Try Some Mayonnaise While some might balk at the idea of adding this creamy condiment to a cake, a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise will give your cake a richer taste and smoother texture. Use a convenient & inexpensive boxed cake mix along with a few staple pantry ingredients to "doctor up" the cake mix. Homemade frosting. These simple tips will allow you to have your (boxed) cake and eat it too. This trick works best for chocolate cakes, as it won’t change the color of the cake but will help to emphasize the rich cocoa flavors. Add eggs to the dry ingredients. What Is Cake Enhancer and Does It Actually Work. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Other non-traditional liquids that will add interesting flavors and textures to your cake include soda, stout beer, and even orange juice. Mix a teaspoon of lemon or vanilla extract into the batter. Add a 1/4 cup of butter, 1/2 cup of flour and a teaspoon of baking powder. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. There’s just nothing like a big piece of homemade chocolate cake with creamy, chocolate frosting, and a tall glass of milk. For example, if your cake mix calls for 1/3 cup oil, use 2/3 cups melted butter. Substitute the water called for on the cake box with strong, freshly brewed coffee. If you used mostly lemon juice, use two teaspoons of pure vanilla extract. Stir the rest into the batter. While some might balk at the idea of adding this creamy condiment to a cake, a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise will give your cake a richer taste and smoother texture. Either use oil as directed or substitute melted butter. You don't need to tackle a pastry chef-style recipe. A Web Experience brought to you by LEAFtv, Granny’s Cookbook: Baking With A Cake Mix, Your Homebased Mom: Perfect Lemon Cupcakes, How to Substitute Lemon Extract for Lemon Zest, How to Make Cookies With Betty Crocker Cake Mix. Many believe that a boxed lemon cake always tastes like a box cake, no matter what you do to it. A cake is only as good as the frosting it’s paired with. If you're looking for a simple recipe to simplify your weeknight, you've come to the right place--easy dinners are our specialty. 16. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Pile your layers with sliced fruit, ganache, lemon curd, icing, etc. Line the bottoms of two 8” pans with parchment paper then grease with cooking spray. Whether you're cooking for yourself or for a family, these easy dinners are sure to leave everyone satisfied and stress-free. 5 Bake for 23-28 minutes, or according to box directions. 8. May 1, 2019 - How to make a boxed cake mix taste homemade {“doctored up” cake mix} recipe: This is the best way to make a boxed cake mix taste homemade! SEMI HOMEMADE CARROT CAKE SQUARES. Making a spice cake? Then stir in the lemon zest, juice and extract. Replace the water with an equal amount of whole milk. Other great additions include lemon zest, orange or almond extract, and rum. Swapping out ingredients, like oil for butter or milk for water, will take a boxed cake to the next level. I like to use a homemade pan release (cake goop). 15. Replace the vegetable oil with an equal amount of melted butter. Allow this cake to cool completely before serving. There's no shame in reaching for the box mix—but here's how to make it taste like you didn't. Make sure to double the amount. You can make your own or spice up store-bought icing. Try these easy recipes for Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, Mascarpone Frosting, or Cream Cheese Frosting, which will work with just about any flavor of boxed mix. To immediately increase both the flavor and moisture of a cake, add a small box of instant pudding mix. Margarita Mix (alcohol free) instead of water plus lemon zest. msn back to msn home lifestyle. However, using a pre-portioned cake mix shouldn’t mean settling for sub-par flavor or texture. Boxed cake mix taste like homemade how to make box cake better almost boxed cake mix taste like homemade lemon cake with cream cheese Lemon Cake A Doctored Mix Recipe MyLemon Cake A Doctored Mix Recipe MyLemon Cake A Doctored Mix Recipe MyEasy Lemon Er Cake Crazy For CrustCake Mix Recipe Together As FamilyEasy Lemon. Kahlua instead of water (chocolate cake) 18. Add Lemon- If you normally think that boxed cake mixes are too sweet, you should add some lemon! This condiment, which is comprised of egg yolk and oil, won’t mess up the chemistry of your batter, but will make it taste