5 Ways to Make Cake Mix Better
The recipe on the back of a box of Cake Mix is lackluster. You don’t have to follow box cake mix recipes exactly, you know… you can take a box of cake mix and make it into several different desserts or just a more fun cake. Keep reading to find 5 ways to make cake mix better AND a super simple, easy to follow recipe. Plus, I have a list of several other easy cake mix recipes that are sure to impress your guests!
Be sure to check out the rest of my delicious dessert recipes!
Why is cake mix so simple to use in baking?
Cake mixes offer the home baker time-saving convenience while still allowing them to serve a delicious, homemade dessert.
Rather than baking from scratch, cake mixes require minimal effort as they have already been premeasured and mixed. The result is a cake with a consistent texture that can be personalized by adding additional ingredients like nuts, chocolate chips, or fruits.
Furthermore, since cake mix often includes its leavening agent and requires a few eggs for binding, it is a simple process to create and make!
How do I make cake mix take better?
One of the most effective ways to improve the taste and texture of cake made from a box mix is to substitute some ingredients for richer components.
Rather than using water in the recipe, try milk, melted butter, or even coffee to increase moisture. Adding Greek yogurt or sour cream can boost both flavor and moistness.
Additionally, adding small amounts of spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom can enhance the cake mix’s taste profile.
Finally, tossing a handful of any chopped nuts or dried fruit into the batter will add another dimension to your creation.
These small tweaks may take more effort than simply following the package instructions, but they will ultimately produce a delicious dish.
You can also read these tips on How to Make Funfetti Cake Mix Taste Better!
What can I make with a boxed cake mix?
The versatility of the boxed cake mix makes it an appealing option for various baked goods. While the classic use is to create light and fluffy cakes, simple tweaks can turn that boxed cake into many other delicious treats.
Experienced bakers can go even further by adding their touches, such as almonds or chocolate chips, to the batter.
Depending on the occasion, a cook could assemble individual trifles by layering liqueur-soaked sponges with whipped cream and fruit or make decadent cupcakes topped with swirled frosting or sprinkles.
The ordinary boxed cake mix uses are limitless and can be tailored to suit one’s taste preferences or needs.
What are the flavors of cake mix I can buy at the store?
Most cake mix brands offer traditional favorites such as yellow, chocolate, and white cakes with additional flavor variations like marble and strawberry.
There are also unique options like pudding-in-the-mix cakes, lemon poppy seed cakes, and honey cakes found in stores with specialty baking ingredients.
For bakers looking for a more indulgent treat, there are options like double chocolate fudge mix or red velvet cream cheese frosting mix.
Whether you’re seeking a classic or an updated twist on the standard boxed cake mixes, discovering the range of flavors will guarantee an exciting option to bring home and enjoy.
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Does a boxed cake mix taste like a homemade cake?
It can! There are many ways that you can add better flavor to a good boxed cake mix. Make sure that you’re choosing a cake mix that you like the flavor of, first and foremost. If you like white cake mix, use that. If you like chocolate cake mix, use that.
And if you’re a strawberry cake mix fan, use that! Having a box cake taste like a homemade cake can happen, but you need to choose a flavor that you like first.
After that, you can achieve your bakery cake by following the simple steps below. You’ll find tips for wet ingredients, dry ingredients, cake batter tips, and even easy steps on how you can make a box cake mix taste homemade.
One other thing to think about is adding homemade frosting on top! Box cake mixes can easily taste like homemade cake recipes by adding a frosting that you make for extra flavor! This is such an easy way to make an average cake mix taste like the best cake ever.
If you want a flavorful cake and a moist cake, use the simple swaps and tips below. You won’t be sorry!
5 Ways to Make Cake Mix Better
1. More Fat in Your Box Cake Mix:
If you want a better box cake mix you need to substitute melted butter for the oil and double the amount your recipe calls for.
If you are on a diet, use applesauce instead of the extra oil or butter.
It won’t be as flavorful, but it will help with moist cakes.
