Don't have time to make a cake from scratch? We'll show you how to make box cake mix better so it tastes homemade.
11 Tricks to Make Boxed Cake Mix Taste Homemade
Updated on May 01, 2025
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Swap Buttermilk for the Water
Most box mixes instruct you to add eggs, oil and water. To make the boxed cake taste homemade, replace the water with creamy buttermilk. Make homemade buttermilk or buy a small jug at the store. You won’t regret it!
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Add a Few Special Layers
It’s best to bake your cake in 8- or 9-inch round pans when you want layers. Using a long serrated knife, cut the cooled cake horizontally into multiple thinner layers. Spread filling between each layer as you assemble the cake. You could use homemade lemon curd, a spread like Nutella, or your favorite three-berry jam.
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Give It a Coffee Kick
Why not add a hint of coffee to your chocolate cake mix? Replace the water with brewed coffee, or mix water with instant coffee granules—whatever you have available. The enhanced flavor will be rich and indulgent. Try it out with a boxed mix (or even a chocolate cake made from scratch).
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Use Flavor Extracts
Taking your standard cake mix to the next level has never been this easy. All you’ll need is a bottle of extract from your pantry. Choose unique combinations—such as vanilla extract paired with ground ginger—to create an original cake. Or, for a seasonal flavor, use peppermint extract like in this peppermint bundt cake. Love citrus? Incorporate lemon or orange extract.
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Add Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise in a cake? Yes, you read that right. Adding a spoonful or two to the mix before you bake it will greatly enhance the cake’s texture and moisture level. You can even make a mayonnaise cake that calls for a whole cup of it! Ranch dressing is another option that offers a similar texture to cake mix—especially when it comes to chocolate cake.
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Add Sour Cream
Much like using mayonnaise, sour cream adds the supreme moisture to your cake that you’ve desperately been missing. These sour cream substitutes work too if you don’t keep it stocked in your fridge.
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Use Soda, Not Water
This idea is an oddball for sure—but it really works. Replacing the water with cream soda or cola will make your cake sweet and tasty in no time at all. It will be so moist and rich, you won’t believe it! Alternatively, you can choose to use plain or flavored seltzer depending on your flavor preferences. This Watergate cake is a great intro to using club soda in dessert.
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Throw in Nuts
When mixing the batter for your cake, grab a handful of walnuts and throw them into the mix. These extras give cake a crunchy texture and add a homemade element to the dessert. Chop the nuts before you add them. Pecans and pistachios work too, and mixing this trick with others on the list (like adding pudding mix or extracts) makes for an even better cake.
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Swap Butter for the Oil
Is there anything more delicious than freshly melted butter? Replace the oil called for on the ingredients list with an equal amount of high-quality butter that’s been melted down. This trick makes a huge difference in elevating a cake’s flavor and richness.
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Add Pudding Mix
Mixing two different box desserts together? Yep, it works. Cake recipes that start with pudding mix are denser and more moist, resulting in an indulgent treat. This hack is especially great for larger cakes.
It’s best to use a flavored pudding mix that fits your flavor (like chocolate pudding in a chocolate cake), but you can experiment with different flavor combinations, such as adding cheesecake pudding mix or banana cream pudding mix to a white cake.
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Beat in an Extra Egg
While most box cake mixes call for three whole eggs, don’t be shy about adding another. Choose to add either one extra whole egg or just the yolk. This provides additional moisture and enhances the cake with a rich texture.
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Substitute Maple Syrup for Water
This is an excellent trick if you’re making a white cake mix or making use of a spice or carrot cake mix. Replace the water called for on the box with an equal amount of maple syrup. This will certainly sweeten the cake a bit more and add a layer of almost caramelized flavor.
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Make It with Fruit
To enhance the cake’s flavor and texture, look to complementary fruits. Mashed ripe bananas, pureed berries, applesauce and even mashed roasted butternut squash or sweet potatoes can be added to a cake mix. Use them in place of the water; you can try replacing the whole amount or just a portion.
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Upgrade with Ice Cream
Cake and ice cream go hand in hand, so why not start mixing them from the beginning? Melted ice cream can be used in place of the milk or water and oil while prepping a cake mix batter. Use two cups of melted ice cream. You’ll still need to incorporate the eggs.
Try strawberry ice cream in white cake mix, and cookies and cream or mint chocolate chip in a chocolate cake mix.
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Frost with a Homemade Recipe
Lastly, it’s time to decorate your cake! A batch of homemade vanilla buttercream or cream cheese frosting can instantly elevate a boxed mix cake. Don’t have the time to make homemade frosting? Mix a can of store-bought frosting with an 8-ounce container of thawed whipped topping instead. The resulting frosting is soft, creamy and easy to spread. Make sure to follow these cake-decorating tips for gorgeous results.
