Boxed Cake Mix Is The Ultimate Shortcut To Flavorful Streusel

Streusel is a delicious, crunchy topping for desserts like cinnamon coffee cakes, apple pies, fruit crumbles, and sweet bread. A standard streusel recipe combines butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and flour. However, you can skip measuring all these ingredients and instead rely on a boxed cake mix for your next streusel-laden dish. To make the ultimate crumb topping, you only need two ingredients: one boxed cake mix in any flavor you choose, and butter.

One method that results in a more butter-forward taste is to cut four sticks of butter into small cubes before tossing them into the bowl of a stand mixer with an unprepared bag of cake mix. Lock the bowl in place and set the mixer to a low speed until the mixture forms various-sized clumps. Depending on the temperature of the butter, this process should take a couple of minutes or more. This method creates a crumb with more variety in size and texture.

The other method is to melt one stick of butter and pour it into one box of cake mix. Since the butter is in a liquid state, the crumb will be finer and more cohesive, producing smaller bites. Mix until you notice chunks forming. Then it's ready to top your cake or store in a container (make sure it's refrigerated) until your next creative confection.

Either method of streusel-making works for a variety of desserts. After all, streusel isn't limited to cakes and pies. Use a spice cake mix in fall baking to bring out flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It's perfect for pairing with pumpkin-based recipes to create a unique coffee-cake-like twist on a familiar treat. Crumb topping also works wonders for upgrading breakfast pastries. While there are plenty of tips for making better muffins, one is to add more texture by adorning them with a simple vanilla boxed cake streusel. This creates a sweet, lush vanilla flavor that pairs beautifully with the brightness of a fruity blueberry muffin.

The possibilities are endless — make a red velvet streusel for pops of color and rich flavor, German chocolate cake crumbles for a light chocolate and coconut taste, or incorporate additions like spices and nuts into a regular vanilla mix for your own curated blend, ideal for decorating three-ingredient banana bread with a little something extra. Instead of placing the crumb on top of a dessert, bake Funfetti boxed cake streusel separately at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for a nostalgic cake batter flavor. This way, you can enjoy the buttery, sprinkle-filled pieces as a snack or use them as a topping for cupcakes or ice cream.