We all know that using a box mix is one of the simplest and most dependable methods to make a cake. Box mixes are inexpensive, simple to assemble, and nearly always turn out properly.
So, why jeopardize perfection?
Perhaps you want a cake that is a little more creative. Maybe you’d want to spice up that box mix so no one knows your cake wasn’t created by Betty Crocker. Or maybe you believe that box mix cake can be improved somewhat.
If you’re thinking any of these things, this blog article is for you!
I’ll highlight a few tasty and simple hacks that will make your box cake mix even better.
If you’re feeling very inventive, try converting that cake mix into brownies!
Contents
- 1 – Bye Bye Water
- 2 – Coffee in Cake?
- 3 – More Eggs!
- 4 – Zesty
- 5 – Waffles?
- 6 – Slow Cook It
- 7 – We Want Butter!
- 8 – Spicy
- 9 – Extract
- 10 – Anything Else…
- FAQs
- How do you make a box cake taste like a bakery cake?
- What can I add to box cake mix to make it better?
- How to make a boxed cake taste homemade?
- How to hack a box cake mix?
- How do you doctor up a box cake?
- How to make a cake mix taste like a scratch cake?
- How many extra eggs can you add to a boxed cake mix to make it better?
- What does adding an extra egg do to a cake mix?
- Is it better to use water or milk in a box cake mix?
- What does baking soda do to box cake mix?
1 – Bye Bye Water
Water is used in the majority of box cake mix recipes. If you want a great rich cake, don’t use water. Thus, instead of water, go to whole milk (be sure to check out the differences in milk and buttermilk in cake).
Adding full milk gives the cake more fat and hence a smoother mouth feel and flavor. If you don’t have whole milk, two percent or skim will do; anything is preferable than plain water!
Avoid using heavy cream or half and half since they are overly rich (too much fat can mess with your recipe is a negative way so stick with the milks rather than the creams).
If your recipe calls for one cup of water, use one cup of milk instead. Just simply adding one ingredient, you can make a box cake that tastes like it came directly from a bakery shelf!
2 – Coffee in Cake?
If you’re creating a chocolate box cake, you should absolutely use coffee for the water. The addition of coffee to the cake enhances the chocolate flavor and makes it taste even more exquisite.
Strangely, you will not taste any coffee, just more chocolate! For this easy hack, replace the water in the recipe with an equal quantity of coffee.
This is also a fantastic way to use up leftover coffee.
3 – More Eggs!
Most box cake mixes call for one or two eggs, but what if you add just one more? What would occur? That’s what magic is.
Adding an extra egg can significantly increase the moistness and density of your cake. The additional egg will thicken the cake and make it taste homemade, with no box in sight!
With only one more egg, your cake will be changed.
If you don’t want to use eggs, try out these egg alternatives in cake!
4 – Zesty
When baking, a single small additional ingredient may make all the difference. In this situation, I’m referring to the addition of lemon zest to a box mix cake.
A teaspoon of lemon zest transforms an average vanilla box cake into something remarkable. Vibrant fruit tastes will show through in every slice of cake, adding your distinctive touch.
Although lemon zest complements vanilla and white cakes well, orange zest complements chocolate cakes better.
5 – Waffles?
This tiny method is primarily about speeding up the delivery of your cake. When you mix and measure, you’ll probably want to enjoy your cake right away- no one likes to wait around while it bakes!
Pouring the batter into a waffle maker is an easy method to have the cake eaten straight away. Waffle makers are reasonably priced, and if you don’t already have one, you can quickly get one from Amazon. These are a wonderful item to have in your kitchen, and they can be used for a variety of baking techniques.
The cake batter will cook in the waffle machine in approximately 3-5 minutes, yielding golden brown cake waffles.
No more waiting for cake—thanks to this great technique, it will only take around 10 minutes from opening the box to taking the first taste.
6 – Slow Cook It
Place the cake mix and any canned fruit filling in the slow cooker (a can of cherry filling for a chocolate cake mix, a can of strawberry filling for a strawberry cake mix or maybe a can of pumpkin to a vanilla cake mix).
Turn on the slow cooker and step away. Four hours later, you’ll be devouring one of the moistest cakes you’ve ever tasted!
Slow cookers trap in moisture, so no moisture escapes while the cake cooks, as occurs when a cake is cooked in a conventional oven. The fruit filling provides a lot of moisture to the cake as well.
This is a whole new technique to bake a cake: soft and gooey!
7 – We Want Butter!
Most box cake mixes will request that oil be added, but do you know what is better than oil? Butter. Simply said, butter is always superior.
Replacing the oil with butter adds a more diverse taste to the cake mix as well as a beautiful richness that oil cannot provide.
When using butter, melt it first before adding it to the batter. You should also use twice as much butter as oil. If your recipe calls for half a cup of oil, use 1 cup of butter.
It’s a simple switch for a richer dessert!
8 – Spicy
Most box cake mixes are quite straightforward. There isn’t much diversity with a white cake here and a vanilla cake there. Throwing some spices into the mix is a fast cure for this monotony.