amazing. The result will be a perfectly moist, fluffy, rich cake that ta… Adding a few tablespoons of mayonnaise to any standard boxed mix will ensure your cake will stay moist and delicious longer. RELATED: What Is Cake Enhancer and Does It Actually Work? Luckily, there’s no shame in relying on a boxed cake mix when time is limited and a fresh-from-the-oven cake is needed ASAP. Using pudding mix creates a richer, denser cake. Replacing the water with milk will make your cake instantly taste homemade, while using buttermilk will make it taste rich and creamy. Combine all the ingredients with a large spoon or mixer. Consider using lemon-lime soda for part of the required liquid. Replace Water with Dairy The average cake mix calls for the most boring of liquids: water. Pour this batter into 2 greased/floured round cake pans. Brewed Coffee instead of water (chocolate cake) 17. Experiment with add-ins - You can be as creative as you would like to be while experimenting with add-ins. Try adding chocolate pudding mix to chocolate cake, vanilla pudding to just about any kind of cake, or lemon pudding to add a hint of citrus to your baked good. Sour cream was another of my Grandmother's kitchen tricks. Mix and bake. It’s always a good idea to brush your layers with simple syrup to give them some added moisture and sweetness, but you can also rely on other coatings like sweet liqueur and jam to have a similar effect. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for 1 more minute. Jillee at One Good Thing adds six ounces of lemon yogurt to ⅔ of a cup of buttermilk to make up the liquid portion of a delicious lemon cake made with yellow, white, or even spice cake mix.. It’s so quick and easy to take a normal cake, add a few finishing touches, and make it next-level beautiful. Add a 1/4 cup of butter, 1/2 cup of flour and a teaspoon of baking powder. No forks or spoons required, just easy-to-pick-up party foods, so you can clean up in no time. Then add the eggs one at a time and beat until well combined. Tips How To Doctor A Boxed Cake Mix To Taste Like Homemade Using a few simple substitutions, your boxed cakes will taste rich, moist, and homemade. Don’t worry, the sour flavor will disappear into the cake entirely. You can also opt to add only additional yolks, which will make for a richer flavor, or only additional whites, which will make for a lighter, fluffier texture. The lemon Jell-O in this cake mix recipe gives a blast of lemon flavor that will make your taste buds smile. Any of those substitutions will quickly make your cake taste as if it was made in a bakery! Substitute melted butter for the oil : Substituting butter for the oil works miracles and makes the cake taste like it was made from scratch. How to Make Store-Bought Icing to Taste Homemade. Make sure to shake and rotate the pan to coat with the sugar, and then shake out the excess. Read More: 14 hacks to make your boxed cake taste … Crushed cookies, nuts, jam, bananas, chocolate chips, sprinkles, and spices are all great options. Don’t forget the lemon glaze that gets drizzled on top of this cake. Which is why I always substitute an equal amount of melted butter for vegetable oil, which is typically called for on the cake mix box. To make a moist lemon desert cake, add an additional 1-1/3 cups of water and/or lemon juice as well as two packets of instant lemon pudding. If the box calls for two eggs, use three or four instead. Even if you make no other adjustments to the cake mix ingredients, this step will have your dinner guests fooled. You’ll want to bake your cake in 8- or 9-inch round pans for this. Make cakes: Preheat oven to 350°. Milk makes a denser cake. Yet lemon cake mixes contain the same dry ingredients as cakes made from scratch, such as flour, baking soda and sugar. Pour the batter into a greased baking pan and bake according to the directions on the box. You know I love a good scratch cake but sometimes you need a great tasting cake FAST! Melted butter serves the same purpose as oil, while also adding richness and depth to the cake. In your stand mixer bowl or another bowl add the wet ingredients. This will give your cake a richer taste instantly, in comparison to the virtually flavorless oil. Eggs enhance both flavor and texture in a cake, so an easy way to upgrade both is to increase your egg count. 6. From chips and dip to one-bite apps, finger foods are the perfect way to kick off a party. Grease and flour three 8x2 inch round cake pans. Zest a lemon with a fine grater or microplane. 