Lemon Cake- A Doctored Cake Mix Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How much lemon zest should I add to a box cake mix? ›

Adding just a tablespoon of lemon zest can add a subtle zing to most any vanilla, yellow or even angel food cake. And if want a little extra zing to match the colorful insides of this Funfetti cake, try this!

Enhance With Extracts

Pure vanilla extract and pure almond extract are great options, but you could also try lemon extract or orange extract paired with fresh citrus zest. Although more expensive, vanilla bean paste or fresh vanilla beans will provide even richer flavor to a boxed mix.

Replace the Water

The average cake mix calls for the most boring of liquids: water. Instead of using water, substitute whole milk or your favorite non-dairy milk (almond, oat, and coconut milk work especially well). The milk adds fat, which results in a better flavor and density in your cake.

To add extra lemon flavor to baked goods, use 1 tablespoon lemon juice powder for each cup of flour. For lemon glaze, use 1 to 2 teaspoons per cup of confections' sugar.

Even if a recipe doesn't call for zest, you can fold a tablespoon or two of lemon, lime, or orange zest into just about any sweet bread, muffin, scone, biscuit, etc.

Step 1: Look at the directions on the cake mix. Step 2: Add one more egg (or add 2 if you want it to be very rich). Step 3: Use melted butter instead of oil and double the amount. Step 4: Instead of water, use whole milk.

This is so simple, delicious and will have people begging for your cake. Take any cake mix and just add 4 eggs, 1 cup of water and 1 cup of mayo. ( If it's a chocolate cake pour one shot of espresso into the measuring cup and fill the remainder with water to fill up to one cup. ) Then bake as indicated on the box.

For chemically-leavened cakes — that is, cakes calling for baking powder or baking soda — it's OK if you don't remember to add the eggs until the end. Martina says, “Late in the mixing stage, eggs will incorporate better if you lightly beat them before adding to the batter.

What happens if you add an extra egg to a box cake mix? ›

Because eggs help build the cake's structure (don't use them and you're looking at a gooey mess), adding an extra egg yolk makes the cake batter denser. Translation: you'll have a moister confection. Conversely, she suggests an extra egg white for a fluffier cake.

Use an extra egg: Most boxed mixes will call for three eggs. Use four for a cake that's richer-tasting and moister. This tip is one I use practically every time I make a boxed cake mix. Substitute dairy: Replace the water called for on the package with dairy.

Why are eggs so important in a cake? Eggs, much like soy are emulsifiers and they help to hold the rest of the ingredients together. This creates more structure in your cake or baked goods. Adding an extra yolk will only help to hold the batter together better.

Most cake mixes call for oil, but butter will bring in amazing flavor. To substitute butter for oil in baking just melt the butter, measure it, let it cool, and add it as you would the oil. Compared to oil, butter will create a cake with a firmer, cakeier texture.

Uses for the frozen zest: Throw a bit into white cake batter (or even chocolate cake batter), muffins, cookies, breads, and veggie dips for an extra zing of flavor. I also like to mix it with the tea leaves in my tea ball.

This layer contains loads of natural oils that are full or flavor and not as acidic as the tart juice. For this reason, lemon zest is used to infuse concentrated amounts of sweet, citrus flavor into a variety of dishes.

The outer layer of the lemon (a.k.a. the zest or “the yellow part”) holds all the fruit's natural oils. You can zest it (yes, zest is both the name for the lemon rind and the action you take to remove it) to capture lemon's essential fragrance and flavor in order to enhance almost anything you're cooking.

Top Up the Tasty Bits

The vanilla powder added to your boxed cake mix might be past its prime. Bump up the flavor by adding ½ to 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.