How to Make Boxed Cake Mix taste like Bakery cake. Step by step directions on How to Make Boxed Cake Mix taste like Bakery cake are easy to follow and will give you one amazing moist cake! If you want a homemade cake flavor using a box of cake mix this is the post for you!
How to a Make Boxed Cake Mix taste like Bakery cake
As much as I love a fully homemade from scratch cake, there are times when that is just not possible. My backup is making a box of store bought cake mix taste like a homemade cake.
It is a simple way to make the boxed cake taste just like the cakes you get at the bakery, and it only takes a few added ingredients to do so.
I am a baker and after a lot of testing in my kitchen I came up with this easy recipe to make your boxed cake mix taste like you bought it from a bakery. I have been using this recipe for years, and I shared it years ago with you guys and I thought it was time to update the pics and answer some of the questions that are always asked about making a boxed cake taste homemade.
I have worked in quite a few bakeries and the majority of them use a cake mix when making their cakes. The basics of the cake mix is what you find in traditional store box mix, but then there are different added ingredients which make the cake the traditional bakery cake you are used to.
How to Make your Cake Taste homemade
Aside from the easy step by step directions below there are a few other things you can do that will help you doctor up a box of cake mix and have it be the most amazing boxed cake mix that tastes homemade ever!
Add ins. Get creative and add things like crushed up cookies, sprinkles, chocolate candies, swirls of jelly and more. You can let your imagination run wild and get totally creative with the things that you add in!
Homemade Frosting. Seriously skip all of that store bough frosting. It is SO easy to make frosting at home, and any flavor you want too! A homemade frosting can totally take a cake from bland to over the top! So even if you are not fancying up your boxed cake mix (even though I think it is a must), adding a homemade frosting will make a world of a difference!
Looking for Frosting recipes ? Check these out!
- Raspberry buttercream
- Mint Buttercream
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- vanilla buttercream
- marshmallow buttercream
- Caramel Buttercream
- Chocolate Raspberry buttercream
- Peanut butter buttercream
What Flavor Boxed Cake Mix can I use?
Any flavor cake mix will work with this recipe.
If you are stuck coming up with flavor combinations fo cake and frosting here are a few of my favorites.
- Red Velvet cake – Cream Cheese Frosting or Vanilla Buttercream.
- Chocolate Cake – Chocolate frosting, raspberry frosting, mint frosting or Almond buttercream.
- Vanilla Cake –
- Lemon Cake – Lemon buttercream, raspberry buttercream or vanilla buttercream.
- Strawberry cake – Lemon buttercream, chocolate buttercream, or vanilla buttercream.
How much cake does this recipe make?
This makes the amount of batter you have equal to 1 and 1/2 boxed cake mixes. Follow this guide for making different sized cakes:
- Using a 6 inch round cake pan – 3 cakes.
- Using a 10 inch round pan – 1 cake
- Using a 9 inch by 13 inch cake pan – 1.5 cakes
- Cupcakes – 36
Cake Baking Supplies
You will need a few supplies to make this recipe.
- Spatula
- Stand mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
If you are going to be baking a cake, I highly suggest getting spring pans. Using spring pans makes it so much easier to remove the cake after it has baked.
If you are making cupcakes I highly suggest using cupcake liners. They are much easier then baking cupcakes in a baking pan alone.
Make a Boxed Cake Mix Taste Homemade Ingredients
- 1 box cake mix (Any Flavor)
- dash of salt
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup water
- 3 whole eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
How to Make Boxed Cake Mix taste homemade
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and grease your cake pans.
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
In your stand mixer bowl add the wet ingredients.
Add half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together. Then add the rest of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix completely.
Mix everything on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Pour the cake batter in to cake pans or cupcake pans. Be sure to only fill the pans half way if making a cake and 2/3 the way if making cupcakes.
Bake at 300 degrees for about 25 minutes then turn the oven up to 325 for an additional 25 minutes.
If you are making cupcakes then you will want to have the cook time be 20 minutes at 300 and an additional 20 minutes at 325.
Looking for more uses for Boxed cake mix? Check these out!
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- Funfetti Cake mix cookie sandwiches
- Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
- Rainbow Cake Recipe
Looking for more cake ideas? Check these out!
How To Make A Box Mix Taste Like A Bakery Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box cake mix Any Flavor
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- salt just a dash
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup water
- 3 whole eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and grease your pans
- Whisk together the dry ingredients
- In mixer bowl place the wet ingredients
- Add about 1/2 of the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix together
- Then add the rest of the dry ingredients and blend
- Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed
- Pour the batter half way up prepared pans or 2/3 of the cupcake pan
- Bake at 300 degrees for about 20-30 minutes (depending on size of cake) then turn oven up to 325 for about an equal time.
