Magically transform a store bought cake mix into a moist, crowd-pleasing layer cake with my "secret" hack for How to Make a Boxed Cake Mix Taste Better Than Bakery...
I don't mean to brag or anything (okay, maybe I do just *a little* bit ;) ), but I have become known over the past few years for my "homemade" two-layer cakes.
They are often requested by my family & friends for birthdays, special occasions, and holidays. And I do have to say that I find it a tad bit amusing since I have never really considered myself much of a cake baker.
But a few years back, I discovered a little hack to doctoring up a boxed cake mix. (Shhhhh.... I do not make my layer cakes from scratch!)
The "secret" is extra eggs, extra oil, and sour cream. The addition of these three things can magically transform a regular ole store bought cake mix into a super moist and decadent cake that will leave all of your party guests raving and begging you the recipe.
What is great about this doctored boxed mix cake recipe of mine is that once you have the basic formula down, the flavor combination possibilities are pretty much endless.
You can use virtually any flavor boxed cake mix with this recipe. Think classic chocolate or yellow cake, spice cake mix, lemon cake, funfetti cake mix, and so on.
And then you have the mix-ins which can take this doctored-up cake from a boxed mix to a whole other level of amazingness.
And then you have the mix-ins which can take this doctored-up cake from a boxed mix to a whole other level of amazingness.
Some of my favorites are chocolate chips for a chocolate cake, lemon zest and juice for lemon cake, white chocolate chips for a white cake, pecans for a spice cake... the ways that you can make this better than bakery cake recipe your very own are a little mind blowing, folks.
In fact, this base recipe has been the foundation for many of my most popular two-layer cake recipes on the blog. You can check them all out below...
In fact, this base recipe has been the foundation for many of my most popular two-layer cake recipes on the blog. You can check them all out below...
(My son has requested this cake for his past two birthdays!)
Yield: 1 two-layer cake
Better Than Bakery Cake from a Boxed Mix
prep time: 10 min cook time: 35 min total time: 45 min
ingredients:
- 1 box of your favorite cake mix (any flavor)
- 5.9 oz. box on instant pudding (flavor that corresponds or complements cake flavor)
- 1 cup of canola or vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 cup of mix-ins of your choice (think chocolate chips, fresh berries or chopped fruit, coconut, etc.)- optional
instructions:
How to cook Better Than Bakery Cake from a Boxed Mix
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray with cooking spray & flour two 9-inch cake pans (or line with parchment paper and then spray). Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, eggs, sour cream, & warm water. Mix until just combined. Fold in your 1 cup of mix-ins (optional). Divide the batter evenly into the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans for 10-15 minutes, then run a butter knife along the edges. Invert the cakes onto a wire rack. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.
Here are a few of my tips & tricks for customizing this doctored-up boxed cake mix recipe:
- When baking a chocolate cake, use unsweetened cocoa powder instead of flour for dusting the cake pans. You won't have to worry about any white flour residue on your chocolaty cake layers when you remove them from the pans!
- I always go with a homemade frosting for my better than bakery, semi-homemade cakes. Since I use a shortcut with the boxed cake mix, that often leaves me with a little extra time to whip up a buttercream from scratch. But if you happen to be short on time, feel free to use a jarred frosting. No judgment here, my friends. ;)
- If you want to mix in berries like raspberries or chopped strawberries into your cake batter, I would reduce the amount of warm water that you use. The berries will add moisture to the cake. You want a moist cake, not a soggy one. I would reduce the water to 1/2 to 2/3 cup depending on how juicy the berries are.
- If you want to use a white cake mix in this recipe, substitute 6 egg whites for the 4 eggs. Using whole eggs will cause your white cake mix to turn more of a yellow color due to the yolks.
Which flavor of boxed cake mix will you be using first to try out my recipe for Better Than Bakery Cake from a Boxed Mix? ;)
If you loved this recipe, then you might also like these recipes using cake mix...
Have a mean sweet tooth? Satisfy it daily by joining the Desserts First recipe group on Facebook! :)
