Want to hear a baking secret? Whether you're baking at home or waiting for your chance on The Great British Baking Show, every baker loves using box cake mix. We have a few tips and tricks up our sleeve to take your plain cake mix to the next level, and dare we say it, even taste like you used homemade cake batter.
1.Use Room Temperature Ingredients
Baking tip #1: make sure you are always baking with room-temperature ingredients. The temperature of your ingredients impacts the structure of your baked goods. Always aim to use room-temperature ingredients, around 70 degrees. Using yourMad Hungry Spurtle Set, sift and stir your eggs, fats, and liquids, to achieve that velvety batter we all know and love.
2. Replace Water with Milk or Buttermilk
Baking tip #2: adding milk to your box cake mix in place of water adds a dense texture to your dessert leaving it moist and flavorful like a homemade cake. Or, if you prefer, you can add buttermilk, giving your cake a tangy flavor to balance out the sweetness.
3. Substitute Sour Cream in the Mix
Baking tip #3: don't share this trick with anyone! The secret ingredient to making a moist cake is sour cream! That's right. Similar to milk, adding ½ cup of sour cream packs flavor into your box cake mix. It may sound a little crazy, but for the best results, use a full-fat sour cream... because calories don't count when you're enjoying homemade dessert, right?
4. Substitute Oilfor Butter
Baking tip #4: substitute oil for softened butter in your box cake recipe to give your cake a richer taste. Another spin on this baking trick is to add two tablespoons of mayonnaise. Yes, mayonnaise, giving your cake the taste of pure decadence.
5. Use More Eggs
Baking tip #5: this is an egg-cellent trick! Use yourMad Hungry Slotted Spurtleto separate a few extra egg yolks into your box cake mix. Adding extra eggs when baking a cake brings out a lighter and richer flavor, making your dessert even more delicious!
6. Add Vanilla Extract
Baking tip #6: Adding a touch of vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon to be exact, is all it takes to make your box cake taste better, even homemade. Using authentic vanilla permeates your cake, leaving the essence of vanilla in every bite.
7. Make It a Chocolate Lovers' Cake
Baking tip #7: it's simple to bake a decadent and delicious chocolate cake using a box cake mix. Instead of using 1 cup of flour, mix ¾ cup of flour with ¼ cup of cocoa powder, bringing this delicious chocolate lover's chocolate cake recipe to life. If you don't want to use cocoa powder, simply add strong, freshly-brewed coffee instead of water, adding depth and a bittersweet flavor of your cake.8. Decorate Your Cake Like A Pro
Baking tip #8: don't be afraid to load up on frosting, there's no such thing as too much! Use yourMad Hungry Spreader Spurtleto frost your cake in even layers. Homemade buttercream frosting is always a great choice for a five-star finish. Decorate your cake like a pro with chocolate chips, fruits or nuts. Make it a funfetti cake by simply adding sprinkles, or even add a little pudding to your cake to set it apart from the others!
Lastly, bake your cake in theKalorik MAXX Air Fryer Oven. For the best results, follow these helpful hints:
- Preheat your MAXX before baking
- Use the BAKE 2 setting instead of BAKE 1.
- Always add an extra 10 minutes to your timer when baking. Avoid opening the door when your cake is baking. Instead, use the oven light to check on your cake.
- Rotate your cake half way through the cook time.
- Insert a toothpick to determine whether your cake is done baking. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready!
- Use your air rack as a cooling rack for baked goods; the feet will hold the food off your countertop allowing air to circulate and cool your baked goods evenly.
FAQs
Instead of using water, substitute whole milk or your favorite non-dairy milk (almond, oat, and coconut milk work especially well). The milk adds fat, which results in a better flavor and density in your cake. If you want to make your cake extra rich, swap out the milk for buttermilk.
How to make boxed cake better? ›
How to Make Box Cake Better
- What Are Usually the Ingredients in Box Cake?
- For Moister Cake: Add One Extra Egg.
- For Richer Flavor: Swap Half the Vegetable Oil for Melted Butter.
- For Lighter, Spongier Cake: Substitute Mayonnaise for Oil.
- For a Flavor and Texture Similar to Pound Cake: Use Ghee Instead of Oil.
Instead of using water, substitute whole milk or your favorite non-dairy milk (almond, oat, and coconut milk work especially well). The milk adds fat, which results in a better flavor and density in your cake. If you want to make your cake extra rich, swap out the milk for buttermilk.
How many extra eggs can you add to a boxed cake mix to make it better? ›
Use an extra egg: Most boxed mixes will call for three eggs. Use four for a cake that's richer-tasting and moister. This tip is one I use practically every time I make a boxed cake mix. Substitute dairy: Replace the water called for on the package with dairy.
Should you beat eggs before adding to cake mix? ›
For chemically-leavened cakes — that is, cakes calling for baking powder or baking soda — it's OK if you don't remember to add the eggs until the end. Martina says, “Late in the mixing stage, eggs will incorporate better if you lightly beat them before adding to the batter.
How do you make a box cake taste like it came from the bakery? ›
Adding a liquid with a higher fat content though will make your mix taste just like it was made from scratch. Use the same amount of milk in place for water, or try buttermilk to add a touch of tang and create a fluffy crumb.
How do you make box cake mix fluffier? ›
Swap out each cup of water called for with milk. Buttermilk: Instead of water, use the same amount of buttermilk. The acid in the buttermilk interacts with the leavening agents in the mix for a better rise. "Swapping out the water for buttermilk creates a fluffier cake and a moister one, too," says Waterson.
Should eggs be room temperature before adding to cake mix? ›
“It is extremely important to use room temperature eggs because the eggs whip better, especially when whisking by hand, and it allows the cake to rise better, be fluffier, and be less dense,” she says. If you don't mind a denser cake and opt for cold eggs, expect a longer baking time.
What happens if you double the eggs in a cake mix? ›
Because eggs help build the cake's structure (don't use them and you're looking at a gooey mess), adding an extra egg yolk makes the cake batter denser. Translation: you'll have a moister confection. Conversely, she suggests an extra egg white for a fluffier cake.
Is oil better than butter in cakes? ›
The spongy texture and moist flavor that oil creates can be a boon to certain recipes. Not to mention oil is cheaper and easier to work with. Butter will always provide superior flavor and that melt-in-your-mouth texture. In many recipes, combining the two gives the best of both worlds.
Most cake mixes call for oil, but butter will bring in amazing flavor. To substitute butter for oil in baking just melt the butter, measure it, let it cool, and add it as you would the oil. Compared to oil, butter will create a cake with a firmer, cakeier texture.
What makes a cake mix rise better? ›
Add a leavening agent to the flour. Most cakes will call for a leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda. These create the bubbles you need for the cake to rise.
What happens if you use one less egg in cake mix? ›
If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe.
What can I add to store bought cake mix to make it better? ›
Add Milk, Coffee, or Soda
For example, buttermilk sings in a yellow and red velvet cake and brewed coffee makes chocolate cake taste bolder. Also, pop open a can of soda—Sprite, 7 Up, or ginger beer—for lemon and strawberry cake mixes.
Why do bakers doctor a box cake? ›
The added ingredients give the cake a better texture, more flavor, and more stability for stacking. Doctoring a box mix is a great way to make your cake taste better if you're not a confident baker yet or you just need a shortcut.
How do you keep a box cake moist after baking? ›
Using an air-tight container is the best and easiest way to keep your cake from getting exposed to air. However, if you don't have one of those, you can wrap your cake in cling film, or if it's iced, place a large inverted bowl over it to trap the air.
