Birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, holidays—no party is complete without cake. And when it comes to cakes, box cake mixes are usually pretty delicious and they come in handy when you’re short on time or if you’re not a good baker. But there are ways to make box cakes taste homemade or even bought from a bakery. Here are five tips for making box cakes taste no so basic.
Add Eggs
For a richer and moister cake, add two more egg yolks than the recipe calls for. If you’re after a lighter and airier cake, only use the egg whites and use butter instead of the yolks. For each yolk you’ll need to replace it with one tablespoon of butter.
Replace Water
There are tons of liquids that will add more flavor to your cake than water like whole milk, non-dairy milk, buttermilk, soda, juice, or stout beer.
Intensify the Chocolate
Make your chocolate cake even more chocolaty by using hot water or brewed coffee instead of tap water.
Replace the Oil
Most box cakes have you adding vegetable or canola oil, but instead replace it with an equal amount of melted butter. You can also replace oil with two tablespoons of mayonnaise or 1/4 cup of sour cream or full fat yogurt.
Add Flavor
Make your yellow or white cake richer by adding 1/2 to one teaspoon of almond, rum, orange, or vanilla extract. You can also add fixings to the batter like cookies, brownies, or chocolate chips.
