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 to jazz up a box cake mix? ›
Bump up the flavor by adding ½ to 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Making a spice cake? Add a little rum, almond, or orange extract as well. 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.
Should you beat eggs before adding to cake mix? ›
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.
How to make a fluffier box cake? ›
Swap out each cup of water called for with milk. Buttermilk: Instead of water, use the same amount of buttermilk. The acid in the buttermilk interacts with the leavening agents in the mix for a better rise. "Swapping out the water for buttermilk creates a fluffier cake and a moister one, too," says Waterson.
Do professional bakers use box cake mix? ›
As a professional baker, I don't often use boxed mixes, but I appreciate how easily they bring a cake together. I think premade mixes are great for beginners gaining confidence around the kitchen and also for last-minute cake "emergencies."
Can I use milk instead of water in cake mix? ›
Use milk instead of water
Most box cake recipes will tell you to add water to the mix. Instead, try adding milk using the same proportions. This will make the cake richer and creamier because it ups the fat content. You can even use buttermilk here for a pleasant tang.
What adds richness to cakes? ›
The milk adds fat, which results in a better flavor and density in your cake. If you want to make your cake extra rich, swap out the milk for buttermilk. Because buttermilk is extra thick, use a few more tablespoons than the recipe calls for.
What is a secret ingredient for cakes? ›
When it comes to creating moist and delicious cakes, sometimes the secret ingredient is something unexpected. In this case, it's applesauce. Not only does applesauce add moisture to your cake, but it also serves as a healthier alternative to high-fat ingredients.
How to make cake rise and fluffy? ›
Most cakes will call for a leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda. These create the bubbles you need for the cake to rise. If the flour you use is self-raising, it already has a leavening agent in it. Make sure your butter is room temperature, and beat the butter and sugar together until properly creamed.
What does adding an extra egg do to a cake mix? ›
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.
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.
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.
Why do bakers doctor a box cake? ›
The added ingredients give the cake a better texture, more flavor, and more stability for stacking. Doctoring a box mix is a great way to make your cake taste better if you're not a confident baker yet or you just need a shortcut.
