How to Make Boxed Cake Mix taste like Bakery cake. Step by step directions on How to Make Boxed Cake Mix taste like Bakery cake are easy to follow and will give you one amazing moist cake! If you want a homemade cake flavor using a box of cake mix this is the post for you!
How to a Make Boxed Cake Mix taste like Bakery cake
As much as I love a fully homemade from scratch cake, there are times when that is just not possible. My backup is making a box of store bought cake mix taste like a homemade cake.
It is a simple way to make the boxed cake taste just like the cakes you get at the bakery, and it only takes a few added ingredients to do so.
I am a baker and after a lot of testing in my kitchen I came up with this easy recipe to make your boxed cake mix taste like you bought it from a bakery. I have been using this recipe for years, and I shared it years ago with you guys and I thought it was time to update the pics and answer some of the questions that are always asked about making a boxed cake taste homemade.
I have worked in quite a few bakeries and the majority of them use a cake mix when making their cakes. The basics of the cake mix is what you find in traditional store box mix, but then there are different added ingredients which make the cake the traditional bakery cake you are used to.
How to Make your Cake Taste homemade
Aside from the easy step by step directions below there are a few other things you can do that will help you doctor up a box of cake mix and have it be the most amazing boxed cake mix that tastes homemade ever!
Add ins. Get creative and add things like crushed up cookies, sprinkles, chocolate candies, swirls of jelly and more. You can let your imagination run wild and get totally creative with the things that you add in!
Homemade Frosting. Seriously skip all of that store bough frosting. It is SO easy to make frosting at home, and any flavor you want too! A homemade frosting can totally take a cake from bland to over the top! So even if you are not fancying up your boxed cake mix (even though I think it is a must), adding a homemade frosting will make a world of a difference!
Fillings. There are many different fillings that you can use when you are making a homemade cake, my personal favorites are Chocolate Ganache, marshmallow fluff, and Bavarian cream. You can also fill cakes with different frosting flavors, or the same frosting you are using to frost the whole cake.
Looking for Frosting recipes ? Check these out!
- Raspberry buttercream
- Mint Buttercream
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- vanilla buttercream
- marshmallow buttercream
- Caramel Buttercream
- Chocolate Raspberry buttercream
- Peanut butter buttercream
What Flavor Boxed Cake Mix can I use?
Any flavor cake mix will work with this recipe.
If you are stuck coming up with flavor combinations fo cake and frosting here are a few of my favorites.
- Red Velvet cake – Cream Cheese Frosting or Vanilla Buttercream.
- Chocolate Cake – Chocolate frosting, raspberry frosting, mint frosting or Almond buttercream.
- Vanilla Cake – Lemon buttercream, chocolate raspberry buttercream, strawberry buttercream.
- Lemon Cake – Lemon buttercream, raspberry buttercream or vanilla buttercream.
- Strawberry cake – Lemon buttercream, chocolate buttercream, or vanilla buttercream.
How much cake does this recipe make?
This makes the amount of batter you have equal to 1 and 1/2 boxed cake mixes. Follow this guide for making different sized cakes:
- Using a 6 inch round cake pan – 3 cakes.
- Using a 10 inch round pan – 1 cake
- Using a 9 inch by 13 inch cake pan – 1.5 cakes
- Cupcakes – 36
Cake Baking Supplies
You will need a few supplies to make this recipe.
- Spatula
- Stand mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
If you are going to be baking a cake, I highly suggest getting spring pans. Using spring pans makes it so much easier to remove the cake after it has baked.
If you are making cupcakes I highly suggest using cupcake liners. They are much easier then baking cupcakes in a baking pan alone.
Make a Boxed Cake Mix Taste Homemade Ingredients
- boxed cake mix (Any Flavor)
- salt
- flour
- granulated sugar
- sour cream
- water
- eggs
- vanilla extract
How to Make Boxed Cake Mix taste homemade
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and grease your cake pans.
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
In your stand mixer bowl or another bowl add the wet ingredients.
Add half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together. Then add the rest of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix completely.
Mix everything on medium speed for 2 minutes if you are using a stand mixer, if using a hand mixer or doing it my hand mix for 2 minutes as well.
Pour the cake batter in to cake pans or cupcake pans. Be sure to only fill the pans half way if making a cake and 2/3 the way if making cupcakes.
Bake at 300 degrees for about 25 minutes then turn the oven up to 325 for an additional 25 minutes.
If you are making cupcakes then you will want to have the cook time be 20 minutes at 300 and an additional 20 minutes at 325.
Allow to cool, remove from pans and let cool completely before frosting or decorating.
Looking for more uses for Boxed cake mix? Check these out!
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- Funfetti Cake mix cookie sandwiches
- Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
- Rainbow Cake Recipe
Looking for more cake ideas? Check these out!
Baking Supplies
Love to bake? Here are some of our favorite tools to make it easier!
How To Make A Box Mix Taste Like A Bakery Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box cake mix Any Flavor
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- salt just a dash
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup water
- 3 whole eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and grease your pans
- Whisk together the dry ingredients
- In mixer bowl place the wet ingredients
- Add about 1/2 of the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix together
- Then add the rest of the dry ingredients and blend
- Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed
- Pour the batter half way up prepared pans or 2/3 of the cupcake pan
- Bake at 300 degrees for about 20-30 minutes (depending on size of cake) then turn oven up to 325 for about an equal time.