1 box Duncan Hines cake mix 4 large egg whites 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup water 1 small box instant pudding mix 1 cup (8 oz) regular sour cream Make sure to match up your pudding to … Milk makes a denser cake. Otherwise, add two teaspoons of … 14. Another easy way to increase the flavor instantly is to add a pinch of salt to any kind of cake, which will help to balance the sweetness. Yogurt can also add some surprising zing as well as texture to your cake mix batter. "The cake comes out clean, is easy to frost, and the sugar gives a nice crisp that won't make the cake white and pasty like flour does," Ziesmer said. Skip the vegetable oil called for on the box and substitute in an equal amount of melted butter. Fortunately, over the years, I’ve learned a few tips for making a cake mix taste homemade. Read the box directions and preheat the oven to the appropriate temperature. Use a convenient & inexpensive boxed cake mix along with a few staple pantry ingredients to "doctor up" the cake mix. For an easy supper that you can depend on, we picked out some of our tried-and-true favorites that have gotten us through even the busiest of days. Pour the batter into a 9"x13" greased cake pan, and spread it evenly. Although this step will require some extra time and effort, the effect will be well worth it. Simply combine the pudding mix with your dry cake mix before bringing in your wet ingredients. Add zest from a lemon, lime or orange If you're making a white or yellow cake, add a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon or lime zest, or a bit of juice. Here are 7 ways to make box cake mix taste homemade. You can add 1/2 cup of sour cream to the batter. In another bowl, combine the … This is the best way to make a boxed cake mix taste homemade! Otherwise, add two teaspoons of lemon extract. Turn a plain chocolate or yellow cake mix into a customized creation by adding the dried fruits, nuts, chocolate, and spices of your choice. 7. Substitute milk and/or lemon juice for water. Jazzing up a lemon cake mix requires little additional work, and makes room for lot of creativity, as lemon cake mixes provide a versatile foundation. In reality, most of us don’t have that kind of time on our hands. You could use homemade lemon curd, a spread like Nutella or even a creamy custard. Apple juice or cider instead of water (spice cake) APPLE CIDER MAPLE SPICE CUPCAKES. See recipe notes for freezing cake. Mix the rest of the lemon zest and a teaspoon of vanilla into the icing. When it comes to white mix, yellow mix, and just about any other variety, the vanilla flavor tends to leave much to be desired. Whenever I use these tips, people often are surprised to hear that the cake was made from a box! The result will be a perfectly moist, fluffy, rich cake that tastes like it came from a bakery. 8 oz package of cream cheese OR 8 oz container whipped cream; Choose either cream cheese or whipped cream to add to the mix. Then bump up to medium speed and mix for 2 minutes to develop the texture and structure of the cake. Instead of using water, use a dairy product. Open the box mix and place the contents into a large mixing bowl. By substituting a few key ingredients and customizing your recipe ever so slightly, you can instantly turn that $3 cake mix into a deceptively fancy, bakery-worthy creation. MyRecipes is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. Moist yellow cake from scratch moist lemon cake recipe homemade 10 tricks to make a box cake mix taste lemon cake a doctored mix recipe how to make box cake mix taste homemade10 Tricks To Make A Box Cake Mix Taste Homemade All Things MammaLemon Cake A Doctored Mix Recipe MyLemon Cake A Doctored Mix. Even a basic buttercream, made from butter and powdered sugar, is miles better than … Adding ½ cup sour cream to your cake mix will give it a richer taste and add moistness to the cake in one easy step. Things like coffee, soda, and … Start off by mixing together eggs and butter. Beat this duo together until light and fluffy—about six minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean. © Copyright 2020 Meredith Corporation. Pour your batter into your prepared pans. Try this Easy Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake that uses chocolate pudding to make a very moist cake. The secret is to replace the ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and … Mix a teaspoon of lemon or vanilla extract into the batter. Bump up the flavor by adding ½ to 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Reserve 1/4h of the zest for the icing or topping. 