I scoured the internet for all the best hacks to make box cake mix better and tested them all, so you don’t have to! The results? While most of them made little difference, one stood out, making for a moist and flavorful cake that rivals from-scratch.
In this post, I will outline my testing process, share the results for each trick, and give my best tips for easily making the best cake from a box.
Bottom line. Don’t waste your milk or butter to substitute for water and oil and certainly don’t use an extra egg. Instead, add sour cream and a little bit of vanilla extract and I promise you, this will elevate your box cake to new heights.
And I’m prepared to prove it!
Because as a busy mom who doesn’t want to settle for subpar taste, I understand the importance of having an effective kitchen hack in your back pocket!
I’ll also provide some homemade recipe options for you to frost your cake, if you really want to add a special touch (hint: I’m not a huge fan of buttercream and am more partial to a ganache).
The cake pictured is frosted with my spreadable white chocolate ganache. Let’s get into it!
Testing Every Hack for Box Cake Mix and the Results
The Testing Process
The first step was finding ALL THE BOX CAKE MIX HACKS. Top results included adding sour cream, substituting milk for water, swapping melted butter for oil, and adding an extra egg. Then, there were a few that added extra dry ingredients to the batter as well.
I noted them all down and decided to test pretty much every trick! The only ones I did not try are recipes where any extra flour and/or sugar was added, because at that point, I feel like you may as well just make it from scratch.
I asked my local grocer which box cake mix is their top seller, and he pointed me to a Betty Crocker White Cake mix. I grabbed a bunch, reasoning that using the same cake mix for each test would reduce the risk of any confounding factors.
I started by making a control cake which was just following the directions directly on the box, exactly as is. Then, I continued to bake cakes throughout the day, one at a time, so that I could use the exact same pan and bake each cake on the top rack.
For each test, I used two 9×9-inch round ceramic cake pans, lined with parchment paper with the sides greased. Each were filled about halfway with batter.
Then, I gathered my family, and we had a cake tasting party!
The Results
We tested each cake both on its own and with frosting and focused on texture, taste, appearance, smell, ease of making, and overall appeal.
- Test #1 This was the control. I made the cake exactly as instructed on the box, and the overall consensus was that it was fine. A little bit dry, but pretty good with frosting.
- Test #2 Adding sour cream. We were all blown away by the texture on this one. It was incredibly moist while still somehow being nice and fluffy. Without frosting, it lacked some flavor compared to the control.
- Test #3 Substituting milk for water. We all agreed there was absolutely no discernable difference between this and the control. Bottom line, save your milk.
- Test #4 Substituting melted butter for oil. While the smell and subtle taste of the butter was nice, none of us were happy with the texture. It was almost tacky and stuck to the roof of our mouths.
- Test #5 Adding an extra egg. The first thing we all noticed with this version was the smell. It was very eggy and unappealing. The texture was almost like cornbread, which none of us cared for. I would not recommend adding an extra egg.
The Final Verdict
After all of our testing, we all unanimously agreed that adding sour cream to box cake mix makes it moist and tender, while still being fluffy and airy. With the frosting, it was perfect.
However, without the frosting, it was a little on the blander side compared to the control. I concluded that while the sour cream worked wonders for the texture, adding the extra volume to the batter did slightly dilute the flavor.
So—you guessed it—I tested it again! This time, I added vanilla extract along with the sour cream, and it was just the little extra kick it needed to bring back the flavor.
Now, I will say, the difference between the cake with the sour cream and vanilla extract and the cake with just the sour cream was only noticeable when the cake was not frosted.
That being said, if you plan on frosting the cake and don’t have vanilla extract on hand or don’t want to bother with the extra step, I’m comfortable recommending adding just the sour cream to get great results. But ideally, you’ll add both!
Additional Recipe Testing
After testing all these hacks with the same Betty Crocker white cake mix, I wanted to make sure that the addition of sour cream and vanilla extract works for others, too.
I used the same technique with Betty Crocker yellow and chocolate cake mixes. Then, I tried a Pillsbury yellow mix and a Duncan Hines chocolate mix, too.
