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How to Make a Cake Mix Taste Like a Cake from the Bakery

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Just a couple of ingredient swaps is all you will need to make a cake mix taste like a cake from the bakery! Everyone always asks me why my cakes taste so amazing, so today I am sharing my easy hack with you!

If you have been around here for a long time, then you know I LOVE making cakes for people. In the past, I have made my hubby a delicious Strawberry Buttercream Cake (and it came from a box!), as well as a decadent Butterfinger Cake.

I have even made wedding cakes and birthday cakes for people. It brings me so much joy to be able to use a gift that God gave me to make cakes for others.

I recently made this fun Paw Patrol Cake for a sweet little boy that steals everyone's heart!

I don't make a lot of cakes from scratch though. They can be time consuming. But everyone thinks my cakes are from scratch.

My secret is taking a cake mix from a box, adding a few extra ingredients and the end result is that the cake tastes just like it was purchased from a bakery!

So — what's my secret? Here's what you need to do!

How to Make Any Boxed Cake Mix Taste Like the Cake Came from a Bakery

Step One —

Look at the directions on the back of the cake box.

Step two —

Add one more egg than what it calls for. So, for example, if the recipe calls for 3 eggs, add 4.

Step three —

Instead of using oil, use melted butter and double the amount. If the cake mix calls for 1/2 cup of oil, you are going to use 1 cup of melted butter.

Step 4 —

In place of water, be sure to use milk.

Then bake the cake as directed on the box!

When your cake comes out, your guests will be wowed with how amazing it tastes. They will swear up and down that you got the cake from the local bakery.

This has freed up so much of my time with cake baking and everyone truly loves my desserts!

Of course, if you are baking cakes, you are going to need some delicious frosting recipes. Strawberry buttercream frosting is my favorite, but everyone loves my homemade cream cheese frosting. If you want to go traditional, here is my Easy buttercream frosting.

My Favorite Cake Baking Supplies

If you love to bake cakes like I do, here are a few of my favorite cake baking supplies.

  • This set of 367 decorating supplies has pretty much everything you will need for making a cake
  • Food coloring dye set
  • I am a huge fan of the Fat Daddios cake pans. They make great cakes, cook evenly, and nothing ever sticks to them.

If you like making cakes for friends and family, then you will not want to miss this post!

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Holly

Saturday 14th of September 2024

So excited to try this! Can I use almond milk instead of whole milk?

Jennifer Sikora

Wednesday 18th of September 2024

Yes I am sure you can.

Dondi

Friday 6th of September 2024

I am assuming on the butter, that it would be the 1 cup butter in stick form then melt it as it measures less in a melted state. I didn’t read all of your comments and responses but I was wondering if that is maybe why some of the cakes fell? Not sure about this but maybe?

Sandra

Friday 13th of September 2024

@Jennifer Sikora, so do you measure two sticks of butter, which is one cup and then melted or melted, and then measure out one cup of butter

Jennifer Sikora

Sunday 8th of September 2024

I have it written out completely what to do with the butter in the article. Not sure why some cakes fell and some did not.

Donna

Thursday 15th of August 2024

I tried this and mine was really dry....mine didn't fall its was to dry...

Jennifer Sikora

Saturday 17th of August 2024

Not sure what you did. The changes usually make the cake moist

Tonya

Wednesday 17th of July 2024

How much milk should I use

Jennifer Sikora

Thursday 18th of July 2024

Exactly the same amount as it calls for water

Lydia

Saturday 29th of June 2024

I made a white classic cake with your changes plus 1 tsp. vanilla extract and 6 Tablespoons of the "cake mix upsizer". Turned out great. One question - why so much butter?

Jennifer Sikora

Sunday 30th of June 2024

When subbing butter for oil, you have to double the amount of butter to equal the same amount of oil

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