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2. Make it Eggcellent:
Add an extra egg or two to make your cake mix recipe extra rich and fluffy – like in the Best Cupcake Recipe EVER from Crystal and Company!
The extra egg yolk or two makes the recipe richer. The egg whites make the box mixes fluffier.
So, you can do one or both depending on how your want your cake to taste.
3. Water Strike:
Water is drying out your cake and cupcakes! So, when replacing the water, use milk (chocolate milk?) or soda instead like this Mountain Dew Cupcake Recipe or these Coca-Cola Cupcakes. What flavor of soda pop cake will you make?
You could also add a 1/2 cup to a cup of sour cream make them more moist.
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4. Be Adventurous:
Throw stuff in there! Here are a few ideas. Try adding one or more following these box cake mix hacks!
- Extra vanilla extract, strawberry, or almond flavoring.
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or nutella.
- Your favorite candy bars – like this Reese’s Cupcake Recipe
- Chopped fresh fruit between two cakes, with frosting, can make a delicious and simple layer cake!
I like to make Poke Cake and fill the holes with Jello or pudding – seriously, it is probably my favorite box cake improvements. For a bit extra, try putting pudding in the mix, not just in the holes.
Poke Cake with Icing[/caption]
5. Make Cake Mix Cookies:
Try one or more of these alterations to your cake mix recipe and never eat a nasty, dry, flavorless boxed cake again!
Kelli’s Boxed Cake Mix Recipes:
Cinnamon Banana Bread Cake Mix Recipe
Blueberry Cobbler from Yellow Cake Mix
Zucchini Bread Easy Cake Mix Recipe
Gluten Free Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Blueberry Cobbler made with Cake Mix
More Ways to Use Box Cake Mix:
- Ultimate Cake Mix Cookie Book: More Than 375 Delectable Cookie Recipes That Begin with a Box of Cake Mix
- Cake Mix Cookies: More Than 175 Delectable Cookie Recipes That Begin With a Box of Cake Mix
- The Cake Mix Doctor: create 150 desserts using a box of cake mix!
You can make any cake mix into cookies! Think of the possibilities; double chocolate chip, chocolate peppermint, rocky road. Can you tell I like chocolate? Just follow this simple recipe:
5 Ways to make Cake Mix better
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz box cake mix
- ¼ Cup(s) oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon milk
- ½ Cup(s) mix-ins like chocolate chips optional
- frosting optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Stir cake mix, eggs, oil and milk until combined. Stir in mix-ins.
- Make 1inch balls with spoons or a cookie scoop and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet or parchment. Flatten slightly.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden around the edges.
- Cool for 1 minute before removing. Frost immediately if you are using frosting or making sandwich cookies.
Nutrition
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Oh my gosh! I was so excited to have stumbled up on this post that’s packed with awesome tips to make cake mix better and wonderful recipes. What fabulous ideas! I followed your simple recipe to make cake mix into cookies and it was just like you described – quick, easy and so delicious! I added in some colorful sprinkles just like those in your image. Mmmmm….
I have some add in for box brownies I add two tablespoons of malt powder yummy ?. Also tsp. Of cinnamon sometimes or more.
You had me at cake mix cookies! I love these ideas of taking something ordinary and making it AMAZING! Love!
These are all amazing recipes! I some cake mixes in the pantry that I’m going to doctor up now!
Oh my gosh! I was so excited to have stumbled up on this post that’s packed with awesome tips to make cake mix better and wonderful recipes. What fabulous ideas! I followed your simple recipe to make cake mix into cookies and it was just like you described – quick, easy and so delicious! I added in some colorful sprinkles just like those in your image. Mmmmm….
You had me at cake mix cookies! I love these ideas of taking something ordinary and making it AMAZING! Love!
These are all amazing recipes! I some cake mixes in the pantry that I’m going to doctor up now!
I want to try making cake with soda! That sounds like a lot of fun. I bet with sugared soda though 🙂
Thanks for sharing at Bloggers Spotlight!
Thanks for the great tips. I’ll have to give some of them a try. Thanks for sharing at Funtastic Friday.
