7 ways to make boxed cake mix better

Most box mixes call for two eggs. What happens when you add a third? Cake with a thicker, richer crumb.

Perk up vanilla cake mix with finely grated lemon or orange zest.

Use the same amount of milk or a bit more buttermilk (since it’s thicker) for a creamier taste.

When we tested it, using mashed avocado instead of oil, gave our chocolate cake a deeper, can’t-put-your-finger-on-it richness. Plus: healthy fats!  

Did you know applesauce is a convincing stand-in for oil? Swap in an equal amount of applesauce, and your cake will be super moist and low in fat, with a mild apple flavour (works best for vanilla cake).

It sounds strange, but trust us when we say that 1 or 2 tbsp of mayonnaise disappears into the batter and makes for a richer cake.

Substitute the same amount of melted unsalted butter for the oil to make your cake more flavourful.

A version of this article appeared in our April 2016 issue with the headline "Take your mix to the max", p. 59.

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