The convenience of using boxed cake mixes is wonderful, providing you know a few ways to make them even better; either by additions or the way in which you make your cakes.
You will find that if you sift your boxed cake mix first thing, you will get a much fluffier and finer crumb to the cake.
To make a boxed cake taste more "homemade", add 2 Tbsp. of plain all-purpose flour along with an extra egg and 1 Tbsp. of sugar. The cake is a little heavier and more dense than it would have been. You can barely tell it was a boxed cake mix to begin with.
It never hurts to add a Tbsp. of sour cream to any chocolate cake mix. It ends up being so different, although I can't tell you why. Utterly delicious.
When you use a store-bought container of frosting, you can scoop it all into a bowl, add a Tbsp. of butter, and 6 Tbsp. of powdered sugar, then beat it all really well, to get a much better flavored and more stable frosting. Feel free to add 1/2 tsp. of flavoring such as orange, lemon or almond.
If you're using a chocolate frosting, you might want to add a Tbsp. of Hershey's Cocoa along with a tsp of butter to deepen the flavor of chocolate.
Add a Tbsp. of instant coffee to a Tbsp. of hot water, mix coffee and water, then pour it into chocolate frosting in a bowl, and add 6 Tbsp. of powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp. of Hershey's Cocoa to the chocolate frosting to get a rich mocha flavor. You might need an extra Tbsp. of butter to keep it soft enough to spread. Stir it all in first. All canned frosting are not created equal.
I taught Creative Cooking for a Cultural Art Center at one time, and these are the types of things busy women wanted to learn, so we tried some of everything.
Have fun in your kitchen. Teach your children how to cook with pleasure and creativity. It's becoming a dying art.
By Julia from Boca Raton, FL
For cake, prepare cake mix according to package directions. Divide batter evenly between two 8 or 9 inch greased and floured cake pans. Bake according to package directions.
How can I make a white cake mix into a chocolate cake?
Trish from CT
Check out the answers on this post:
answers.yahoo.com/
and for an estimate on how much cocoa to add check this:
Add to the batter after initial blending:
2 Tbsp. milk
3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
On the Duncan Hines site it says to add 3 sifted Tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa to the mix..but they were referring to Angel Food White Cake to choc.
I have added strong brewed coffee in place of the water called for on cake mixes and it seems to boost the chocolate flavor. I haven't used a white cake mix for years...I usually get a yellow mix so I don't remember if they use egg whites only...but I would use the whole eggs if you do a choc version...most full cake mixes call for 3 eggs.
I think those recipes that you also add a box of instant pudding to the cake mix...usually for bundt cakes...would up the chocolate factor too. Let us know what you do and how it turns out. I might try it with a Yellow mix sometime. Good luck!
sorry...that post below (or would it be above?) was me. didn't know I wasn't logged in.
Thank you so much for your feedback. Unfortunately, I had to have this ready for last night, so I just had to wing it. I had some sweetened bakers chocolate in the cabinet so I knew I could use that I just wasn't sure how much. I was afraid to make the whole cake chocolate because I didn't really know how it would turn out. I ended up making the white batter per the box directions, then I melted 3 squares of chocolate and combined it with 1 cup of the white batter.
Try using a 3 oz. box of dry chocolate (not devils food) instant pudding mix to your batter. That works for me.
To make cake mixes taste like cakes made "from scratch". I have found that these tips work especially well with Duncan Hines cake mixes.
I need a recipe to make a moist yellow and chocolate cake, or cupcake. My last cake was so dry, and it was made from scratch. I was told to use sour cream to substitute for oil, I don't know how much? Also, Duncan Hines would be the best bet, but I would like to add extra cake flour to the batter to spread it out. Has anybody heard this before, if so how much can be added along with the sour cream? Please help.
By sandra wilson-maza from New Jersey
Here are some common substitutions:
allrecipes.com/
thegourmetonline.com/
I have used sour cream, plain yogurt, applesauce and mayonnaise as substitutions for oil. Start with the same amount of the substitute and mix all your ingredients together.
I have made mayo cakes before and they were pretty moist. Mayo is basically oil + eggs.
Here is one from scratch:
www.bestfoods.com/
And one using a cake mix - with variations at the bottom:
www.bestfoods.com/
For cupcakes using cake mix & mayo...same recipe but different baking times:
www.bestfoods.com/
I always use applesauce instead of oil and my cakes are very good. I just use an equal amount and bake as usual. Sour cream is very fattening, but then so is cake, I guess.
As stated by another poster, applesauce is a proven substitute. I never use oil - applesauce is healthier.
You can use mayonnaise in place of the oil. Adding extra flour is probably what's making it dry. Add a half a cake mix and half the water, eggs, and oil.
Google "Cake Mix Extender". I know there is one on Recipezaar.com. I think this is probably what you are looking for. It is supposed to stretch cake mixes and make them taste homemade.
I am going to be making a diet cake (or maybe you call it soda cake) soon. I want to know if instead of the can of soda, if I can use 12oz. of sparkling water? It is flavored, carbonated water, so pretty much like diet coke. Would this turn out the same? For those of you who don't know, you just mix a can of soda with a box of cake mix and bake. It's delicious.
By Becca25 from NY
When making a cake mix cake, I use milk instead of water. I measure the required milk in a 2 cup mixing cup. Then I add the correct amount of oil and eggs.
To make a basic cake mix (white) taste delicious, add a teaspoon of flavoring. My favorite addition is coconut in the batter. Be sure to mix well before baking.
What would you add to the assorted flavours of cake mix to make them taste like homemade? I don't feel confident enough in my ability to follow a cake batter recipe, so tend to rely on cake mixes. I would really prefer to be able to say that I did something to make my cakes my own! Any clever ideas for delicious fillings between the cake layers would be much appreciated too. Thanks very much for the advice.
By Hanna Miller from Canada
I hope someone can help me. I read somewhere online that you can make a box cake really good by adding extra things to it.
When using boxed cake mixes, add a half to a level teaspoon of baking powder. Being taught this by my grandmother has been a blessing. We don't always check the date on the box and as the box sits on the shelves, it loses it's strength.