Today is my birthday, and I made my own cake.  Not because I had to, but because I like my homemade cakes better than just about every bakery cake I’ve ever had.  They’re not too fancy, just extra moist and flavorful. 
I say this not to boast, but to let you in on the secret.  They’re homemade, but not from scratch.  I start with a cake mix.  Pillsbury Moist Supreme, to be specific.  I love to bake. And I’ve made hundreds of cakes from scratch, and frankly, it’s hard to beat a good cake mix. And I haven’t found a cake mix better than Pillsbury Moist Supreme.

Now, I do make a couple of modifications. Sometimes, I use very soft or melted butter instead of vegetable oil for a lighter crumb. And I often add a couple of very ripe mashed bananas. (When you do this, decrease the water by 1/4 cup, and start checking to see if the cake is done 5 minutes before the recommended time.

And most importantly, I make homemade frosting — a little time consuming, but very easy if you follow the Neo-classical Buttercream recipe from The Cake Bible.