WASC Cake Mix Recipe: Moist White Almond Sour Cream Cake

This easy White Almond Sour Cream Cake—commonly called WASC—has become a staple in the cake world for good reason.

Moist and flavorful, this doctored cake mix produces a sturdy layer cake that works beautifully for cupcakes, can be lightly carved, and holds up under fondant.

WASC is one of those dependable cake mix recipes that tastes homemade thanks to the addition of sour cream. It’s versatile and pairs well with almost any filling or frosting, making it a great choice for birthdays, bridal showers, baby showers, and more.

Why we Love WASC Cake

• Pairs well with nearly any filling or frosting and accepts add-ins or extract substitutions easily.
• Simple and quick to prepare.
• Sour cream gives it a rich, from-scratch texture.
• A reliable base cake that’s easy to customize.

How to Make WASC Cake

The full printable recipe appears below. Here’s a brief overview of the steps:

1. Preheat: Heat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
2. Prepare pans: Grease and flour two 8 x 2-inch round cake pans. Alternatively, divide batter among three 8-inch pans for an extra layer.
3. Dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk for about 30 seconds.
4. Wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix sour cream, water, oil, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract.
5. Combine: Add the wet mixture to the dry and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, stopping halfway to scrape the bowl.
6. Bake: Pour batter into prepared pans and bake at 325°F. Check around 35 minutes — the cake is done when it springs back to the touch, a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs, and the edges pull slightly away from the pan.

Decorating the WASC Cake

In the photos this cake is frosted with a classic vanilla buttercream and decorated with piped rosettes. You can finish this cake smooth, textured, piped, or covered in fondant—its sturdy crumb makes it easy to work with.

Recipe FAQs

More Doctored Cake Mix Recipes

Doctored cake mixes are a simple way to get moist, flavorful cakes that taste homemade. Variations may include sour cream, instant pudding, fruit purees, jello, or other mix-ins. A few favorites include lemon cake, strawberry cake, German chocolate from a cake mix, and Italian cream bundt.

WASC Cake (White Almond Sour Cream)

By: Melissa and Bebe

This White Almond Sour Cream Cake is a flavorful, reliable doctored cake mix that’s become the base for many other recipes.

Prep Time: 15 mins • Cook Time: 35 mins • Servings: 15

Ingredients

• 1 box white cake mix, sifted (15.25 oz) — use mix without pudding. (Yellow cake mix works too.)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (121 g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (242 g)
• 1/4 cup canola oil (54 g) — or substitute 1 stick (113 g) melted butter
• 1 cup water (240 g)
• 3 whole eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla (8 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional; substitute extra vanilla if preferred)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
2. Grease and flour two 8 x 2-inch round pans, or divide batter across three 8-inch pans for more layers.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients for about 30 seconds.
4. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, water, oil, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl after 1 minute.
6. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake at 325°F. Begin checking at 35 minutes. The cake is done when it springs back to the touch, a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs, and the cake pulls slightly away from the pan.

Makes about 7 cups of batter.

Notes

Freezing: Cake layers freeze well. Wrap each cooled layer tightly in plastic wrap and foil, placing on a foil-wrapped cake board for stability if desired. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw wrapped on the counter for 30–45 minutes before unwrapping, then allow to come to the desired temperature. Cakes can be easier to decorate when slightly frozen.