Transform a mediocre boxed cake mix into a super moist, bakery-worthy birthday cake that everyone will be asking the recipe for! Bake in a 9x13 pan and top with an easy cream cheese frosting for the best "homemade" doctored sheet cake!
More fun birthday cake ideas: Try my Ice Cream Sandwich Cake or 9×13 Zebra Cake!
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Why I Love This Doctored White Cake:
- It's So Moist: This white sheet cake is super moist and has the perfect, dense cake crumb. Unlike a regular cake mix that is fluffy and crumbles when cut, then once slices perfectly!
- It's A Nice Tall Sheet Cake: In my opinion, most box mixes don't produce enough batter for a tall sheet cake. But by adding our secret ingredients, you get a tall, substantial 9x13 cake!
- It's Full of Flavor: The added vanilla and almond extract give this a true white wedding cake flavor that blows any regular boxed mix out of the water!
- Perfect for: Kid's Birthday Cakes, Baby Shower Cakes, Bridal Shower Cake, DIY Wedding Cake, Mother's Day Cake
New! Use this same recipe to make Strawberry Jello Poke Cake!
Yes, start with a cake mix!
I've used this recipe for years but have always been hesitant to post it because the #haters will say that starting with a boxed cake mix is cheating. But guess what, if that's considered cheating then I guess I love cheating.
Because when it tastes this DANG GOOD and better than any from-scratch cake I've ever made, I don't care if it started with a box mix. Besides, in case you didn't know, a lot of real bakeries actually use cake mix as their base (I once saw the backroom of my favorite bakery and lined on the shelves were cake mixes LOL). It's the PERFECT, cheap way to make a bakery-quality cake without spending $20 at the grocery store.
Plus, I am not a fan of most grocery store frosting. This, however, you'll be licking off your finger. I recommend and prefer Pillsbury White "Moist Supreme" but I've also used other brands with a similar result.
Delicious Cream Cheese Frosting
Ditch the canned frosting and top this with a vanilla almond cream cheese frosting to take this cake up a notch! You can also use a traditional buttercream frosting if you want a sturdier, more pipeable frosting but I much prefer the taste of this cream cheese frosting!
Ingredients for the Best Sheet Cake:
- 15.25 ounce White Boxed Cake Mix (I recommend and prefer Pillsbury White Moist Supreme)
- Flour
- Sugar
- Sour Cream
- Egg Whites (save the yolks for tomorrow's scrambled eggs!)
- Vanilla extract
- Water
- Frosting: Cream cheese, powdered, sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract
Notice that this recipe requires NO oil, butter or pudding mix! Even without those standard ingredients, this cake transforms into the perfect dense crumb, wedding cake texture and taste. For extra fruity flavor, make my Strawberry Jello Poke Cake.
How to Make White Sheet Cake:
Step 1: Mix Batter
Start by mixing the dry ingredients with a whisk. Once combined, mix in the egg whites, sour cream, and water and continue mixing until combined. You can use an electric mixer, but whisking by hand works well for this recipe.
Step 2: Pour in 9x13 Pan & Bake
Pour batter in greased 9x13 metal pan and bake for 28-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. The edges should look *slightly* brown but you don't want it to darken too much.
If you use the Pillsbury cake mix, the top always bake nice and flat (not domed) which makes it easy to decorate!
Step 3: Cool & Frost
Allow cake to completely cool before frosting.
My personal favorite frosting for this white cake is my delectable cream cheese frosting (recipe below). It’s not too sweet and is the perfect pairing with these vanilla cupcakes. If you want a more pipeable frosting, try out a buttercream frosting instead.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What brand of cake mix do you recommend?
I used and prefer Pillsbury White (Moist Supreme) but I’ve tried it with several other mixes and it works fine.
What’s the difference between this recipe and a cake mix straight-out-of-the-box?
You might be thinking, “what’s so different about this recipe if you are still using a boxed cake mix?” Well, I will tell you. The secret is sour cream and egg whites. Yes, sour cream ain’t just for baked potatoes anymore. It is used to moisten many types of cakes/batters and any time I’ve used it, the result has always been amazing. And the egg whites? Since you are removing fat content (by taking out the yolk), you need to use the sour cream to balance that back out to produce a soft & moist cake.
Tip: Save the egg yolks in a plastic bowl (covered with saran wrap) and toss into a big batch of scrambled eggs in the morning. Or use the liquid egg whites you can buy in a carton to avoid having leftover egg yolks.
