Baking is an art, and not many of us have the time or the patience to master it. It's why there are boxed cake mixes that solve your dessert problems when you're having all your family and friends over for dinner.
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00:00There's no shame in baking a cake using a boxed cake mix.
00:04You've got practically everything you need all boxed up in a super convenient package.
00:09But let's face it, boxed cake mix tastes suspiciously like boxed cake mix.
00:14So what do you do if you crave the flavor and texture of a homemade cake, but need the
00:18convenience a boxed cake mix offers?
00:21These hacks will elevate your boxed cake into the made-from-scratch flavor you crave.
00:27Dairy Delish
00:28Standard boxed cake mixes call for plain water to be mixed into the batter.
00:32But what would happen if you subbed that liquid for something that delivered a lot more flavor
00:37and richness?
00:38That's exactly what happens when you swap real milk for the water in a boxed cake mix.
00:43Adding the milk also increases the denseness of the cake, making it seem more like homemade.
00:48You can also substitute real butter for the oil.
00:51Melt the butter first so you can measure it correctly, and it'll mix well into your batter.
00:55The luxurious buttery flavor makes your cake taste homemade and expensive.
01:00Creamy Substitutes
01:02Mayo in cake?
01:04It's not as crazy as it sounds.
01:06Mayonnaise is made from eggs and oil, after all.
01:09Follow the directions as normal, adding a couple of tablespoons of mayo to your batter
01:13to boost the flavor, or up to one cup for an extra moist cake.
01:17Yogurt can also add some surprising zing and texture to your cake mix batter.
01:22The blog One Good Thing adds six ounces of lemon yogurt, two tablespoons of oil, and
01:27two-thirds of a cup of buttermilk to substitute the liquid portion of a cake mix.
01:31Adding a few tablespoons of sour cream to the batter improves the flavor even more.
01:36Finally, a pint of your favorite ice cream will take your cake to the next level.
01:40You're so hungry for delicious ice cream.
01:44Prepare the batter, but sub the oil and water for the ice cream that you've allowed to melt.
01:49This hack allows you to get super creative with the flavor combinations.
01:54Use soda
01:55Want to really trick your friends and family into thinking you labored over a cake from
01:59scratch?
02:00The good news is, it's as easy as popping open a can of your favorite soda.
02:05Mix the dry cake mix ingredients together with a 12-ounce can of soda and bake as directed.
02:10That's it!
02:11The Huffington Post provides a helpful list of flavor ideas, like combining French vanilla
02:16cake mix with orange soda for a creamsicle cake, or spice cake mix and ginger ale for
02:21a ginger spice cake.
02:24Mocha masterpiece
02:25Adding coffee to your cake mix batter is a truly fabulous hack, because it's one that
02:30people will have a hard time pinpointing.
02:33They'll just know that you've added a little something-something that gives it a real wow
02:37factor.
02:38A few tablespoons of strong-brewed coffee, when added to chocolate cake, will boost the
02:42chocolatey taste of your cake, without a coffee taste.
02:46Juice it up
02:47Much like real dairy improves the texture and richness of a store-bought cake mix, subbing
02:52out the liquid in your recipe with more creative items can really boost the flavor of the cake
02:57you're baking.
02:58Consider using orange juice in the batter of yellow cake, or apple juice in a spice
03:01cake.
03:02I can make that with some… apple juice.
03:06Coconut milk is a great sub for the liquids in a flavorful coconut cake.
03:10And chocolate milk will make a chocolate cake taste like it is fresh from the bakery.
03:15Egg-speriment
03:17Eggs do a lot for baked goods.
03:19According to celebrity chef Sarah Moulton, eggs can provide structure, leavening, richness,
03:24color, and flavor to baked products.
03:26They work in tandem with the flour and sugar in a recipe, and help to set the height and
03:30structure of your baked cakes.
03:32If eggs lend all that great stuff to cake, why not try adding one more?
03:37That's exactly what they do over at Spoon University, whipping up a batch of funfetti
03:41cupcakes with an extra egg mixed into the batter.
03:44Another egg-cellent cake trick?
03:46Using egg whites only in your cake batter.
03:49The gang at The Rachel Ray Show advises using egg whites in your white cake mix batter to
03:54achieve a fluffier, whiter cake.
03:56Just make sure to add a little more butter or oil to make up for the fat loss from the
04:00missing yolks.
04:02Homemade frosting
04:03No matter what you do to jazz up a boxed cake mix, there's no bigger sign that a cake is
04:08straight from the box than the unmistakable flavor of store-bought, canned frosting.
04:14Next time you're making a boxed cake mix, set a few extra minutes aside to whip up an
04:18easy, homemade cake frosting.
04:20For the simplest vanilla buttercream, all you need is butter, powdered sugar, vanilla,
04:25and milk.
04:26Candy crush
04:28A trick that will certainly make everyone believe you made a cake from scratch is to
04:32incorporate candy into the batter.
04:34Candy makes everything taste better.
04:39Again, with this hack, there are endless flavor combinations that you can create, but there
04:47are a few guidelines to follow to make sure you achieve your desired results.
04:51If using large candy bars, be sure to chop them into bite-sized pieces.
04:56With soft or chocolate candies, freeze the candy overnight so they don't completely melt
05:00away into your baking cake.
05:02When checking the cake for doneness, don't insert a toothpick in the center of the cake
05:06as you might normally do.
05:08An oozy piece of candy could get in your way.
05:10Instead, press lightly on top of the cake with your fingertips.
05:14If it springs back easily, it's done.