How to make box mix taste homemade in 5 easy steps
This is how to make box mix taste homemade. You guys know, no one loves a cake made from scratch more than I do! But sometimes, I just gotta bust out the box mix. Usually for red velvet cake or chocolate cake when I want a nice flavor but don’t have time bake from scratch. Or maybe I don’t have all the ingredients on hand that I need. That happens a LOT.
But I still want that delicious flavor! I don’t really love that “chemical” taste that can come from a straight up box so here are my tips on how to make box mix taste homemade.
Don’t be afraid of the box mix
There’s an endless debate over what’s better, box mix or baking from scratch. SO many people will get into a down-right battle to the death over this one. Honestly, who cares?
Using box mix is up to you. It’s definitely a short-cut and sometimes the best option. A lot of professional cake decorators out there use doctored box mix in all their cakes. You get consistent results and it’s an easy mixing method.
The only thing I would suggest is you be upfront with your customers. In some areas, no one would probably mind if you used a box or if you made a cake from scratch. But in my area (Portland) people are extremely concerned about what they put into their body (Portlandia is real ya’ll).
Clients will actually email me to confirm that I bake from scratch. So I am sure to put that information on my website so there’s no question. If you are using a doctored box mix you don’t have to say so in so many words. You can simply state “baked fresh daily” and if you have specific inquiry about baking from scratch, just be honest.
If you want more recipes on how to bake from scratch, check out my tried and true cake recipes on Sugar Geek Show.
Tip #1 on how to make box mix taste homemade
Start with the best box mix possible. I’m a Duncan Hines girl myself. The price is a little bit more expensive than the super cheap box mix but I believe you get what you pay for. Not to mention Duncan Hines are often on sale so stock up on your top flavors and enjoy all the funny looks you’ll get at check out.
My favorite Duncan Hines box mix flavors are Red Velvet, Triple Chocolate, White Cake (for making WASC) and strawberry. Sometime I can’t find duncan hines strawberry so I’ll go with Betty Crocker. These are all recipes that take a ton of time to make from scratch and are the most requested flavors from my clients. For the chocolate version of this recipe check out my Chocolate WASC Recipe
Tip #2 on how to make box mix taste homemade
Usually a box mix has the following ingredients listed on the back that they want you to add. Eggs, water and oil. This is smart on their end because pretty much everyone has these ingredients on hand already.
The thing about these ingredients though, they don’t add much to the cake as far as flavor goes.
- Replace water with milk for more flavor and moisture. If you’re making red velvet you can use buttermilk.
- Replace the oil with melted butter for more flavor and homemade texture
- For chocolate cakes, try replacing the water with cooled coffee. The coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor! Get the recipe Chocolate WASC
Tip #3 on how to make box mix taste homemade
You might have heard of WASC (white almond sour cream cake) and wondered what it is. It’s basically the best doctored box mix recipe of all time. The taste, texture and flavor of this cake is TO DIE FOR. It’s no wonder its the recipe of choice when you need a perfect white cake for so many bakers.
How to make WASC
- Start with one box of white Duncan Hines mix
- Add in one cup of AP flour
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 cup of water or milk
- 4 egg whites
- 1 tsp almond extract
Place all of your ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer (or you can mix by hand) and stir on low to combine until just moistened. Then bump up to medium speed and mix for 2 minutes to develop the cakes texture and structure.
Pour your batter into your prepared pans. I like to use homemade pan release (cake goop). The best homemade pan release there is! Bake at 335ºF for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out from the center cleanly.
Let cool completely before decorating. For more info on decorating your first cake, check out my free training on how to make your first cake.
Tip #4 on how to make box mix taste homemade
Make your buttercream from scratch. I know this sounds counter-intuitive because we’re trying to go for easy here. Maybe you’ve never made homemade buttercream before and you’re intimidated. Well let me put your mind at ease.
My easy buttercream recipe is so simple, it may as well be cheating. Simply place all your ingredients in a bowl, whip it until it’s light and fluffy. Then let it mix on low with the paddle attachment for 10 minutes to get rid of bubbles.
Voila, perfect easy buttercream frosting.
And way, way, WAY better than that frosting from a can. What even IS that?
Other great frosting options for you
- Stable cream cheese frosting
- Stabilized whipped cream (ok for one tier cakes with no fondant)
- Chocolate ganache
- American buttercream
Tip #5 on how to make box mix taste homemade
Go crazy with some yummy fillings! You might not want to make your cake from scratch but most fillings for a cake can be made from scratch and they are super simple.
Try out these tasty fillings for your cake
See, that wasn’t so hard was it? You’re on your way to making a delicious cake made from a box. Do you have some tips on how to make your box mix taste homemade? Leave them in the comments!
WASC Cake Recipe
A doctored cake mix that is well-used by bakers all over the world that produces a delicious white cake that tastes almost like scratch. This recipe makes three 6"x2" cake rounds or two 8"x2" cake rounds
Ingredients
WASC Cake
- 1 box white cake mix I like duncan hines
- 1 cup AP flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup sour cream room temp
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 cup milk or water
- 4 egg whites or 3 whole eggs
- 1 tsp almond extract
Easy Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup pasteurized egg whites 8 oz
- 2 lbs powdered sugar
- 2 lbs unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup strawberry puree optional
Instructions
WASC Cake
The instructions for this cake are super easy. Basically put it all into a bowl and mix it for 2 minutes! Voila! Cake batter is ready.