Video
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Comments & Reviews
Debbie Bishop says
The ingredients say 1 cup granulated and 1 cup sugar. Is it 2 cups of sugar or just one?
Sandy says
1 cup granulated sugar
Linda White says
Does this addition to the mix make enough for a 9×13 cake and a pan of cupcakes?
Stephanie says
Yes you should.
Jennifer says
I would be doing this with a 5 pound bag of cake mix which is 80 ounces. A standard cake mix is I believe 18.5 ounces. So I could do this if I quadrupled the ingredients?
Miranda says
This is by far the best cake recipe ever! You really can’t mess it up! I’ve made this recipe 3 times in the last month and the cake comes out perfectly moist every time! I don’t own a Kitchen Aid, but rather a vintage electric hand mixer 😉 everyone that ate this cake loved it and preferred it over ‘store bought’ birthday cake. I even stacked my cakes, (one was even 4 layers high) it held up great! Thank you !!!
S says
I’m not sure how this is the best cake, ever. I made it in two 9″ pans and not only did it look horrendous, it tasted like Play Doh.
Mendy says
For a 9 inch pan, I baked for 5 minutes less at each temperature and it came out perfectly! Give it a try….
Amber Rist says
Thanks so much for this recipe I’m going to try this. I’m excited! and OH EM GEE I didn’t know you have a pink mixer and pink utensils like me!!!! we’re special, tho I have a vintage mixer and yours looks newer. I’m going to make a chocolate cake and add beets to it like out of “deceptively delicious” but I wanted to try it out of a mix. do you think i should change anything if I”m adding a 1/2 c of beets. sounds kinda gross but we are all picky eaters.
Stephanie says
If you are adding them shredded I think you will be fine.
Marc says
Looks delicious! A fun activity to do with the kids.
Lisa says
Who knew? Thanks for sharing!
Bryn says
Can you tell me what size mix these add in amounts are for? Thanks!!
MidgetMomma says
the regular standard boxed cake mix 🙂
Korilynn says
What most people don’t realize is bakeries use commercial cake mix (yes, you can buy it in 50lbs bags). As a chef, I used to work at a bakery that did just that. But, to make it taste like a from-scratch cake we used to use buttermilk instead of the water or half buttermilk/half sour cream instead of water to make it denser. Real butter instead of the oil. Increase the egg count by one and add real vanilla bean (when making vanilla cakes) and it made it so great. I haven’t tried this method so I’ll have to give it a shot.
David says
Hun PLEASE can you make these printable
Tom says
We are actually going to be doing this. Thank you for the feedback!!! 🙂
Jennifer says
is there no oil or butter in this recipe?
Amanda says
Yea I was hoping for that answer myself… I don’t see it anywhere in the recipe, so I omitted the butter… seems to do fine without it. I think with the extra egg and sour cream, you shouldn’t need the butter. but I honestly don’t think it will hurt to have it..
Daun says
I went ahead & put the oil in per the box instructions…hoping that’s ok.?
Stephanie says
I hope your cake turned out ok.
Amanda says
I made cupcakes with this recipe today. the 1st dozen came out great. 20 min on 300 and 20 min on 325. they were kind of bread textured… but the taste was good and they are fairly firm, so they can withstand the weight of thick buttercream nicely! the other batches did turn out a little more brown than I’d like. I decreased baking time with the last batch and they turned out better than the 2nd ones. overall good recipe!
Angelina says
I agree, cooking them for 40min is too long! I made these tonight but only cooked them for a total of 20min and they were wonderfully moist and delicious. ?
Stephanie says
It all depends on what size cake pan you are using.
Lisa says
Great question. I was wondering the same thing?
Stephanie says
What question was this about?
Lakeshia Robinson says
Hey what kind of flour all purpose r self rising flour
Ricky says
Do you use self-rising or plain flour
MidgetMomma says
just regular flour 🙂
Evonite says
What kind of flour….
Katie says
I haven’t been having the best of luck baking cakes. I tried this recipe out and it tasted really good the second it came out of the oven. But after cooling, it really doesn’t have any taste to it. I used a marble cake mix, is this normal or do you know what I could have done wrong? Thanks.
MidgetMomma says
What brand cake mix did you use?
samantha says
To make the white cake box into chocolate what would you suggest? I have about 5 or more white&yellow boxes, dont want to buy more just to make chocolate. Any help would be appreciated.
Jenn says
Can I use milk instead of Sour cream?? I don’t have any Sour cream 🙁
MidgetMomma says
I wouldn’t recommend it as it will be more liquid then the sour cream is.
sam says
how can i turn white&yellow cake mix into chocolate? i have 5-7 boxes would hate for them to go to waste. any help is great.
Anne says
Just off the top of my head, you might try substituting cocoa powder for all or part of the additional flour.
TeRae says
Can I add butter or oil to this?
MidgetMomma says
there is no need to when you follow the ingredient list and directions 🙂
Kim says
Is the baking time the same for cupcakes?
MidgetMomma says
yes 🙂
Brenda says
I’m still not clear on the type of flour, plain or self rising?
MidgetMomma says
just your normal plain flour 🙂