If I'm making the basic cake (white, yellow, chocolate, etc.) I always sift the powder mix first. I use applesauce instead of oil and I always add vanilla no matter what flavor cake I'm making. If I use the whole egg (I usually use the whites only), I beat the whites separately from the yolk before adding anything else. I've been told that my cakes have the texture of wedding cakes. Now as for variations I have added peanut butter and chocolate (a personal favorite) to a white cake, sour cream to a chocolate cake, strawberries to a white cake (omit water) and I am currently making pumpkin bars from a spice cake mix (which led me to your site because I was looking for a way to turn a white cake into a spice cake so I can double it). Use four eggs instead of three, add a can of pumpkin and a quarter of a cup of applesauce (or oil if you prefer), omit water. Bake as directed on the box.

Well, my "recipe" depends on how you want to use the mix. If you want to actually make a yellow cake, I like this one. I got the recipe in a link from a site called "Community Chickens", LOL. Yup, it's about chickens, go figure. Anyway, it linked to a blog called "chickensintheroad", who had this recipe. How to make Homemade Yellow Cake Mix: (This is the standard size mix for recipes calling for an 18.25 ounce mix.) 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 cup non-fat dry milk Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and non-fat dry milk. Store in an airtight container or baggie. Keeps well in the pantry for months! To replace in recipes calling for a standard-size 18.25 ounce store-bought yellow cake mix: Use in any recipe calling for a yellow cake mix as a base (add 1 teaspoon vanilla to the recipe along with the cake mix as the recipe will assume vanilla was included in the store-bought mix). Or to make a basic yellow cake, use the following instructions. Cake mix directions:. 1 recipe Homemade Yellow Cake Mix 3/4 cup water 1 teaspoons vanilla 1/2 cup butter, softened 3 eggs Place Homemade Yellow Cake Mix in a bowl. Add water, vanilla, butter, and eggs. Combine with an electric mixer then beat two more minutes. Pour into a greased and floured cake pan. Bake at 350-degrees, using these baking times (watch carefully as your oven may vary��"test for doneness using a toothpick): 8″ or 9″ cake rounds ��" 20-25 minutes 13 x 9 pan ��" 35-40 minutes cupcakes ��" 12-15 minutes tube/bundt pan ��" 45-50 minutes Don’t overbake! You’ll dry out your cake. NOTE: If you don’t like using dry milk in your cakes, you can always leave the dry milk out of the mix. When making the cake, replace the water in the recipe with milk. If you're using it for topping, etc., one with added fat would probably work better, like this one: Yellow Cake "Master Mix" 2 1/2 cups cake flour 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1/4 scant teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 cup butter Thoroughly combine dry ingredients together. Cut the butter into small pieces throughout the flour. Using a pastry cutter or food processor, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is thoroughly incorporated (very small pieces, like sand). To make this into two 8 inch layers, use the entire recipe of Master Mix and add: 2 tsp. vanilla 1/2 cup oil 3 eggs 1 cup milk Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 8" round cake pans OR one 13" x 9" cake pan with nonstick baking spray containing flour and set aside. Pour cake mix into a large bowl. Make a well in center of mix and add vanilla, oil, eggs, and milk. Beat mixture 1 minute with electric mixer at low speed until blended. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl and beat 2 minutes longer at medium speed until batter is smooth. Pour into prepared pans and bake the layer cakes at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until cake springs back when pressed lightly in center and begins to pull away from edges of pan. Bake the 9" x 13" cake for 25-35 minutes until the cake tests done. The "Master Mix" can be made in larger quantities, but must be refrigerated, whereas the first recipe can just be kept in the pantry without spoiling or becoming rancid. Have fun! Annie

Yes there was a thread with some recipes for this type of cake. I added this recipe at that time: "Eva's Pumpkin Cake" 1 - 15oz can pumpkin 1 - 12oz can evaporated milk 3 eggs 1 C white sugar 4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice 1 - 18.5oz pkg yellow cake mix 3/4 C butter, melted 1 1/2 C chopped walnuts (you can use any nut) Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Pour dry cake mix on top. Drizzle melted butter on to of cake mix. Sprinkle nuts on top of everything. Bake in 350 degrees oven for 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean. Serve with whip cream or ice cream.Â

We used to call it Dump Cake because you just "dumped" everything in. I hope this is it. Dump Cake Ingredients 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling 1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix 8 ounces chopped walnuts 1/2 cup butter Directions In a 9x13 inch pan mix cherries and pineapple. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pineapple, and cherry mixture stir until just combined. Then sprinkle walnuts over top. Drizzle top with melted butter or margarine. Bake in a 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 35 or 40 minutes or until golden brown.