Can I make these into cupcakes?
Yes! If you want to turn these into cupcakes, you can bake them for 18-20 minutes. I have that step-by-step in my White Wedding Cupcake post.
If you're looking for a pipeable frosting for cupcakes, you can use my Buttercream Frosting recipe instead of the cream cheese one (although I personally like the cream cheese better!).
Do I have to refrigerate this cake?
If you're making the cream cheese frosting, you will want to refrigerate the cake if sitting out for more than 1-2 hours.
You can also freeze white cake for up to a month by wrapping in plastic wrap and storing in airtight container. Any longer and your cake might dry out.
What if I don't have almond extract?
I will say that almond extract does give this cake the best flavor but if you don't have it, you could substitute for extra vanilla extract or lemon extract.
The BEST White Sheet Cake (Doctored Cake Mix!)
Ingredients
9x13 White Cake
- 1 15.25 ounce box white cake mix I prefer Pillsbury Moist Supreme
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 4 large egg whites (equal to ½ cup if using liquid carton egg whites)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar add more for stiffer frosting
Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk together white cake mix (15.25 ounce), all-purpose flour (1 cup), and granulated sugar (½ cup).
- Once incorporated, add in the vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), water (1 ½ cups), sour cream (¾ cup), and egg whites (½ cup, or 4 large eggs) one at a time until combined. Do not whip the cake mix; just mix until everything is incorporated."
- Pour batter into greased 9x13 metal pan and bake for 28-30 minutes or until toothpick or fork come out clean.
- Allow to cool completely before frosting.
To Make Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter (½ cup, i.e. 1 stick) and softened cream cheese (4 ounces) on medium speed using a hand or stand mixer (with paddle attachment) for 2-3 minutes (until light and creamy).
- Keeping the mixer on medium speed, slowly add in vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), almond extract (¼ teaspoon) and powdered sugar (1 ¼ cups). Once incorporated, turn mixer to high speed and beat for 2 minutes until creamy.
- Spread on cooled cake and top with sprinkles!
- If not enjoying immediately or within 1-2 hours, refrigerate cake until serving.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Notes
- Looking for a more pipe-able, fluffy frosting? Try my Buttercream Frosting recipe instead!
- If you don't have almond extract you can substitute for extra vanilla or even lemon extract. Although I do think almond extract gives the best flavor!
- You can turn these in cupcakes by baking for 18-20 minutes. Recipe yields 24 standard sized cupcakes.
- I used and prefer Pillsbury White (Moist Supreme) but I’ve tried it with several other mixes and it works fine.
Nutrition
Did you make these cookies? Be sure to leave a comment below with how you liked them!
Maryanne Donahoe
Is there a substitute for the sour cream? Perhaps whipping cream?
Melissa
Hi Maryanne! You can use plain greek yogurt but I still think the sour cream works best. The greek yogurt "works" but it doesn't tend to raise as much into a light and fluffy cake.
Lynn
I believe I measured everything correctly and used the Pill. brand cake mix, however, we weren't happy with this cake. A raw flour taste came through, for me at least - my daughter didn't know what that taste was and thought it was just a vanilla cake/regular. I tasted the cake with no frosting, after it had cooled. My flour was all purpose and new bag. I did use full fat sour cream. I also used almond extract (pure, not imitation) instead of vanilla. I was thinking of trying again and using 1/2 c. flour. On the flip side, the cake was moist and v. dense - I loved the texture.
Melissa
Hi Lynn! Sorry you didn't love this recipe! I haven't found it to taste too much like flour but I will say that it's definitely best with the frosting. You might also try it using the vanilla the recipe asks for and then adding extra almond, instead of swapping it out.
Thanks for giving it a try & let me know if you like it more with less flour!
Hope
My favorite white cake recipe! Made it for my sons birthday cake!! Big hit
Melissa
Yay! So glad you loved it, Hope! It's my favorite one too.
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Rosa Ferraro
Can we replace the sour cream with mayonnaise? Thanks for your reply.
Melissa
Hi Rosa! I wouldn't recommend mayo in this recipe, as I don't think the flavor would be good. I have made this with plain greek yogurt but they are a bit more airy than the bakery-style texture that the sour cream is good for!
Cindy Darling
I made this and it was delicious. Very moist not crumbly. I love the white cake and the almond in the frosting was the best. I will definitely make it again.
