Doctored bundt cake made from boxed cake mix with added sour cream and instant vanilla pudding. This easy dessert tastes homemade and always receives compliments — one of the best boxed mix upgrades you can make.
Easy Cake Mix Bundt Cake with Pudding and Sour Cream
This recipe is perfect if you don’t consider yourself an experienced baker. It’s a semi-homemade approach that delivers the flavor and texture of a from-scratch cake without the extra fuss. I’ve made this many times and people never guess it started from a box.
You can mix this by hand using just a large spoon and one bowl — no mixer required. The batter is thick, but that’s how it should be. For more experienced bakers who shy away from mixes, this doctored version is a pleasant surprise.
This vanilla bundt is one of my favorite go-to dessert recipes and an excellent way to improve boxed cake mix.
Ingredients
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 eggs
- 1 box (15–16 ounces / 432–461 g) yellow or vanilla cake mix, unprepared
- 1 box (4-serving size) instant vanilla pudding mix, unprepared
These additions are what turn a boxed mix into something that tastes homemade. Any standard brand of yellow or vanilla cake mix will work. You can also experiment with different cake and pudding flavors for variations.
What Sour Cream Does for Cake Mix
Adding the right amount of sour cream makes the cake richer, more flavorful, and pleasantly denser than a plain boxed cake. Too little won’t make a difference; too much will weigh the cake down, so stick to the recipe proportions.
What Pudding Mix Does for Cake Mix
Instant pudding mix boosts flavor and moisture and helps create a softer, fluffier crumb.
How to Make This Bundt Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Baking at this lower temperature produces a moister, softer cake with a golden crust rather than a dark, dry exterior.
2. Grease a 10–12 cup (9–10 inch) bundt pan thoroughly with oil or butter, making sure to get into all the crevices and the center tube so the cake releases cleanly.
3. Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl combine the sour cream, vegetable oil, and milk. Beat in the eggs until smooth.
4. Add dry mixes: Fold in the cake mix and instant pudding mix until just combined. The batter will be thick; do not overmix.
5. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted deeply into the center comes out clean. If needed, test a second time on the opposite side.
6. Cool and remove: Let the cake rest in the pan for about 20 minutes. To remove, place a large plate over the pan and flip it right side up. If it doesn’t release immediately, tap the pan lightly until it does. Let the cake cool completely, about an hour or until it is no longer hot, before glazing or frosting.
7. Finish: Top with a glaze or frosting of your choice. A simple glaze of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla works beautifully and keeps the sweetness balanced. For a sweeter finish, use a thicker frosting.
This bundt cake reliably comes out soft, moist, fluffy, and flavorful. Serve it at room temperature or chilled — both are delicious. In fact, the cake often tastes even better after a day as the flavors settle.
If you try this recipe, leave a note about how it turned out — feedback is always welcome.
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Vanilla Pudding Sour Cream Bundt Cake (Boxed Mix)
Ingredients
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 eggs
- 1 box (15 – 16 ounces / 432–461 g) yellow or vanilla cake mix, unprepared
- 1 box (4-serving size) instant vanilla pudding mix, unprepared
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Grease a 10–12 cup (9–10 inch) bundt pan very well with oil or butter.
- In a large bowl combine sour cream, oil, and milk.
- Beat in the eggs until blended.
- Add the cake mix and instant pudding mix and gently mix until fully incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted deeply in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Remove by placing a plate over the pan and flipping it. Tap lightly if needed to release the cake.
- Let cake cool completely, about an hour, before frosting or glazing.
- Top with your favorite glaze or frosting and serve at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
- You can also use golden or white cake mix.
- Low-fat or nonfat sour cream? Low-fat may work but results will vary; avoid nonfat — full-fat sour cream gives the best flavor and texture.
- Butter instead of oil? Butter changes the texture and can weigh the cake down. The recipe performs best with oil.
- My cake mix already contains pudding — should I add pudding mix? Yes. Add the pudding mix as directed.
- Does the cake need refrigeration? It can sit out up to 24 hours; after that refrigerate. Stored in the fridge it keeps well for 4–5 days.
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