They were all incredibly moist and delicious! Through all the testing, I even found my new favorite go-to box cake mix: Betty Crocker yellow cake mix! If you’re at a loss of which mix to buy, that would be my recommendation.
As you can see, I did not take this task lightly. I can’t very well say to you “this is the best way to elevate your cake mix” without being 100% certain. I feel all the leg work was worth it, and I honestly can say I will be using this technique for all birthdays and occasion cakes moving forward.
So, now that I’ve (hopefully) got you convinced, let’s make a cake!
Better Box Cake Mix Ingredients
Here’s everything you need:
- Box cake mix of choice.
- Water. However much your particular mix calls for (usually ¾ – 1 cup).
- Oil. However much your particular mix calls for (usually ½ cup).
- Eggs. Check the box, but every single one I tested called for 3 eggs.
- Sour cream. Full fat is best.
- Vanilla extract. Optional, but highly recommended.
How to Make the Best Cake from a Box
Mix it All Up
Add the cake mix, water, oil, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer on high to combine. Make sure the sour cream is well-integrated but try not to beat it too much — integrating too much air can change the texture!
Once it looks smooth, stop using the hand mixer and use a rubber spatula to integrate any dry ingredients clinging to the sides and bottom of the bowl. Run the spatula through the batter to ensure it looks nice and smooth.
How to Perfectly Bake a Cake
I used two 9×9-inch round cake pans. For best results, I like to both line and grease my cake pans. I usually pour a little dab of oil into the pan and then use clean hands to spread it around the sides.
Then, I trace the outline of the pan onto a piece of parchment paper, cut it out, and place it on the bottom.
Pour an even amount of batter into each pan and tilt the pan back and forth to spread it out evenly. You can use a spatula to spread it into the edges if need be.
The box cake mix will indicate how long to bake the cake, dependent on the size and shape of pan you are using. I baked mine for 25 minutes at 350°F on the top rack.
If you are using two pans, it’s best to place them both on the same rack for an even bake.
Additional Flavor Boosters and Frostings to Elevate Your Cake
If you want to add additional flavor to your cake, you absolutely can! Here are some of my favorite optional add-ins for white and yellow cake:
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Sprinkles
- Dried fruit
- Fresh berries coated in a flour
- ½ – 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Here are some favorites for chocolate cake:
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- Fresh cherries, chopped and drained of excess liquid
- Booze! You can substitute ¼ cup of the water for whiskey, rum, Irish Cream, or coffee liqueur.
Outside of adding things into the cake, you can easily enhance the flavor with toppings, frostings, and sauces.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with buying frosting from the store to decorate your cake! However, if you do want to add a homemade touch, buttercream or ganache is super simple to make.
I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan of buttercream, and almost always exclusively frost my cakes with ganache. Here are some of my favorties:
How to Make Box Cake Mix Better with Two Simple Add-Ins (So Moist!)
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEEquipment
Ingredients
- 1 box cake mix of choice (tested with white, yellow, and chocolate!)
- ¾ – 1 cup water (go with the amount it calls for on the box!)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and line your cake pans (I used two 9×9-inch round ceramic cake pans).
- To a large mixing bowl, add the box cake mix, water, oil, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Use a hand mixer on high to combine, and then a rubber spatula to integrate any dry ingredients stuck to the sides and bottom of the bowl.1 box cake mix of choice, ¾ – 1 cup water, ½ cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs, ½ cup full-fat sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Transfer the cake batter to your prepared pans, spreading it out in an even layer. Bake on the top rack according to the instructions on the box for the size of pan you chose (I baked mine for 25 minutes!). Allow to cool before frosting and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- If you are making a chocolate cake and really want to bring out the chocolate flavor, you can add 2 teaspoons of espresso powder instead of (or in addition to) the vanilla extract!
- While I tested this method with many different brands and varietals of cake mix, there was no way to test every single one! That being said, I’m confident that if you follow the directions on the box for the cake and add ½ cup of sour cream and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, you will make a super moist and delicious cake!