Melissa
Thanks for leaving a review, Cindy! So glad you loved it - it's my fave!
Pam
Cake did not raise much but tasted good
Melissa
This recipe is denser with the sour cream so it doesn't puff up as much as a regular boxed cake mix. But I'm glad it still tasted good for you!
Frank
I loved the dense texture. I did the measurements exactly as written, however I will add 1/2 cup more of powdered sugar to the frosting next time. Also I will use 1 tsp almond extract and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract. I love the almond taste. Overall 4.5 score.
Melissa
Thanks for your review, Frank! I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe!
J Knight
Who boyeeee, cake mixes are so much better this way, thank you! ❤️😁
Melissa
I'm so glad you loved it! I agree, boxed mixes are WAY better this way!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review - I appreciate it so much!
Patti
Absolutely the best white cake recipe I have made so far. We think that this recipe is very moist and delicious. Definitely will make it a favorite family recipe.
Melissa
I'm so glad you loved it, Patti! It's my go-to recipe for any white cake - I can't go back to a plain boxed mix!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review - I appreciate it so much!
Katie
This is BY FAR the best cake I’ve ever made using a cake mix! I couldn’t use almond extract due to nut allergies, so just used the extra vanilla. This recipe is a WINNER! I’ve made it many times, always turns out perfectly. I use the Betty Crocker white cake mix
Melissa
Yay! I'm so glad you love it, Katie! It's my go-to cake - I can never made a plain cake mix again!
Amy
What would happen if I use the 4 whole eggs instead of just the whites? I am not concerned about it turning yellow. Thank you in advance!!
Melissa
Hi Amy! I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure but it would likely change the texture quite a bit. It would add too much moisture and fat, which would probably cause it to not bake correctly and firm up.
If you did want to use the full eggs, I’d follow the box instructions instead or see if you can find a recipe that uses full eggs + sour cream. I wouldn’t want you to risk it with my recipe and waste ingredients! Hope that helps!
Amy
Thank you Melissa! 😁. I appreciate your super quick response!
Debbie
Can I use this recipe for a chocolate cake?
Melissa
Hi Debbie! I’ve actually tested this same recipe with chocolate and it doesn’t result in the same texture; it’s actually quite dry. I’m working on a doctored chocolate recipe but it’s not quite ready yet, so I’d recommend searching Google for one specifically for chocolate!
Daniel
Very delicious, dense white cake. I decided to forego the almond extract in the frosting, however, because I was too lazy to go back to the store. That was clearly a mistake as I was left imagining how this cake could have been even better. My roommate loved it.
Melissa
So glad you loved it! The almond extract does make the cake, so definitely worth it next time!
Karen
I made this recipe today! Was really good..made a 2 9inch layer cake...I will definitely be baking this recipe again ❤
Melissa
So glad you loved it! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Kathy
The best white cake recipe I've ever made I made it for my girlfriend's birthday for all of us and they absolutely loved it it's definitely a keeper
Melissa
So glad you loved it - it's my favorite ever!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review - I appreciate it so much!
LuAnn DaRin
I followed the recipe exactly and it sank in the middle. Does this mean it was under baked somehow? Is it still OK to ear? I'm hoping it is fully baked and I can just cover with extra frosting?
Melissa
Hi LuAnn! It does sound like it may be underbaked. It should still be good to eat as long as it's not too raw in the middle!
Nita
I Love this recipe, and have used it a few times each time turned out great.TY
Melissa
I'm so glad you love it, Nita! It's my favorite white cake!
Jeanette
Baked this cake for my knitting group and it was a huge success. The texture of the cake is wonderful. A question could you flavor the cake? I just saw a recipe for a creamsicle cake, made from scratch, and they used orange jello powder to flavor the cake. Could you do that with this cake?
Melissa
I'm so glad you all loved it, Jeanette! I've never added jello powder into the actual cake but I am currently testing making this into a poke cake (pouring jello on after it's baked) and it worked great.
I'd have to see the recipe to see how they're incorporating the powder but I think it would be worth a shot! If the texture isn't right, you can always turn the cake into cake pops :)
Jan Richey
Wow! Love this cake! Thanks. I ll make again.
Melissa
I'm so glad you loved it, Jan! It's my favorite cake ever. Thanks for taking the time to drop me a message!
Liz
Can you make this into round pans (round cake)??
Melissa
Yes, definitely! I think one batch would make two 8-9" rounds.