A Home Baker's Wildly Popular Boxed Cake Mix Hack Relies On A Few Simple Upgrades

Most boxed cake mixes supply measured dry ingredients, requiring little more than eggs, water, and oil to bake into a moist and bouncy dessert. But for many, boxed cake mix is a jumping off point for culinary creativity. On TikTok, home baker @theotherkendric relies on a few simple boxed cake mix upgrades to make what has become a wildly popular desert that intrigues thousands of followers.

While yellow or butter cake mixes typically call for three eggs, a cup of water, and vegetable oil, the TikToker adds an extra egg, substitutes a stick of butter for the oil, and replaces the cup of water with a cup of milk — he also recommends a dash of vanilla extract. Additionally, the home baker urges viewers to change out their 9x13-inch baking pan for a 9x11-inch pan, resulting in a necessary temperature change to 315 degrees Fahrenheit, rather than the typical 350 degrees. Then, bake for around 37 minutes. Lastly, the social media user recommends heating up chocolate frosting in the microwave for 20 seconds to make it pourable for easy spreading.

We recommend lowering your oven temperature by about 25 degrees for baked goods, so the 30-degree drop is a tip we support, especially since you're using a smaller baking pan. The ingredient swaps make for a thicker batter, but a smaller pan means a taller cake that needs a lower temperature oven to cook the inside without burning the top. The extra egg, milk, and butter translate to a luxuriously dense and moist crumb — and richer overall cake flavor.

While the TikToker recommends yellow or butter cake mix, his simple upgrades will work on any boxed cake mix you have in mind, from chocolate to Funfetti. Of course, you can always swap vanilla extract for a different flavoring agent like almond extract or amaretto. Get creative with flavor combinations by adding mint extract to your boxed chocolate cake mix of choice, frosted with chocolate icing and candy cane garnishes.

@theotherkendric

It literally meltsss in your mouth. 😩 This my 2nd one ina week &a half.😭 #boxcake #cakemix #foodie #chocolatecake

♬ original sound – theotherkaee

Celebrity chef and baker Duff Goldman elevates boxed cake mix with additional spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Adding cinnamon and nutmeg to a vanilla cake mix will definitely infuse it with a flavor boost. Alternatively, take things a step further by adding chopped pecans and shredded coconut to ice with store-bought cream cheese frosting for an easy take on Italian wedding cake.

While milk brings a richer flavor along with the extra egg and butter, you can always swap regular milk for buttermilk. You'll still get the richness and density of the crumb, but the tanginess of the buttermilk brings even more depth of flavor and helps the cake rise. If you're looking for dairy free swaps, there are plenty of worthy vegan butters out there. You can also make dairy-free buttermilk by adding two tablespoons of apple cider or white vinegar to a cup of plant-based milk like soy, coconut, or almond milk, letting the mixture sit for five minutes before adding it to the batter.