Nutrition
More Dessert Recipes you will love!
Peanut Butter And Jelly Cupcakes
Join the newsletter
Subscribe to get our latest recipes right in your inbox every time we post a new one!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy here
Hi there, I just want you to know. I have need making this cake now for awhile and love it. It’s the only way I .ake them. Ow. My question is. I want to try it in a bundt pan. Have you tried it this way? I was looking at the comments to see if this was asked before. A lot of comments
Should I be putting oil in this?
No oil needed the fat comes from the sour cream.
Hi, Can you please tell me if I need to use all purpose or self rising flour?
Thanks
Dianna
all-purpose
The box mixes are smaller now. Used to be 18 ounces, now only 15. What did you use? I made one recipe for a cake this way and it wasn’t the best because the box mix was smaller. They should put the size mix on the recipe.
I just made one two weeks ago and the cake came out the same as before so just follow the same recipe.
I noticed that the mixes are smaller. Takes allot more mixes to make wedding cakes now.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS RECIPE! I MAKE SHEET CAKES AS WELL BUT WANTED TO TRY THIS. HOW WOULD I CONVERT THE TIME.
What about red velvet cake?
It works the same.
Can you use any cake mix?
yes, you may.
Self rising flour?
Just all-purpose
Just double checking before i try. My box says to use 2 eggs already, do i then add the additional 3 or just 1 more to make the total 3?
just three eggs
what about doing this with a chocolate cake mix?
It works but its not as strong of a chocolate flavor.
Make the chocolate cake as directed above except substitute cocoa powder for 1/3 cup of the flour. So yummy and I always get asked for the recipe.
Thanks, I needed this
I made this just this week and took your advice on adding more cocoa powder. It turned out great. Everyone raved about how good it was. Thanks for the suggestions!
I noticed there was no oil or butter, do you not use any at all??
I noticed there was no oil or butter in the recipe. Do you not use any??
The fat comes from the sour cream.
Trying for the first time today kind of excited to see how this recipe works !! I will write again afterwards !!
Trying for the first time today kind of excited to see how this recipe works !! I will write again afterwards !!
Let us know how it came out 🙂
My chocolate cake is in the oven, almost finished baking (doing toothpick test but its still liquidy in center. It looks awesome. It’s a light chocolate color (I didn’t use any cocoa powder when i added the 1 cup flour).but i can just tell this is going to be a winner. I followed the recipe exactly. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad you liked it! Make sure to share how it turned out with us 🙂
How long do you cook cupcakes?
what ever the time on the box says for cupcakes 🙂
I want to make Guinness beer chocolate cake. Can I substitute the beer for the water
I have never does this but I believe it would work. If you end up making it make sure you share a picture on how it turned out 🙂
I would like to make this as a sheet cake and when I made one from a recipe I had but misplaced, I think I used a jelly roll pan. Would this work with this cake?
yes
Can I use full fat plain yogurt instead of sour cream?
I am not sure i have never tried, if you try let me know how it turns out.
Epic fail for me. Recipe did not say to flour the pans so I didn’t. My cake became a trifle, which was very tasty, but not the cake I was hoping for.
I don’t flour my pans with this recipe I just grease them with butter.
I have a 11 x 15in sheet pan. Can I put all the cake mix in it? Do I need to change the oven temp?
Yes, you dont need to change the temp just add more time to the cooking time.
I try this tonight i haven’t cut it yet BUT IT TURN OUT NICE. i used a pound cake pan needed a little more cooking time. Have to let you k ow tomorrow how it taste
Oh yummy let me know how it turned out.
I failed.. miserable fail lol I have no idea ( maybe an idea..) what I did wrong.
I doubled this recipe because I wanted to make 2 3inch deep cakes.
Mixed in cake flour (possible culprit???) and the remainder of the ingredients.
It smells AMAZING…
It’s been in the oven for over an hour… epic fail… its pulling away on the edges… but its completely liquid in the middle and totally sunk…
Could it be the cake vs all purpose flour that caused this??
Hi Glenda! Yes you want to use all purpose flour 🙂
Has anyone tried out this recipe in a jumbo cupcake tin? Do i use one box for one half of the tin?
My cupcakes turned out sponging and tough .. Why?
Im not sure what happened, it could be from over mixing or and ingredients measured incorrectly.
