The One Ingredient To Consider Avoiding In Cake Batter

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An indulgent confection can come in many forms, and none more pleasing than a slice of freshly baked cake. Whether made from scratch or a store-bought box mix, the flavor combinations are nearly endless, as are the possibilities for enhancing your favorite recipes. Though most cake mixes call for using water as the liquid, it's actually best to avoid this in favor of more flavorful options. There are so many amazing substitutes for the water in your boxed cake mix that just about any style of cake you can think of will benefit from this ingredient upgrade.

Avoid plain water and get creative with a bevy of beverages that are well-suited to complement a variety of different cakes. It's a simple and effective way to boost the taste of your cake and add extra moisture for a crave-worthy texture. For example, buttermilk is thicker and known for its sour taste, adding extra fat content and a new layer of depth and complexity to any chocolate cake, pound cake, or similar style of dessert.

Rather than fall prey to the common pitfalls of following a recipe exactly to the letter, you can avoid this mistake and make a marvelous cake. Depending on the type of liquid you use in place of water, there may be a need to adjust the measurements. Given the density of buttermilk, you'll need a few extra tablespoons to get the balance right. A little care and clever thinking will yield a delightful dessert.

Milk is one of the common liquids used in lieu of water for its fat content. It adds an element of moisture and also helps with browning on the crust of your cake. Though plant-based milks differ from those made from animals, the milks still contain fats and proteins that will enrich any cake recipe. Use a 1:1 ratio for the liquid as long as it bears a close consistency to water. This goes for brewed coffee, fruit juices, and much more.

Coffee or cold brew would go particularly well when added to a box of Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix to bring out the richness in flavor. Similarly, try swapping in hot coffee for the hot water in a death by chocolate cake recipe. Give your chocolate cake more of Black Forest-inspired flavor by using a portion of tart cherry juice. Anything you can do to avoid plain water will lend itself to a considerably more decadent dessert.

The acidity in orange or lemon juice will give your cake a more tender crumb, making it an excellent addition to recipes for vanilla pound cake and citrus-based cakes as well. Consider how an apple cider donut bundt cake recipe uses a cup of apple cider for luscious fruit flavor, and try this with a Duncan Hines Signature Spice Cake Mix. The sky's the limit with creative cake baking.