The Easiest Quick Bread You'll Ever Make Starts With Boxed Cake Mix

One big mistake you could be making with your boxed cake mix is not turning it into quick bread. This type of baked good relies on dough leavened with baking powder or soda rather than yeast, making it a common way to whip up a sweet treat in no time at all. To learn more about this intriguing baking method, Food Republic spoke to Odette D'Aniello, a baking expert and the CEO of Dragonfly Cakes. "Most quick breads are just cakes in disguise," D'Aniello said. "The main difference is texture and moisture."

To make the most out of your quick bread when using a store-bought cake mix, don't just rely on the ingredients listed on the back of the box. "To get a more 'bread-like' crumb, I usually reduce the added oil slightly, swap milk or buttermilk for water, and fold in things like grated zucchini, mashed banana, or even canned pumpkin to bulk up the batter and add moisture naturally," the expert explained. Using the right amount of fat is an important rule when it comes to baking – however, adding more moisture with flavorful fruits and vegetables and reducing fat will provide a texture comparable to quick bread, while reducing the need to measure out every ingredient.

Additionally, the use of yogurt, sour cream, or buttermilk are all great ways to swap out plain milk and easily add flavor to your quick bread when starting with a boxed cake mix base. Between reduced ingredient measuring and flavor from fruits and new dairies, making quick bread has never been easier.

Every cook likes to operate differently. There's rarely ever one hard, universal answer to a cooking method — however, many bakers will agree that making something from scratch is ideal whenever possible. Odette D'Aniello echoed this sentiment, claiming that she still sometimes prefers measuring out each her ingredients, even when making a simple quick bread. "In general, I try and to bake from scratch wherever possible," D'Aniello told Food Republic. "Then, I know exactly what ingredients are in my bake and I can pick seasonal recipes that fit what I have on hand[.]" The expert acknowledged that starting from zero while baking can be intimidating, so there are ways to perfect this quick bread method using various pre-packaged cake mixes.  

"If a box is the most accessible to you, ... a spice cake mix is my go-to for fall bakes (think: pumpkin bread or apple loaf), while lemon cake mix is amazing with blueberries or poppy seeds in spring," shared D'Aniello. To balance the complex flavor profiles in your quick breads, consider adding unsweetened fruits to your mixture, acids like lemon and lime juice, or even sugar substitutes for any add-ins. These are all great ways to offset out the innate sweetness that comes with from the boxed cake mix base and leave you with a deliciously decadent quick bread.