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!
Mary P
Second time making this as a birthday cake for my college age grandson. He loves it! Since his birthday is near thanksgiving, it will be a permanent addition to our menu. Thank you!
Melissa
Yay, so glad you and your grandson love this recipe, Mary! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it!
Patricia
Made this cake today for my husband’s birthday, very good.
Melissa
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Patricia!
JANICE SHIPP
great recipe, thanks. Taste as good (better in most cases!) as any of the hundreds of wedding cakes I've eaten over the years. This one will go in my family cook book!
Melissa
I’m happy to hear this recipe stood up to your wedding cake taste test! :) I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Janice!
Amber Lacey
Loved this cake. The texture of the cake is amazing and delicious. I have never had almond extract before so I wasn’t a big fan of the taste in the frosting. Next time I will just leave that out. Otherwise I loved it. Others loved it with the almond extract so it depends on preference :)
Melissa
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Amber! I really appreciate it!
Anne
Absolutely my new white cake recipe! Every single family member raves about it! Dense and moist and easy to bake! Thank you for sharing!
Melissa
Yay, I’m so glad you and the fam love this recipe, Anne! Thank you so much for leaving a review, I really appreciate it!
Stacey
Can you do this in a cupcake pan?
Melissa
Yes I actually have a different post for that! https://www.designeatrepeat.com/white-wedding-cake-cupcakes-buttercream-frosting/
Cathy Sawatzky
Oh my gosh this cake smells so good when baking. Fast to make taste so yummy!
Melissa
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Cathy!
Lou Lou
Nothing wrong with it. Very moist. Just nothing special. Very plain. Disappointed because I was trying to doctor it up and make something really special.
Melissa
Sorry you didn’t love it, thanks for giving it a try!
Pat
Excellent recipe for a quick birthday cake! Love almond and this tastes just like a bakery cake. Thanks so much!
Melissa
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Pat! I tried my best to get that bakery taste from home, so I’m glad you loved it!
CONNIE C SMITH
LEFTOVER egg yolks ?? I make NOODLES at my house !
Melissa
Haha, I'm coming over to your house for dinner!
CONNIE C SMITH
Will be making this in the morning while watching "The Funeral" on TV. only I will be making it in round pans, using Wiltons' Pan Strips to keep any domed tops away. An old secret to getting a MOIST cake of any kind; AFTER PULLING FROM THE OVEN, and cooling as usual to turn out on a rack; instead, wrap the un-panned cake in foil, and then wrap a thick terry cloth towel around that until cold. The steam will gradually seep into the cake... this also will save a cake that was a tad over-baked and dry.
"
Melissa
That's a great tip, thanks for sharing Connie!
Pamela V
My kids loved it. My 9 year old asked me to make another one soon after we finished the first one. It did not crumble like a plain box mix cake, and it wasn’t as dense a pound cake. However, I wished it was sweeter, so I added an additional 1/4 cup of sugar the second time. Thank you for the recipe!
Melissa
So glad that you enjoyed it enough to make it a 2nd time, Pamela!
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, I so appreciate it!
Cari Horner
Can this be used with funfetti cake mix?
Melissa
I think you could! I haven't done it but I think it would be worth a shot!
K. Thompson
Can you substitute milk for water?
Melissa
I haven't tried it on this recipe, so I can't say for certain. I will say that the milk will add more fat & moisture and the sour cream already adds a lot of moisture, so it could get a little too moist. But if you try it, be sure to report back!
Kristin
This cake and frosting were so delicious!
Melissa
So glad that you enjoyed this recipe Kristin! Thank you for leaving a review - I appreciate it.
Rebecca E Bonar
My husband tasted the frosting and said, omg, this is the best icing I have ever tasted. I tried a cupcake this morning without frosting. Amazing. Will update when we and our guests have eaten the whole package.
Melissa
Happy to hear that you and your husband enjoyed the frosting and the cake Rebecca!
I hope your guests enjoy as well.
Ann Smith
This cake was made by my friend Laurie for another friend Julie’s 62nd birthday. I love the flavor and texture of this cake. It truly reminds me of going to a wedding and eating the delicious cake. I found the recipe by just googling “wedding cake”, I can’t wait to make it for myself and my grandkids and try the rest of your mouth watering recipes.
Sincerely, Ann
Melissa
So glad you loved it, Ann! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review - I appreciate it!
Linda
It was delicious! I have made it several times it’s always very good.
Melissa
Thank you for making this cake multiple times and sharing your review Linda!
Laurie
This recipe taste as good as the wedding cakes I've tasted. The texture melts in your mouth. It was just as easy to make as the boxed mix with a couple of ingredient changes and so much better. I used a whisk and that worked well.
Melissa
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe Laurie! Thank you for this thoughtful review, I appreciate you taking the time to leave one.
Dr. Mary Tillis
This cake recipe is great! Thank you for sharing it! If you have a good recipe for Bread Puddings, please share it (them) .
Melissa
Thank you for leaving a review Mary, I am so glad that you enjoyed this cake recipe!
And bread pudding is a great idea, thank you!