For any occasion that warrants a cake, boxed cake mix can be a convenient time-saver.
Boxed mixes come with all the dry ingredients needed to bake a cake. All that’s left to do is add the wet ingredients and put the cake in the oven, saving you time and mess.
The only issue? Boxed cake mixes can sometimes turn out to be too dry or bland, or they lack that homemade flavor you’re looking for.
“Swap out the ingredients that are called for on the back of the box and make homemade frosting,” advises Elizabeth Waterson, the founder and blogger behind Confessions of a Baking Queen. “I bet you no one will ever know you started with a boxed cake!”
A few simple swaps or additions can transform a boxed cake mix. These changes are sure to make it taste like it was baked from scratch or picked up from a gourmet bakery.
The average cake mix calls for water, which is fine, but a little boring. Instead of using water, consider substituting any of these options:
Cake mixes typically call for vegetable oil. Make one of these simple swaps for a cake that’s rich, moist, and flavorful:
Spruce up a chocolate or vanilla cake mix with the addition of flavored extracts such as pure vanilla extract, coconut extract, or maple extract. “If you are making a chocolate cake, adding peppermint extract would be a perfect addition for a chocolatey, minty cake,” says Waterson. “Or, try almond extract with a white cake mix.” Start with 1 teaspoon of any extract and increase the amount as desired.
Baking spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice can enhance a cake. Mix 1 teaspoon of cinnamon into a vanilla cake mix for a touch of flavor. Mix 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon of allspice into a white or yellow cake mix to make a spice cake.
Transform a vanilla, chocolate, or yellow cake mix with citrus. Mix in 1 tablespoon of freshly grated orange, lime, grapefruit, or lemon zest. “For a citrus cake, also try using lemon juice or orange juice,” says Waterson. Replace 1/8 cup of the water called for on the box with lemon or orange juice to amp up the flavor.
Eggs provide structure and moisture in a cake mix. Make your cake richer or fluffier with these quick options:
You can mix fruits such as blueberries, raspberries, sliced strawberries, or chopped pineapple into a cake mix to make it more interesting. Prepare the batter according to the directions on the box. Toss the fruit in flour to prevent sinking, and then fold the fruit into the batter. Bake the cake according to the time on the box.
Adding texture to a cake mix can make it taste gourmet. Consider including one of these delicious mix-ins:
Amp up moisture and flavor with pudding. “Adding a box of pudding mix can create an incredibly moist but denser cake,” says Waterson. Mix in a small box of dry pudding mix with your dry ingredients, and then finish preparing the cake mix according to the box instructions.
Sour cream will enhance the crumb of a cake mix. Make a moist cake by mixing 3 tablespoons of sour cream into the batter. Finish baking the cake as directed.
You can skip the eggs, oil, and water called for on the box and use soda such as Sprite, Strawberry Fanta, or Pepsi instead to make a vegan cake. Keep in mind that this will make the cake a bit sweeter. Mix together the dry mix and a 12-ounce can of soda. Bake the cake according to the box instructions.
Skip the eggs to make a cake vegan. Use an egg replacer, ¼ cup applesauce, or ¼ cup mashed banana for every egg the mix calls for. Keep in mind that the applesauce and banana will add extra sweetness as well.
Pairing a boxed cake mix with delicious frosting is one of the simplest ways to spruce it up. Skip store-bought frosting and make homemade frosting instead. Cream together ½ cup of softened butter, 2 tablespoons of milk, 5 cups powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract until light and fluffy for an easy vanilla frosting.
Using a boxed cake mix can make baking a cake much simpler and faster. To make a cake that has more moisture, is richer, or even vegan, you can use simple swaps or additions. Extracts, spices, and a variety of mix-ins can also transform a box cake mix, making it taste gourmet.