How to Make Boxed Cake Mix Taste Homemade

I did a lot of internet research and a lot of kitchen experimenting to find the best ways to modify a simple boxed cake mix to make it taste homemade. First step is to buy a boxed cake mix of your choice. Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, they are basically all made of the same stuff.  Whenever they go on sale at the grocery store I stock up. Follow the recipe on the back of the box but make a few changes (you can use some or all of the tips):



* Add a package of pudding mix to the dry ingredients. Add chocolate pudding to chocolate cake, lemon pudding to lemon cake, etc.



* Replace the water with milk, or buttermilk, half and half, whipping cream, or sour cream depending on the level of richness you desire ( or for me whatever I have in the fridge) 



* Replace the oil with melted butter



* Add an extra egg



When you start mixing the batter will be thicker than normal, but that's how it is supposed to be. The cake will turn out extremely moist and slightly more dense.  To give your cake that homemade finishing touch always make your own frosting.I like this simple butter cream frosting recipe from the food network.

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/quick-vanilla-buttercream-frosting-recipe/index.html