I have probably made this 50 times over the years - http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/recipes/RLB's%20White%20Velvet%20Cake.pdf. Worth the effort.

Anonymous wrote:I've tried many cake recipes and frankly find it not to be worth the effort. The box mixes are quite good and I don't think it matters what brand you get. When I've brought cakes to things - using box mixes - my cakes disappear quicky while a lot of the home made ones sit around. Other friends of mine who are good bakers & cooks agree not to bother with scratch.

I hate mix cakes. They have a very strange off taste. I am always disappointed when a cake looks homemade and I taste it and it is obviously a mix. I like recipes from the Cake Bible and I like Ina Garten's Cakes but this is my favorite easy no fail chocolate cake recipe. You have to double or triple it for a party. If it's just for up to 6 people, the size is perfect. I make a Swiss meringue buttercream frosting for it but the regular fudge icing in the recipe is good too.

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Aunt-Sabellas-Black-Chocolate-Cake-with-Fudge-Icing

For a basic yellow cake I am a fan of the original Joy of Cooking recipe for Starlight Yellow Cake, but made with all butter instead of shortening. Delicious!

OP here - thanks for all the great suggestions. I've seen Ina's chocolate cake mentioned elsewhere too. Seems to be a big hit so I might give that one a shot.

Anonymous wrote:The Ina Garten chocolate cake and frosting is delicious. No boxed cake comes close.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/beattys-chocolate-cake-recipe.html

This is my absolute favorite chocolate cake/cupcake recipe. I think I am in the minority, but I don't like the espresso in it (I know it is supposed to just enhance the chocolate, but I still taste it) and substitute hot cocoa instead. I often do it w a vanilla buttercream as well.

The Ina Garten chocolate cake and frosting is delicious. No boxed cake comes close.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/beattys-chocolate-cake-recipe.html

For a unique birthday cake, I think a pavlova would be interesting. I always like them but have never made one myself.

If you are looking for a sheet cake recipe, I love the one from cooks illustrated. Not too time consuming, but delicious.

http://recipecircus.com/recipes/Catgurrl/Cakes-Tortes/Simple_Chocolate_Sheet_Cake.html

Ooo that basque cake looks great. That will go on my to-try list.

Meanwhile, this is a very nice Bea Vo vanilla cake from scratch recipe.You could take take it in a lot of directions:

http://www.lovefood.com/guide/recipes/20193/vanilla-layer-cake-recipe

Basque cake
http://coombs.info/baking/2010/04/recipe/basque-cake/

I love that DCUMers typically advocate organic and non processed but want to use fake box cake mixes with tons of additives instead of baking from scratch.
If your from scratch recipes don't taste good then you aren't a great cake baker. It's a different skill set then cooking or making bread.

I absolutely think it's worth making from scratch if you want to do something special. I've found that most mixes have an aftertaste of chemicals, though I do think Duncan Hines' Butter in the Mix is a good substitute for the real thing. For those who like vanilla, the Restaurant Eve Cake is our go-to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/20/AR2006042002164.html For chocolate lovers, I usually make Rose Levy Berenbaum's Chocolate Domingo Cake, which is insanely rich and delicious--so much so that we don't even frost it. You should be able to find the recipe online.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've tried many cake recipes and frankly find it not to be worth the effort. The box mixes are quite good and I don't think it matters what brand you get. When I've brought cakes to things - using box mixes - my cakes disappear quicky while a lot of the home made ones sit around. Other friends of mine who are good bakers & cooks agree not to bother with scratch.

I bake all the time and completely agree. I always make homemade frosting, but for the cake... Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe cake mixes are excellent.

I am an avid baker and I respectfully disagree. These are a few of my favorite recipes that I make all the time and they always turn out much better than a mix, IMO:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-cake-recipe.html

http://www.foodlibrarian.com/2013/11/chocolate-cinnamon-bundt-i-like-big.html

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/black-magic-cake/

Anonymous wrote:I've tried many cake recipes and frankly find it not to be worth the effort. The box mixes are quite good and I don't think it matters what brand you get. When I've brought cakes to things - using box mixes - my cakes disappear quicky while a lot of the home made ones sit around. Other friends of mine who are good bakers & cooks agree not to bother with scratch.

I bake all the time and completely agree. I always make homemade frosting, but for the cake... Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe cake mixes are excellent.

I've tried many cake recipes and frankly find it not to be worth the effort. The box mixes are quite good and I don't think it matters what brand you get. When I've brought cakes to things - using box mixes - my cakes disappear quicky while a lot of the home made ones sit around. Other friends of mine who are good bakers & cooks agree not to bother with scratch.

I am planning to make a birthday cake for my husband this weekend. I'm looking for your favorite cake recipes (doesn't have to be a traditional birthday cake) that is not too labor intensive, but extremely tasty.

Thanks!