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
Add Milk, Coffee, or Soda
Boxed cakes often call for water, but swapping it out for equal amounts of milk, coffee, or even soda will give you a moister, more tender, and flavorful cake. For white cake mix, you can use whole milk or your favorite non-dairy milk.
How do you make a box cake taste like a bakery? ›
- Swap Oil for Melted Butter.
- Exchange Water for Dairy.
- Enhance With Extracts.
- Incorporate Sour Cream or Mayo.
- Add Nuts.
- Make Homemade Frosting.
- Layer With Fillings.
- Turn It Into a Poke Cake.
Add More Eggs
To get an extra rich and moist cake, stir in two extra egg yolks along with the eggs the recipe calls for (save the egg whites to make these delicious meringues). For a lighter and more airy cake, use only egg whites (and save the egg yolks for crème brûlée).
What are 3 tips for better cakes? ›
For Better Cakes, Follow These Tips From a Baking Expert
- If you still don't own a digital scale, this is your last warning. ...
- Use the ingredients the recipe calls for. ...
- Don't overmix. ...
- Always check for doneness. ...
- Prepare your pan before you start cooking.
Try adding a few of these tips to your box cake mix taste better!
- Use milk instead of water. ...
- Add extra eggs. ...
- Add sugar and flour to the dry mix. ...
- Use coffee instead of water for chocolate cakes. ...
- Sour Cream is perfect for adding moisture and rich flavor. ...
- Pudding adds moisture and flavor.
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.
What is the secret to a fluffy cake? ›
The most crucial tip? Instead of buying an entire box of cake flour, simply incorporate two tablespoons of cornstarch into 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour. This blocks the formation of gluten in the flour, which produces a lighter, fluffier cake.
How do you make a box cake moist and dense? ›
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.
How to improve Betty Crocker box cake? ›
8 Simple Tips and Tricks to Make Box Cake Better
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients. ...
- Replace Water with Milk or Buttermilk. ...
- Substitute Sour Cream in the Mix. ...
- Substitute Oil for Butter. ...
- Use More Eggs. ...
- Add Vanilla Extract. ...
- Make It a Chocolate Lovers' Cake. ...
- Decorate Your Cake Like A Pro.
The next time you're baking a cake, keep these simple tricks in mind:
- Prep the ingredients. Have all of the ingredients at room temperature, unless the recipe directs otherwise. ...
- Use the right flour. ...
- Prep your pans. ...
- Alternate wet and dry ingredients. ...
- Preheat. ...
- Release air bubbles. ...
- Test for doneness. ...
- Cool down.
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.
Can I replace oil with melted butter in cake mix? ›
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.
How to make box cake dense and moist? ›
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.
Can I use sour cream instead of water in a cake mix? ›
How to use sour cream with boxed cake mix. The best way to use sour cream with a boxed cake mix is to use it to replace the other liquids in the recipe, like milk or water. You can add up to a cup, or essentially the same amount of liquid you were originally meant to add, per the manufacturer's instructions.
