The Ingredient Addition To Boost The Flavor Of Boxed Cake Mix

Boxed cake mixes are quick, convenient, and foolproof enough that even someone with no experience can whip up something fast. Now, one might argue that they never quite hit the same spot as those baked from scratch. However, you can always think of a cake mix as a starting point — a mix that yields a basic, foundational batter that you can easily upgrade with a few smart ingredients.

Coffee is one such ingredient that can instantly add dimensions of flavor to a plain boxed mix. It works especially well in chocolate cakes where the added bitterness provides a rich contrast to balance the overall sweetness of the bake. Plus, coffee also amplifies the flavor of chocolate, making it taste more intense than before — so much so that even Ina Garten's chocolate cake uses coffee in two ways.

However, the trick is to only use a little bit of coffee so that it doesn't overpower the cake. One option is to dissolve about a teaspoon of instant coffee or espresso powder in a tiny amount of water and add that to the batter. You can add the granules straight into the dry cake mix too, but make sure that they fully dissolve into the batter later. Alternatively, you can also use brewed java instead. Just replace either half or all of the liquid that the box calls for with equal amounts of joe depending on how punchy you want its flavor to be.

While coffee is an excellent way to boost a boxed chocolate cake mix, be careful when you're adding it to non-complementary flavors like strawberry, pineapple, or lemon. Coffee can also impart a brown hue into the batter, which usually helps deepen the color of darker mixes like devil's food cake even more. However, you might not always want it to dye your pale angel food or vanilla cakes with a tan tint.

Luckily, there are many other ingredients that can take your boxed cake mix to another level. For lighter cakes, use ginger ale instead of coffee as the liquid to whisk up your batter. The fizzy carbonation of the drink will work as a fabulous leavening agent to give the cake a more moist and tender texture. You can also swap the plain milk or water that the boxed mix calls for with other more flavourful liquids: For instance, use buttermilk for a tang, juice for a fruity, citrusy flavor, or even plant-based milk for a hint of nuttiness.

Extracts and mix-ins are another way to jazz up a run-of-the-mill cake mix in a flash. Swirl in some vanilla, peppermint, almond, or fruit extract into the batter, or throw a generous handful of chocolate chips, nuts, or sprinkles into the mix. No one will ever know that your cake came out of a box with these quick upgrades.