Great tips for a better cake! Hope you have a fantastic weekend and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Great tips for a better cake! Hope you have a fantastic weekend and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Great tips! Thank you for sharing:)
Great tips! Thank you for sharing:)
Hey Kelli! These are excellent tips. Cake mix cookies seem like they are delicious! Definitely going to change up the way I bake now. Thank you so much for joining the party at Dishing It & Digging It this week!
Hey Kelli! These are excellent tips. Cake mix cookies seem like they are delicious! Definitely going to change up the way I bake now. Thank you so much for joining the party at Dishing It & Digging It this week!
I love these tips. I also like the confetti cookies. They may go in my holiday treat bags this year. Thanks for sharing on Sunday’s Best.
Great ideas!! My husband is the cake man – I’ll share these with him! Thanks for sharing on the What’s for Dinner link up – Would love to have you give us a comment at the party!
These are great tips. I’m going to bake cupcakes but will try for the first time to make buttercream frosting.
These are great tips. I’m going to bake cupcakes but will try for the first time to make buttercream frosting.
Although I usually do cook from scratch, I sometimes can’t resist the convenience of cake mixes. I do many of the things you suggest, using the mix as a starting point for my own creation. Great tips. Break out of the box! 😀
Although I usually do cook from scratch, I sometimes can’t resist the convenience of cake mixes. I do many of the things you suggest, using the mix as a starting point for my own creation. Great tips. Break out of the box! 😀
I had no idea that boxed cake mix could be so versatile. Thank you for the great tips and recipes. I will be trying some of these this weekend. My kids will be excited.
When I make cupcakes I use a boxed white cake mix, the ingredients called for on the back of the box, except I only use 2 egg whites and add 2 more whole eggs. I also add a small box of instant fat free sugar free vanilla pudding powder mix, 1 teaspoon of clear vanilla flavoring, 1 teaspoon of coconut flavoring and the beans of 1 whole vanilla bean. I bake on 325. Everyone asks for these cupcakes and they can never figure out the flavoring combo. Over the years, I’ve just tweaked and tweaked the recipe till now and it’s perfect. I have used butter for oil and milk for water but to me, they are alittle too dense so I just stick with my tweaked recipe.
This sounds super delicious – I love to try adding new things and taking out old things from a boxed mix 🙂
I use olive oil instead of the regular cooking oil or butter. It makes the most moist and delicious cakes I have ever tried!
Just wanted to let you know that the pictures aren’t showing up for me. 🙂 Trying to repin this again.
I see all but the top one – I have let the lady that combined my sites know. 🙂 Thanks bunches for telling me!
Just wanted to let you know that the pictures aren’t showing up for me. 🙂 Trying to repin this again.
If you add milk to the cake mix does that mean you need to refrigerate it after it is baked?
Great cake tips! I can really use them! Thanks for sharing!
Great tips for making our cakes better, I will have to try some of these. Hope you have a great weekend and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Great tips for making our cakes better, I will have to try some of these. Hope you have a great weekend and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
You ought to try Vanilla Butter Nut flavoring by McCormick instead of just plain vanilla.
Great ideas. One more. . . When making pineapple upside down cake, use the pineapple juice in the cake instead of water. So much more flavorful!!!
Great tips!
All good ideas – my daughter swears by putting more oil in brownie mix, too…hey, it isn’t diet food! I made a cake for Easter that was pineapple flavored and added a small can of crushed pineapple to it to amp up the flavor. it was moist and wonderful! Pinning this post – thanks!
Amen, Gina! If we wanted diet food, we wouldn’t be eating cake. 🙂
Great Ideas! Thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Great Ideas! Thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Love these great tips…I always add Vanilla to EVERYthing almost but never thought to use any of the others you speak of.
Over from Miz Helens
ooo fun ideas! Thanks for linking up to Tasteful Tuesdays! love it! Really appreciate you stopping by my blog! I’m trying to keep in better touch with my linkers/readers… If you already follow me, please let me know I will find your blog on Bloglovin (I’m transferring my follows there)if you don’t follow in any way, would you consider following via GFC or other method?
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