Boxed cake mixes are convenient when you want to put together a quick dessert, but if you really want to make it your own, Duff Goldman has a baking tip that will take it to the next level. A boxed cake mix contains dry ingredients — flour, sugar, and leavening agents. The directions generally call for adding eggs, water, and vegetable oil. The Charm City Cake owner explained to Business Insider, “One of the first things you can do with a boxed cake mix is season it with what you’ve got, whether it’s cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves. You can start messing around by throwing in pumpkin purée or nuts, too.”
As little as a quarter teaspoon will add exceptional flavor to a yellow or white boxed cake. The addition of autumn favorites like applesauce, mashed banana, or maple syrup enhances and elevates those spices. Goldman’s advice is a great jumping-off point, but you need only to open your pantry to gain inspiration and make your boxed cake mix taste homemade.
Experiment with boxed cake mix
In addition to Duff Goldman’s recommendations, extracts can amp up the flavor of boxed cake mixes. Vanilla is always a good go-to; however, a little almond, coconut, or toasted marshmallow extract added to a chocolate cake mix can revolutionize your cake’s vibe altogether. If you favor citrus, a little zest from oranges, lemons, or limes can also put a fruity stamp on this baked good, making that boxed cake mix feel like you spent hours slaving over it.
Flavored liquids can also be used to give your cake an almost homemade taste. Add soda to your boxed cake mix and skip the eggs, oil, and water. The carbonated Coke, Sprite, or Orange Fanta will do all of the flavor work for you. Coffee can replace the call for water if you want a chocolate cake that will satisfy mocha lovers.
If you want to play with the texture, crush up your favorite cookies to the mix — like Oreos or Girl Scout Thin Mints — to create a cookies and cream or chocolate mint cake. Or chop up some of those old school candy bars for a candy bar-inspired boxed mix cake. The beauty of this hack is the limitless possibilities, so go wild.
