prefers the taste with Duncan despite the hard crust, so I might try taking out a tablespoon of flour and replace it with corn starch to see if it softens it.
Thanks again for this fabulous recipe!!!
Kara
Oh interesting! Thanks for replying back and letting me know!
Kim
Can you do cupcakes with this recipe?
Kara
I have not tried this recipe out as cupcakes, but I’m thinking it should work however you’ll need to change the baking temp to 350 degrees and start checking them at about 15-18 minutes or so…give or take a bit of time, you’ll just need to watch them.