How to Make Cookies from Cake Mix - The Best Cake Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to store bought cake mix to make it better? ›

Martina says, “Late in the mixing stage, eggs will incorporate better if you lightly beat them before adding to the batter. The finished cake may be slightly shorter than expected, but its flavor and tenderness shouldn't be affected.” For egg-leavened cakes, the eggs are crucial.

Boxed cake mixes tend to be lighter in consistency, but if you're craving that thicker, moister, denser cake, then all you have to do is add an extra egg to your mix. The additional fat in the egg yolk helps create a more tender and moist cake that is full of flavor.

More Fat, More Flavor

Most box cake recipes call for vegetable or canola oil. The only trouble is, these oils have almost no flavor. Replace the oil with an equal amount of melted butter (and a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter), to boost richness. For an extra decadent cake, add two tablespoons of mayonnaise.

Pure vanilla extract and pure almond extract are great options, but you could also try lemon extract or orange extract paired with fresh citrus zest. Although more expensive, vanilla bean paste or fresh vanilla beans will provide even richer flavor to a boxed mix.

The mum-of-three mixes a can of fruit (typically $1-$2) with a 90c vanilla cake mix from Coles or Woolworths and simply distributes the mixture in her muffin tin. She does not use anything extra - including milk, eggs, or butter.

Don't get caught in the trap of thinking that you must bake from scratch if you sell cakes. Most bakeries do NOT bake from scratch. In fact, I once worked at a bakery that actually claimed to be a “scratch bakery”, but all their cakes started with a Duncan Hines cake mix, the same kind you buy in the grocery store.

We know that cake mix is going to work exactly the same every time. Even more, it will taste the same every time. (Plus, we typically dirty fewer dishes with boxed!) Unless you bake cakes frequently, it's hard to get that same kind of consistency with homemade cakes.

What does adding milk to box cake mix do? ›

Milk: Add MILK, not water, when your box mix calls for liquid. The milk adds density, fat and, most importantly, extra flavor to your mix.

Add a small instant pudding box to the mix to add moisture and flavor. Vanilla & Salt give the cake a more homemade taste. Add in a teaspoon of vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon of salt the mix. Butter instead of oil.

Butter substitute for baking

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.

Give your boxed angel food cake mix a summery twist by adding a can of crushed pineapple to it. Gently fold it into the whisked batter, careful not to deflate the mixture. If you over-whisk it, the cake will turn out chewy and dense.