Easy Bakery Style Cake From Box Cake Mix

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A simple kitchen hack showing how to make a box mix into a super moist Bakery Style Cake with a few elevated ingredients. This time-saving trick is super easy and delicious.

a slice of bakery style boxed cake on a plate with a fork

I love baking from scratch. It’s actually therapeutic in some ways. But there are times when I just don’t have the time or patience to cream and sift. That’s where a great doctored-up box mix comes in handy! I will take any flavor box cake mix, add a little butter and sour cream and make the best fake-n-bake Bakery Style Cake.

How to make box cake mix better

boxed cake mix with ingredients

You really don’t need much to make any box cake mix taste better. Simply exchange the ingredients from the package directions for similar ones in equal amounts. Trust me when I say that the end result will be just as tasty as a bakery-style cake!

Cake mix ingredients

Vanilla or yellow box cake mix– I’m using vanilla cake mix but any flavor will work with these ingredients.
Sugar- Adding sugar to the mix is what gives the cake bakery-style tenderness. Bakery cakes have more sugar than flour which results in a more tender crumb.
Sour cream– This adds richness to the batter.
Butter– I use salted butter in almost all of my cakes. The contrasting hint of saltiness cuts through the sweetness of the cake and icing. Use unsalted if you prefer.
Eggs

Variations

Yogurt– A flavored yogurt like lemon or lime will add richness and mix up the taste.
Buttermilk– The tanginess of the buttermilk will add a home-style taste to the cake.
Extracts– Vanilla cake mix especially, will take on added extract quite nicely. Try 2-3 teaspoons of a strong extract like banana or coconut.
Soda– Cola is very nice in chocolate cakes but any soda can be added to basically any box cake mix.

How to make bakery style cake from box cake mix

preparing the ingredients

The beauty of this recipe is that it only takes one bowl and a single mix. Start by preheating the oven to 350°

Melting and cooling the butter. Pour the box cake mix into a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and beat the batter on medium speed with a hand mixer until smooth.

Pour the batter into a prepared baking pan and bake the cake according to the package directions. Test the center of the cake it a toothpick to check for doneness. Cool the cake completely on a baking rack before frosting.

Tip

plain cake on a cooling rack

Don’t throw the cake mix box away! I don’t care how many times I’ve made a boxed cake, I always need to make sure the baking time is correct.

How to serve box mix bakery style cake

frosted cake horizontal

Serve this cake with an easy American Buttercream or in a delicious Strawberry Shortcake Trifle.

slice of boxed cake on a plate
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Easy Bakery-Style Cake From Box Cake Mix

Print Recipe
Learn how to make box mix into a super moist Bakery-Style Cake with a few elevated enriching ingredients.
Prep Time:15 mins
Cook Time:35 mins
Total Time:50 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow box cake mix or any flavor you choose
  • 1 c sugar
  • 1 1/2 c sour cream
  • 1/2 c salted butter melted
  • 3 eggs

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350° and melt the butter. Once the butter is cooled, pour the cake mix, sugar, eggs, sour cream, and butter into a large mixing bowl.
  • Beat the batter with a hand-mixer until smooth. Pour the batter into a prepared cake pan. Bake according to the package directions. Cool completely on a baking rack before frosting.

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 420mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 36g | Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake, easy
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 362kcal
Author: Ty

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