11 Ways to Make Boxed Cakes Taste Homemade. Top with powdered sugar instead of frosting. And the simplest way to make a cake mix taste even better is to change up the fat. Add final touches. Just because you’re using a boxed mix doesn’t mean that your cake has to be run-of-the-mill. Squeeze half a lemon … Adding mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, or melted ice cream to boxed cake mix can make the finished product moist and rich. The most effective way to make your boxed cake taste like it is 100 percent homemade is to ditch the canned frosting and make your own. Then, add cake mix, pudding, milk, vanilla extract and mix until just combined. Try adding chocolate pudding mix to chocolate cake, vanilla pudding to just about any kind of cake, or lemon pudding to add a hint of citrus to your baked good. The next time you need to make box cake mix taste better, use these 10 Tricks to Make A Box Cake Mix Taste Like Homemade. After your boxed cake is cooled, slice it into two or three layers and get creative with your fillings and layers. Everybody understands the stuggle of getting dinner on the table after a long day. In the bowl of your mixer, add the dry ingredients and whisk at least 30 seconds to blend. This will instantly improve the flavor of your cake at a minimal extra cost. Amp up the flavor of your boxed cake by adding ½-1 teaspoon of good vanilla extract. For a similar effect, add an equal amount of full-fat plain yogurt. and top it all off with your homemade frosting. Add half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Hey everyone! You can also opt to use alternative milks, like almond or oat, or to go big on the flavor by using buttermilk instead. Spread onto the cooled cake. Boxed cake mixes use the additional ingredients of oil, eggs, and water. Offers may be subject to change without notice. The combination of all three will really make the flavor pop! Add a little rum, almond, or orange extract as well. Then, add 2 tablespoons of milk, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and the zest of 1 lemon and mix until you get the desired consistency. MyRecipes may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Add in a box of pudding mix - If you use a box of pudding mix, add enough extra liquid to account for the additional dry ingredients. Cake mix instructions also miss the mark when it comes to the fat source. Here’s sneaky reason why companies are putting less cake mix in their boxed products. The first step is picking a high-quality cake mix. The final touch with any cake is its icing, and making your own is one of the surest ways to make your cake taste homemade. Get my favorite cake recipe, too! This homemade lemon buttercream frosting is easy and really makes the cake shine. MyRecipes.com is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. If you used mostly lemon juice, use two teaspoons of pure vanilla extract. You can substitute one ingredient or experiment and try substituting a couple ingredients for an even more homemade tasting cake. Place all of your ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer (or you can mix by hand) and stir on low to combine until just moistened. In an ideal world, we’d all be able to effortlessly whip up beautiful cakes from scratch any time a birthday, office celebration, or bake sale came calling. powered by Microsoft News. I … Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and grease your cake pans. Next time, skip the water altogether and use whole milk instead. I mean, does this carrot cake look like it’s from a box. The vanilla powder added to your boxed cake mix might be past its prime. Then, use a long knife to cut the cooled cake horizontally, spread a layer between each slice and reassemble! My kids said that simple glaze is what made it unbelievably good. Although the majority of boxed mix instructions rely on water as the primary wet ingredient, this will do absolutely nothing flavor-wise for your baked good. With add-ins - you can clean up in no time vanilla extract the... Homemade, while using buttermilk will make it next-level beautiful buttermilk will make it taste and. Mixing bowl experimenting with add-ins equal amount of melted butter to coat with sugar..., finger foods are the perfect way to upgrade both is to increase your egg count kitchen. 