Pour batter into two prepared 8" pans or three 6" pans and bake at 350ºF for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean
Easy Buttercream Frosting
Place all ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Mix on low until combined and then bump up to high and mix until white and fluffy
Frost and decorate your cake as desired
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Tools & Materials List
Tools Recommended *note: this list contains affiliate links which do not cost you anything but I may make a few bucks off the sale*
Materials Needed
- Three 6" cakes - baked and cooled
- Easy Buttercream (one batch)
- Food coloring
- Sprinkles
- Strawberry filling (optional)
February 1, 2019
I cook from scratch also but have days I just don’t feel like it. I can’t wait to try this!!!
I usually always bake from scratch. But as you say, sometimes you’re just slammed and you need a shortcut. I’ve never been opposed to a doctored box cake. The only thing I don’t like is many have questionable ingredients. In my scratch baking, I use almost all organic ingredients. So I purchase organic cake mixes when I see them on sale. I have on hand if I need in a pinch. Then, I don’t feel guilty about using them!!
Thanks for the tips. One thing I’ve done is add a box of chocolate pudding to the cake box mix (if it’s a chocolate cake) and then follow the directions as is. It gives the cake a great, chocolaty flavor and makes it moist as well.
I’m a boxed cake mix baker and everyone who has ever had one of my cakes loves them. I add 1 extra egg and a box of pudding mix to each of my cakes. It increases the baking time (nearly double) but that cakes are so spongy and delicious!
Have been baking for many years. The white cake hack is in the oven as we speak and it is passed the 30 min mark – raw in middle still. Why did you decrease the temp to 335 from the box recommended 350? I’m wondering if that’s the issue with my cake….am praying it will turn out still. Watching it like a hawk
The lower temperature makes a more level cake. Just keep baking until it’s done. It’s really really hard to mess up a box mix 🙂
I have been baking at 335 for 45 minutes the middle is still cold batter. What have I done wrong my oven was preheated and at 335 for10 minutes before they went in
Sounds like your oven might be broken
When I took a scratch-baked cake to work, people said, “This is GOOD!” When I took a box mix cake to work, to share, people said, “This is REALLY good!” My opinion is that people are used to the texture of a box mix, and sometimes that’s what they prefer. I was taking cakes to work because my wife was beginning to complain ( 🙂 ) about all the cakes I was making to practice decorating techniques and experimenting with cake flavors and shapes. I have had many compliments about how much better my cakes are than the ones people get at the local stores. That’s my two cents on box mixes and doctored box mixes. Keep sharing those recipes and tips!
Hey! Are the cake layers freezable once baked for this recipe?
Also, what if I wanted to minus the butter and stick to oil, what would you suggest for measurements?
Yes you can freeze the cakes, same amount of oil instead of butter
Definitely the cakes can be frozen up to 6 months if properly wrapped.
Hi! I come here for basically everything cake related and I KNEW you wouldn’t disappoint when I searched how to make a boxed cake taste better! Question: When replacing the oil with melted butter – is that salted butter or unsalted butter? Thank you! 🙂
Unsalted butter is my go-to for baking, salted is too salty 🙂
Thank you for the fast response! I ♥ you! 🙂
Do we follow the box recipe then add the extra ingredients or just the box cake mix with the ingredients you listed?
Just follow the recipe, not the box
Do I use the same ingredients for a yellow cake?
Yes but I would use whole eggs
Does this recipe work for cupcakes?
Yep!
Hi
Do you still use the baking time on the box when your’e making cupcakes or do you need to cook them longer?
Bake them until they are done 🙂 If they are not baked all the way at the time listed on the box then keep baking
Sure does 🙂
Hi Can I add pudding to the mix as well?
You can but I don’t know how that will affect the recipe 🙂
Hi 🙂 is this cake stable to be covered with fondant and stacked?
Yes you can, just make sure your cakes are chilled
I just tried this with a duncan hines strawberry box cake, and the cakes sunk in the middle right at the end of baking. Should I do something different from this recipe for the strawberry flavor?
Sounds like you didn’t bake it long enough. There isn’t anything different you need to do for the strawberry and I just made a strawberry one two days ago and added in fresh strawberries as well to the mix
Hi! I made 24 cupcakes and baked until a toothpick came out clean but they sank in the middle. Should I have filled the cups more and made a few less than 24 cupcakes? They were maybe 2/3 filled.
Sounds like they were not baked all the way. 2/3 full is the correct amount to fill them.
Question –
Can I do all three “hacks” replace water with milk, use coffee and replace the butter for oil for my chocolate cake?
Yes you can
Ok so I just made the white cake and the house smells delish , Now Liz I want to make a strawberry box mix what can I add to it please thank you for all you do
Use all the same ingredients but I also added in 4 oz of strawberry puree 😀