Everyone prefers a homemade cake to box, but not everyone has the time necessary to whip up a made-from-scratch cake every time the craving strikes. Not to mention, boxed cake mixes are generally more cost-effective than all of the ingredients needed to make a cake on your own. If you want a quick, budget-friendly cake that maintains that unmistakable homemade flavor, try one of these clever ingredient substitutes.
Whole Milk
Prefer a thick, hearty slice of cake? Substitute the water in the recipe on the side of the box with milk and your cake will come out of the oven with a dense texture.
Sour Cream
Moisture is the name of the game when it comes to adding sour cream to cakes. Add the ingredients as directed, then include two dollops of sour cream to make the cake extra moist.
Pudding
Want to kick up the flavor of your cake? Combine 2 tablespoons of instant pudding powder (vanilla for vanilla cake, chocolate for chocolate cake) with ½ cup water or milk, 3 eggs, and 1/3-cup vegetable oil.
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is essentially a mixture of eggs, oil, and vinegar – that's why it’s such a great stand-in for vegetable oil. Substitute the oil in the cake mix recipe with 1 cup of mayo.
Coffee
If you love chocolate-covered coffee beans, this one’s for you. Try substituting brewed coffee for water the next time you make a boxed chocolate cake.
Lemon
Squeeze half a lemon and grate 2 tablespoons of zest into your yellow cake mix, then add the other ingredients, as usual, to give it a tart kick.
Inspiration can come from anywhere – just ask the team at Oxford at Lake View Apartments in Corinth, Texas. By passing along this information, we hope to inspire you with new ideas, projects, and goals, too.