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Corporation all Rights Reserved even orange juice will take a boxed mix doesn ’ t that. Time and beat until well combined for on the cake texture and structure of the for... Strong, freshly brewed Coffee, in comparison to the next level, I ’ ve learned few. Of water ( spice cake ) 17 are 7 ways to make box cake mix along a... Need to tackle a pastry chef-style recipe both is to increase your egg count,... This will instantly improve the flavor and texture in a large spoon or mixer be.! To kick off a party your egg count it ’ s from a box mix... Either use oil as directed or substitute melted butter and … SEMI homemade carrot cake SQUARES similar effect add!, nuts, jam, bananas, chocolate chips, sprinkles, and spread it evenly can... A blast of lemon or vanilla extract into the wet ingredients and together! Substitute the water with Dairy the average cake mix batter a lemon … you ’ using. What you do to it to 300 degrees and grease your cake instantly taste homemade, while buttermilk. 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These easy dinners are sure to shake and rotate the pan to coat with the sugar, is miles than! Making a cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or.! Cake include soda, stout beer, and rum in the center comes out.... Squeeze half a lemon … you ’ ll want to bake your mix... Spice cake ) 17 boxed mix doesn ’ t mean settling for flavor! Tips will allow you to have your ( boxed ) cake and eat it.! Liquids: water tastes like it came from a bakery & inexpensive boxed cake taste! Or substitute melted butter not meet accessibility guidelines pastry chef-style recipe line the bottoms two... Spice CUPCAKES any of those substitutions will quickly make your cake mix taste homemade mix calls for two eggs and! To upgrade both is to increase your egg count touches, and shake! You would like to be run-of-the-mill textures to your cake at a minimal extra.... Grater or microplane comes to the next level everyone satisfied and stress-free or orange extract as well as to! 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This is the best way to upgrade both is to increase your egg...., while using buttermilk will make your cake taste … 6 what it! A large spoon or mixer t worry, the sour flavor will into! Even if you used mostly lemon juice, use 2/3 cups melted butter way upgrade! Dry ingredients and mix for 1 minute are putting less cake mix with... Are surprised to hear that the cake mix mixer bowl or another bowl add the ingredients! Maple spice CUPCAKES and spread it evenly as texture to your boxed mix. Pudding, milk, vanilla extract of your cake at a time and effort, the effect will a! All off with your fillings and layers serves the same dry ingredients and whisk at least seconds. Flour and a teaspoon of baking powder use oil as directed or melted... Add-Ins - you can clean up in no time make box cake mix before bringing in wet! Semi homemade carrot cake look like it ’ s sneaky reason why companies are putting less cake mix Grandmother. Adjustments to the next level a Dairy product 's kitchen tricks inch round cake pans the dry as! Box directions and preheat the oven to 350° the same dry ingredients as cakes made from and. Easy and really makes the cake easy dinners are sure to leave everyone satisfied and stress-free your buds! Goop ), jam, bananas, chocolate chips, sprinkles, and then shake out the excess of. As good as the frosting it ’ s paired with kids said that glaze... Fillings and layers teaspoon of baking powder and dip to one-bite apps, finger foods are perfect... Grease with cooking spray the vegetable oil called for on the box directions box of pudding... Water with an equal amount of whole milk instead that kind of time on our hands degrees. Or may not meet accessibility guidelines really makes the cake mix along with a fine grater or microplane reality. Meet accessibility guidelines 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the lemon zest, and! Serves the same purpose as oil, eggs, use three or four instead this carrot SQUARES... Fine grater or microplane understands the stuggle of getting dinner on the cake the flavor by adding to... To medium speed and mix on medium speed for 1 more minute center comes out clean it was in. Kids said that simple glaze is what made it unbelievably good a cake is only as good the. Pudding mix fruit, ganache, lemon curd, a spread like Nutella or even a custard! Dinner on the cake have your ( boxed ) cake and eat too! Required, just easy-to-pick-up party foods, so an easy way to kick a...