Made this cake today to test out for granddaughters bday next weekend. I want to freeze the layers I make on Monday – assuming I can? Also, mine sank in the middle after I turned up the temp. Any suggestions?
i would just wrap the whole cake up very well with plastic wrap then freeze it. I am not sure why it sank.
I have a 15by 11 inch pan do I need to use two boxes of cake mix and double the ingredients?
just one batch will work
Can you show a picture of your cake versus a boxed cake? (the finished product)..I’ve tried other peoples recipes for doing this and they were nothing like a bakery cake. A bakery cake is more dense ,where the boxed cakes are more light and airy. Thank You so much!
I dont have a picture of the two compared but this is the recipe I used at the last bakery I worked at.
I AM MAKING A UNICORN CAKE I NEED 3 LAYERS WILL THIS BE ENOUGH OR DO I NEED TO MAKE 3 BATCHES
two batches
Thanks a million, Stephanie!
I just made this recipe using a white cake mix for my granddaughter’s 4th birthday today. It turned out AMAZING!
I’m on the fence as to whether to tell everyone about my good fortune in finding you, or to just let them think I’m fabulous!
Im so glad you love it! I would share it so you can eat it at your friends events!
Timing for cupcakes using this recipe , would it be same time as on the box?
yes just make sure you check the doneness with a tooth pick.
This recipe definitely works. Reading is fundamental. I love reading the comments they are hilarious. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so glad this worked out for you.
Can I use this recipe to make a 4 layer 6 in round tall cake? Should I double it and what time adjustments do you think I should make in baking?
It depends how thick you want the layers. I have used one batch of this for two 6″ pans then cut the cakes in half for a 4 layer cake. For time just use the same times as the box says.
I made a Funfetti using z tube pan and the full 30mins at each temperature. IT TURNED OUT AMAZING! Today is chocolate cupcakes but I didn’t notice the notes about adding Cocoa powder so we’ll see!
Thank you for sharing this with us.
Is this recipe for a 9×13 pan???
yes it is
Will this work for a lemon cake mix? Or will it diminish the lemon flavor?
I would add 1/4 tsp of lemon extract
If making cupcakes you said use the time on the box what about temperatures for cupcakes? Do I use what is ok n the box or the 300 and 325?
325
Can you use almond extract instead of vanilla
yes
Uggg…..I forgot the sugar. I took it out of the oven at the 30 min mark. Mixed a cup of sugar with a little bit hot water and poured it over the two cakes, lol. I have NO IDEA what it’s going to taste like. I was making it for church…I guess we will eat it. I have to make another one. Thanks for this recipe 😉
I just got so triggered reading this ? As a professional pastry chef that has worked in many bakeries and restaurants, I have NEVER used cake mix in a professional setting. Everything is made from scratch. High volume commercial bakeries will use mix (and anyone who wants to cut corners). Using a box mix isn’t essential for consistency…..using a recipe and weighing ingredients is.
I am a professional pastry chef who has worked in diffent bakeries. Three out of four bakeries used mixes and they were a major brand only in a very large bag. One bakery was just a cake bakery making a large amounts of wedding cakes as well as other special occasion cakes and this was a take on her recipe.
That’s so crazy to me! I have never encountered that in the many kitchens I’ve been in. But that’s why I said “high volume”. I’ve spent many years (not to mention $$$ for culinary school) and I hate to see bakers and pastry chefs in general, not get credit for the skill involved.
made the chocolate they are fantastic thanks so much
Can u add in frozen purred strawberries? Will it be to much liquid? Or should I substitute something for the strawberries?
If you are wanting strawberry cupcakes or cake use this recipe 🙂 https://www.midgetmomma.com/strawberry-cupcakes/
I’m not happy with the result. It has more of the consistency of a biscuit than cake and it’s too dry.
I double checked my ingredients and didnt forget anything. I’ll have to try it again soon.
I have a crap oven so that may be part of the problem.
Oh no im not sure what happened, the addition of the sour cream normal helps make it moist.
Very dry! And I didn’t even bake it as long as recipe called for.
I’m sorry, yours came out dry I’ve never had that problem.
I wanted the cake a little darker so I added a 1/4 cup cocoa powder and 1 cup dark chocolate chips. I was reading the comments and substituting the flour for cocoa prob would’ve been better but I def tasted the finished mix and it tasted so good 🤤
I want to make a German chocolate cake do I have to add cocoa powder to it
I would because it doesnt have a strong chocolate flavor.