1) An extra egg and a splash of dairy
Some simple addition to your box cake direction, will get you a tastier cake. By adding just one more egg than the recipe
requires, and replacing the water with milk or buttermilk will result in
a much richer, tastier cake.
And if you also have a little butter in the fridge, replace the oil in
the recipe with equal parts melted butter. No need to buy extra
ingredients, just see what dairy you have in the fridge and use that to
enrich your cake.
And if you’re making chocolate cake, you can even try replacing the
water with brewed coffee. The chocolate notes of the cake will be only
highlighted and intensified by the coffee.
2. Mayonnaise
Before you close the tab, wait! Mayo is not
just for your sandwiches. If you have a jar of plain mayonnaise, you
can use it instead of the water in the recipe to give the cake an extra
moist and rich texture. Just think about it - mayo is mostly eggs and
oil - and most cakes already contain these two ingredients. So, the risk
of ruining the cake is zero.
3. Never forget about the toppings!
You can think of cake as a sandwich - with
the batter itself being like a slice of bread, and the cream, the
frosting, and the toppings being like mayo, ham, and cheese. And just
like the bread in a sandwich, the cake itself doesn’t have to be the
main show.
So, open your fridge and pantry, and see what you have for toppings.
Instant vanilla pudding mix makes an excellent imitation of creme
patisserie, fresh fruit, and melted chocolate will make your cake look
fancy and taste delicious, and canned cherries and a few dollops of
cream cheese sweetened with sugar will save even the driest cake.
Experiment with fillings and toppings, and you’ll never taste a bland
and boring cake ever again!