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Here’s a secret: even a lot of bakeries use boxed cake mix! These simple tips for how to make a box cake mix taste homemade will take all your cupcakes and birthday cakes to the next level!
I don’t know about you, but I don’t always have time to make a recipe from scratch. There’s no shame in the boxed cake mix game, but of course, we want it to taste as good as homemade. And that’s where these tips for doctoring up box cake mix come in! (These doctored up cake mix recipes will come through in a pinch too.)
How To Make a Box Cake Mix Taste Better
While I love my homemade cake mix, I’m assuming you’re here because Betty Crocker is your sous chef today. And that’s okay! Because like I mentioned before, a lot of professional bakers use boxed cake mixes.
I had no idea until I saw one of our town’s biggest wedding cake bakers checking out at the store with powdered sugar, butter, eggs, and several boxes of Duncan Hines White Cake Mix! What a scandal, right?!
I could have sworn her cakes were homemade! Nope. Instead, professionals start with the boxed stuff and add the right ingredients to make it taste like it was made from scratch.
First Step: Start With a GOOD Cake Mix
A trusted friend who is known for her amazing cakes let me in on a secret: they teach bakers in classes that you really can’t beat Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker. These two options are considered the best boxed cake mixes, with the right mix of ingredients for a perfectly finished cake, every time!
While you can definitely try other brands and I think you’d likely have good results, I can’t vouch for them personally. I only tested these hacks with Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker cake mixes.
Tried-and-True Hacks for Making Boxed Cake Mix Taste Better
I tested these hacks with boxed cake mix and my homemade buttercream frosting. Then, I had my family try the doctored up cake mix cakes and rate them against cakes made by following the package directions. The results?
The doctored up cake mix cakes tasted more like homemade and we all thought they had better flavor and texture.
Here are the tricks to improving the taste of box cake mix:
- Use milk instead of water.
Using whole milk or buttermilk gives the cake a richer texture like homemade, with an improved taste. - Add extra eggs.
To get an extra rich and moist cake, stir in two extra egg yolks along with the eggs the recipe calls for. - Add sugar and flour to the dry mix.
Add 1/4 to 1 cup sugar and flour to your cake mix. - Use coffee instead of water for chocolate cakes.
For chocolate cakes, use strong brewed coffee instead of water to deepen the flavor. - Add sour cream for an extra moist cake.
Add in 1/2 cup of sour cream for more moisture and richness. - Jazz it up with pudding mix.
Add a small box of instant pudding to the cake mix for extra moisture and flavor. - Give it a boost with vanilla and salt.
Add in a teaspoon of vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the mix. - Swap butter for the oil.
Use melted butter in the place of vegetable oil for a richer taste. For an extra decadent cake, add two tablespoons of mayonnaise, like this Copycat Portillo’s Chocolate Cake. - Level up the flavor with mix-ins.
Add a handful of chocolate chips, fruit, or nuts. - Upgrade your cake mix with homemade frosting.
Make homemade buttercream frosting! This cream cheese frosting is also excellent!
More Baking Tips and Hacks
- This free printable shows you How Many Cups in a Quart, Pint or Gallon so you don’t have to guess or Google it every time. Just hang it on your fridge!
- You’ll love this list of the The Best Easy Cake Recipes, which can be whipped up super fast!
- If you’re completely new to baking and need to know How to Bake a Cake, I have you covered, too!
- Out of eggs? Try this Baker’s Guide to Egg Substitutes and find the perfect replacement!
- Do you really need cake flour for that recipe? And what is cake flour, anyway? Learn more: Cake Flour vs. All Purpose Flour.
- It’s also important to know When to Use Salted vs. Unsalted Butter in all your baking recipes.
Need help with this recipe?
Click the buttons below to summarize it, adjust for diets, swap ingredients, or ask your own questions!
How to Make A Box Cake Mix Taste Homemade
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz. ounce box box devil’s food cake mix
- 1 3.4 oz box instant chocolate pudding (dry)
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 baking pan.
- Place all cake mix ingredients in a bowl. Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined and fluffy for about 3 minutes.
- Pour into baking pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes.
- Cool completely before frosting.
Video
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I used eggs and milk in a cakee mix instead of oil and water, my cake looked beautiful then after it fell ☹️ What did I do wrong? Thanks!!!
I don’t know – but I’m guessing it wasn’t cooked all the way in the center. Could that have been it?
Hi, I do a lot of cakes and have been doing them for years. Most of my cakes need to be white white but, butter makes it yellowish. How do you keep it white while using just butter. Thanks for the great tips on the cake mixes.
I don’t think it will stay white with the butter. You may need to use oil and then add clear butter flavoring if you like that flavor,
All comments seem to be about making layer cakes. My question is whether I can bake the mix in bundt pan with good results? Want to make lemon one as a gift. Love all suggestions mentioned.
SURE! Whatever pan you use is fine!
Use hot water in chocolate cake mix to make the flavor bloom.
WOW! Good one!
Also use coffee to enrich the flavor
This cake looks so yum
Thank you!
Has anyone ever added milk and pudding mix as extras??? I’ve done pudding powder but I have not done milk to the cake mix when using the pudding.
I’m making a red velvet cake boxed cake mix. Can I still add the flour and sugar to it? Will it affect the color of the cake?
YES! I think that would be fine and not change the color. You could always add in a little red food coloring, too!
Thanks for the tips! I used the extra eggs, butter, and whole milk when I made my husbands birthday cake. He didn’t believe me when I told him it was from a box!! Between him and our daughter I barely got one slice of it, I’m so pleased!!
WOW! That’s awesome!!
I have a couple of questions. When making a vanilla box cake what kind of frosting would go best with it a buttercreme or a whipped frosting which i haven’t tried to make either of these frostings? Also would a cream cheese Almond frosting hold up better if your making flowers on the cake? I make a DR. Pepper Chocolate cake with a powdered sugar frosting just lightly drizzled over it that everyone loves, but im trying to come up with an idea for my sister’s wedding because she doesn’t like chocolate cake. Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated. Thank you 🙂
Thanks for the advice on how to make a box cake taste homemade. I remember that my mom used to always make funfeti cake for me when I was a boy and so I want to make them for my kids when they get a little older. I had never thought to add pudding into the cake — interesting! Thanks again!