The Big Mistake You're Making With Boxed Cake Mix

Boxed cake mixes are just fine, creating desserts that are neither exquisite nor inedible. According to pastry chef Katie Rosenhouse, all you have to do is avoid following the directions on the box to yield a cake that really shines (via Chowhound). That's right — you are doing it wrong if you're taking those steps literally. She came up with several low-lift tips and tricks for the next time you want the convenience of a boxed cake mix with a result that tastes like you started from scratch.

Her improvements start with the ingredients themselves. Now, the usual liquid additions of neutral oil and water will get the job done, but they do not bring anything in the way of flavor. Some simple swaps can change the game without adding any preparation time.

Switch out the oil for equal parts of melted butter simply because it tastes better — and use milk in place of the water. Or, for more flavorful box cakes, swap out the plain milk for a combination of equal parts whole milk and buttermilk like Rosenhouse suggests —  sour cream and yogurt work well too. This combination is creamy, tangy, and versatile enough to pair with any flavor of cake. You can also add complementary flavors — black coffee is great with chocolate cake, coconut milk is perfect with pineapple cake, and apple cider is ideal for a spice cake.

If all you have the patience for is swapping out the water and the oil, feel free to stop there — you will be delighted with the results. However, spending some time changing how you treat the eggs is another way to improve on a boxed cake mix.

If a box calls for three whole eggs, go for two whole eggs and two yolks instead, which Katie Rosenhouse says creates "a really rich, dense, delicious cake," (via Chowhound). That amount of eggs (by weight) is necessary to create the right structure of the cake, but upping the proportion of the fattier egg yolks adds decadence and moisture.

Another way to get the most out of the eggs is to divide the yolks and whites. You can use a handy kitchen tool to easily separate yolks and whites if you are the kind of person who always ends up accidentally getting shells in the mix. Incorporate the yolks in with the rest of the liquids, and separately, beat the whites into stiff peaks. Then, once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, gently fold in the fluffy egg whites — this will lend an airy lift for those who prefer a light and spongy crumb.

A bit of vanilla is a welcome addition to a wide variety of cakes. It adds an earthy sweetness that amplifies the flavors in a vanilla cake, and it adds a rich undertone to chocolate, spice, or fruit cake mixes as well. The extract works just fine here, but vanilla bean paste has a more intense flavor with the additional benefit of adding pretty flecks of seeds to any lightly colored crumb — which instantly makes a cake look more elegant. Add a touch of almond extract to a white cake mix, a spoonful of instant espresso powder to devil's food cake, or a splash of rum to German chocolate cake for a similar boost.

Another crucial addition for big flavor that Katie Rosenhouse insists on is a pinch of salt even though the boxed mix already has some in the dry ingredients. "When you think about all of the sweet ingredients that we've got going on in this cake mix, always add a little bit of extra salt just to kind of wake up those flavors, bring them together, [and] enhance the overall flavor of your cake," she explains (per Chowhound).

It's not just what's on the inside that counts — the baking vessel is just as important as the ingredients. After all, it doesn't matter how delicious the raw batter may have been if the cake ends up poorly baked. You need a good-quality, heavy pan, no matter the shape. A flimsy pan will not cook the cake evenly, resulting in an end product that is overly browned and dry on the outside edges yet not quite done in the center. Pure aluminum or aluminized steel pans tend to perform the best.

Spray the inside with nonstick cooking spray, and place a round of parchment paper in the bottom — the spray will actually help the parchment stay in place. Keep in mind that the extra yolks and richer liquids will make the batter thicker, so you may need the help of an offset or rubber spatula to get the mixture all the way to the edges.

As for baking time, use the box as a guide, but do not be wed to a timer. Katie Rosenhouse recommends using the "spring back test" to know for sure when you need to get that cake out of the oven. Just lightly tap the top of the cake, and it should bounce right back. She notes that if you are baking a cake up until the point that a toothpick comes out clean (as many recipes suggest), you may actually be over-baking.

After taking the time to improve your boxed cake mix, do not just slap on some canned frosting and call it a day. There are many ways to upgrade canned frosting too, and Katie Rosenhouse shares some of her favorite methods.

Just like with the batter, adding in a hit of vanilla bean paste or whichever extract you prefer is a great move. A pinch of salt is also crucially important to enhance flavors and balance sweetness. For a vanilla or fruit-based frosting, consider adding just a few drops of lemon juice as well. It will not taste overtly tart but rather helps to curb overwhelmingly sweet flavors and brightens the overall taste. Bitter black coffee works similarly for chocolate frostings.

Even just whipping the frosting with electric beaters or the whisk attachment of a stand mixer instantly breathes new life into an otherwise dense and flat-tasting product. The simple addition of air makes it feel lighter on the palate, so you can avoid that cloyingly sweet, mouth-coating quality, and it literally increases the volume, which is ideal for any kind of piping or decorating. No matter how you doctor up your canned frosting, finish your cake or cupcakes with colorful sprinkles, chopped toasted nuts, fresh fruit, or a pretty design, and you will have a dessert that tastes homemade with way less effort.

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