Select your spices based on the taste character you want to create. Is it autumn and you desire a cake with warm aromas? Add a dash of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, or allspice (or all of the above!) to your mix.
A little chile powder in your chocolate cake can make it taste like Mexican chocolate cake!
You may experiment with a variety of spices, so be creative!
9 – Extract
A little vanilla essence goes a long way in cake batter.
Boxed cake mixes may lose taste after lying on shop shelves for a long time. By adding vanilla essence, you may bring those flavors back to life since vanilla enhances all flavors.
But don’t stop there; try adding almond or maple essence to your vanilla cakes. A dash of mint extract in a chocolate cake will tantalize your taste buds, while a dash of lavender extract in a strawberry cake will be delightfully surprising.
Congratulations for the easiness and ingenuity of extracts!
10 – Anything Else…
Box cake mixes are so versatile that you can pretty much toss whatever you want into the recipe. You may add peanut butter cups, chocolate chips, cookie crumbs, fresh berries, or pumpkin puree to a box cake mix.
Although certain mix-ins may change the texture of the cake (frozen berries, for example, can add moisture and make the cake more thick), they are so simple to include into the cake batter to create a cool, unique sort of cake of your own design.
Check your cabinet to discover what you have! Please include a handful of chocolate chips and some chopped strawberries in my box cake mix!
After reading all of these fantastic box cake mix hacks, I am certain that you will never look at a simple box of cake mix in the same way again. There are so many methods to improve your box mix that it almost seems stupid to create cake from scratch again!
Now it’s time to put on your chef’s hat and decide which kind of cakes to bake first. Get out the box mix and use the recipe as a general guideline—with these wonderful hacks, you can come up with some incredible new cake tastes!
Which of these hacks is your favorite? Do you have any of your own? Please let us know in the comments!
Check read our post on creating cake with missing ingredients for additional cake baking tips.
FAQs
How do you make a box cake taste like a bakery cake?
8 Easy Techniques & Strategies to Improve Box Cake
Ingredients should be at room temperature.
Use milk or buttermilk for the water.
Substitute Sour Cream for the Butter…. Increase the number of eggs…. Add Vanilla Extract.
Make It a Chocolate Lovers’ Cake… Decorate It Like A Pro.
What can I add to box cake mix to make it better?
A Pro’s 6 Simple Ways to Improve Your Boxed Cake Mix…
Add one additional egg.
Pour in some milk, coffee, or soda.
Replace the oil with butter.
Mix in the Instant Pudding.
Enhance the flavor with a citrus extract or zest.
Decorate the cake with homemade icing.
Sep 19, 2022
How to make a boxed cake taste homemade?
Try using a couple of these ideas to make your box cake mix taste better!
Instead of water, use milk….
Add more eggs…
To the dry ingredients, add the sugar and flour.
For chocolate cakes, use coffee instead of water.
Sour Cream is ideal for providing moisture and taste.
Pudding gives moisture as well as taste.
More to come…
•Jan 20, 2021
How to hack a box cake mix?
Hack for Creating Boxed Cake Mix
Replace the water in the package instructions with milk. DOUBLE the quantity of butter and replace the oil in the package instructions. Add one more egg than the package directions ask for. Combine the ingredients and bake according to the package instructions.
How do you doctor up a box cake?
To add moisture to the cake, add sour cream, yogurt, or even mayonnaise to the recipe. If you want to give your yellow cake a caramel taste, use brown butter instead of oil or ordinary butter. (Don’t be shy about using salted butter. Use milk, evaporated milk, or buttermilk for the water. Alternative methods to include fat
How to make a cake mix taste like a scratch cake?
Trick #2 for making box mix taste like homemade
To add flavor and moisture, replace water with milk. You may use buttermilk to make red velvet cake.
To add flavor and a handmade feel, replace the oil with melted butter.
Replace the water in chocolate pastries with cooled coffee.
Jan 28, 2019
How many extra eggs can you add to a boxed cake mix to make it better?
1 extra egg for a moister cake
Instead of three eggs, add four to your cake batter. The second egg will contribute more fat, resulting in a moister cake with a bit more structure – an essential characteristic of a cake that will be decorated.
What does adding an extra egg do to a cake mix?
Since eggs serve to construct the structure of the cake (without them, you’ll have a gooey mess), adding an additional egg yolk makes the cake mixture denser. The result will be a moister confection. In contrast, she recommends adding an additional egg white for a fluffier cake.
Is it better to use water or milk in a box cake mix?
When your box mix specifies for liquid, add MILK, not water. The milk gives your combination solidity, fat, and, most importantly, taste. WHITES: Leaving out the yolks makes the cake fluffy and whiter!
What does baking soda do to box cake mix?
Baking soda is used to the recipe to neutralize the acids as well as to give softness and some leavening. When using baking powder or baking soda in a recipe, sift or whisk it with the other dry ingredients before adding it to the batter to guarantee consistency. Otherwise, huge holes may appear in the cooked item.