How to Improve Yellow Cake Mix

You can add ingredients to ordinary cake mix to provide extraordinary results.

Sweet and moist yellow cake is a favorite at parties and family functions. From birthday celebrations to office potlucks, there are many requests for yellow cake. Unfortunately, most people do not have the time necessary to devote to making yellow cake from scratch, but neither do they want the decidedly fake taste of box cake mix. By modifying your cake mix with a few additions or substitutions, even a yellow cake made from a box mix can taste fantastic.

Things You'll Need

• Eggs
• Mixing bowl
• Flavor extract
• Spices (optional)
• Flavored liquid
• Vegetable oil
• Add-ins
• Cake pan
• Butter, shortening or cooking spray
• Flour

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Prepare the cake mix by adding ingredients according to the directions on the box. Add 1 tsp. flavored extract such as vanilla, almond, orange, mint, lemon or rum to the bowl. You can also add nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves to make a spice cake. Start with 1/4 tsp. of the spices and taste the mix to determine if you need more spice flavor.

3. Substitute a flavored liquid for the water required in the mix. You can use lemon-lime soda along with 1 tsp. orange or lemon extract for a citrus twist. Use cooled coffee for a latté-inspired dessert.

4. Substitute peanut butter for part or all of the oil. You may need to add extra liquid if your batter is too thick.

5. Stir in chocolate chips, cookie pieces, peanut butter chips, chopped nuts or flaked coconut after you mix batter to add flavor and interest.

6. Prepare the cake pan by greasing with butter or shortening or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Dust the pan with flour and tap out the excess.

7. Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake for 40 to 60 minutes. Test for doneness by sticking a toothpick in the center of the cake at the end of the recommended cooking time. If the toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs clinging to it, your cake is done. If not, continue baking the cake in 5-minute increments until the cake is done.

8. Cool cake and frost and decorate as desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not over-bake or your cake will by too dry.

References

• Reader's Digest: Add Fun Flavor to Cake Mixes
• Good Morning America: The Cake Mix Doctor's Peanut Butter Cake
• The Cake Mix Doctor: Anne Byrn