Sherrman, thank you for your kind words about my decorating. I really appreciate it! As for the homemade mix, I did not use powdered butter, shortening, or sour cream. Only flour, real butter, baking powder, salt and sugar to which oil, eggs, and water are added. The only ingredient different than a typical cake was the powdered milk. Can I make a cake without a mix? Absolutely. The point of this was having a mix on hand when I need something quick. This makes up three mixes that I can keep in the freezer and make up without a fuss-throw the mix in the kitchenaid bowl along with the oil, eggs and water and mix. No measuring, other than the oil and water. I have two kids and I work so anything I can do to save time is a bonus. Gives me more time to practice my decorating skills :) Rusty, you are welcome! Like you said, I wanted to find a homemade mix because I have several recipes that start with a mix but I hate all the chemicals and the transfats in them.

I always use the method from "The Cake Mix Doctor" (and use it for ANY flavor cake mix): BASIC YELLOW BUTTER CAKE 1 yellow cake mix (18-1/4 oz.) 1 stick butter (8 Tblsp.) butter, melted (do not use margarine) 1 cup milk (2% or whole  not skim) 3 large eggs 2 tsp. Vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. In large mixing bowl, combine ingredients listed above. Beat just until blended, and no lumps remain. Pour into pans and bake at 350° F. for 27-29 minutes or until cake tests done. If making cupcakes, bake for 20 minutes.

Here's my grandmother's angel food cake recipe. Have no idea how she whipped those egg whites without an electric mixer but no such things when my mother was growing up (mother born in 1908). She always made one for the birthdays of her 6 children, my mother made it for me, I made it for my children and now for two local grandchildren. ALL have loved it! MEMO's Angel Food Cake Whites from 1 doz extra large or jumbo eggs. Eggs should be a week or two old - no new eggs - and should be at room temp 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar 1 cup sifted cake flour such as Swans Down 1 heaping tsp cream of tartar 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 heaping tsp almond extract Beat egg whites a few beats and add salt. Beat till frothy and add cream of tartar. Continue beating until they make good peaks. Sift sugar twice and sift into egg whites while beating. Add extracts while beating. Sift flour three times and gently fold it, by hand, into egg whites. Put angel food cake pan under running cold water in the sink. Dry pan. Scoop batter into cake pan, gently, and even it on top. Put cake in a cold oven and bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour. Check after 50 minutes and if cake is very lightly browned and pulling away from the sides of the pan, it is done. Cool pan upside down (Pans often have legs for this. If not, turn it over a tall, skinny bottle) When completely cooled, remove from tube pan and place on a plate, removing the tube part carefully, with a long, slim knife. Eat as is or first as desired.

You might try beating some more egg whites and then folding in your batter. Here is Dad's recipe from his and Mom's 1946 Better Homes and Garden's cookbook: Angel cake 1 cup cake flour 3/4 cup sugar 1 3/4 cup egg whites 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tarter 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Sift flour with 3/4 cup sugar four times. Beat egg whites with salt until frothy; add cream of tarter and beat until stiff, but not dry. Add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. folding in throughly. Add vanilla extract with last addition of sugar. Sift flour mixture over the top, a little at a time, and fold in lightly with a down-up-over motion. Bake in 10 inch ungreased angel cake pan at 325* for 75 minutes. Invert pan to cool.