Boxed Cake Mix Hack swaps a few ingredients to make a dense and buttery, rich, bakery style cake that tastes like you paid $6 a slice!
There’s a time and place for fully homemade Cake Recipes, of course. Popular easy recipes include Best Ever Chocolate Poke Cake, Easy Butter Cake, and Coca Cola Sheet Cake. However, when you’re in a pinch and you want to use a shortcut, this boxed cake mix hack is even easier!

With just a couple of ingredient swaps, you can make a regular cake mix taste like you’ve paid $6 a slice for bakery cake. This hack is easy, replaces oil with butter and turns a cake mix into a delicious buttery, rich, dense crumb cake, perfect for any special occasion.
This recipe was created as a way to appease a toddler who just had to have this cake mix while at the store with mom. It’s a fun way to get kids involved in the kitchen and let them have fun baking something from “scratch” together, but without extra steps that aren’t as fun for them. You can make it an even more fun project with this tiny chef hat and apron!
Any buttercream frosting would complete this boxed cake mix hack. However, to disguise your cake mix secret even better, try a homemade frosting like Classic Buttercream, Rich Chocolate Frosting, or Cream Cheese Frosting.

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If you are not a fan of cake mix, you are not alone. It can have a weird, overly crumbly, way too soft texture. However, after trying this cake mix hack, you will be amazed at the improvement. This hack makes an altogether dull cake mix box taste fantastic!
In fact, this cake mix hack has been taste tested side by side with a from-scratch birthday cake with the same purple frosting, and the result was not a single person guessed it was from a mix. Many people complimented the cake, and some thought it was better than the homemade recipe!
The crumb was tender, denser, buttery and rich. The distinct “cake mix flavor” was unrecognizable. Try it and you won’t regret it!


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Tips for Making Boxed Cake Mix Hack
- This recipe uses a classic yellow cake mix, but you could try this method with any boxed cake mix flavor.
- Substitute the water in box directions for milk.
- Replace the oil in the box directions with butter and DOUBLE the amount.
- Add one additional egg than what the box instructions call for.
- Mix ingredients together and follow baking directions from the box. It’s that easy!

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How to Store Boxed Cake Mix Hack
- Serve: Boxed Cake Mix Hack can be kept at room temperature, unfrosted, for up to 4 days. If frosted with a dairy frosting such as buttercream or cream cheese frosting, refrigerate in plastic wrap.
- Store: Store frosted cake in the refrigerator, covered in plastic wrap, for up to one week. Let warm to room temperature before serving.
- Freeze: If freezing a frosted cake, place in the freezer for about one hour, so the frosting becomes solid, then cover tightly in plastic wrap and freeze up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.



Ingredients
- 1 box Yellow Cake Mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup butter , melted
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 3 cups Buttercream Frosting
Instructions
- The only directions to note are that whatever the back of the box directs you to use, you have to:
- Add an additional egg.
- Replace the water with milk, same amounts.
- Replace the oil with melted butter. DOUBLE the amount.
- Cook with the same directions that are printed on the box.
Video
Nutrition

Photos used in a previous version of this post.




I use this hack now every time I make a cake with a boxed mix. It turns out great everytime. I always get lots of compliments. Thanks!!
CAN YOU SWIRL RASPBERRY IN THE CAKE MIX
I’ve a few raspberry desserts to post in the months to come I think you’ll enjoy!
I made this into a Bundt cake, it had a great rise while baking and I was afraid it would overflow the pan. Other than taking an extra 20 minutes baking time it looks good, waiting now to see if it will come out of the pan in one piece, it seems really light and fluffy, definitely not heavy like a bakery cake which is what I was going for. Fingers crossed it doesn’t fall apart I don’t want to have to make truffles for dessert tomorrow lol.
I found this recipe to be very good. My large yellow cupcakes turned out perfect. I used a Duncan Hines cake mix. Only added 1 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of flour, 4 eggs and 1 stick of melted butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Batter was thick! I give the recipe 5 stars.
I am making cupcakes today and using your recipe.
I will bake one this week thank you
Did this. Wonderful results. Thanks very much
Does anyone else have a problem with their cupcakes going flat, not rising up in a dome? I’ve tried this recipe several times and my cupcakes always go flat, regardless of the type of cup I use.
I’m revamping my last question: Why do some people add flour to the box cake hack? I noticed you don’t. Is it a preference? What would the reason be?
Thank you
Peter
So light and airy! Tasted delicious. Will definitely make this recipe again!
Why add flour to the box cake mix
Did you use salted or unsalted butter?
Always use unsalted butter when baking..
I found this recipe to be very good. My large yellow cupcakes turned out perfect. I used a Duncan Hines cake mix. Only added 1 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of flour, 4 eggs and 1 stick of melted butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Batter was thick! I give the recipe 5 stars.
Unfortunately it does not work with lemon cake mix. But you never know until you try. At least I had not made the frosting so those ingredients were not wasted.
I tried this yesterday with a red velvet box cake from 2020. I sifted the mix, then followed the instructions as in the article, and honey, it came out moist, light and delicious, without that “cake mix taste”. I ended up putting Simple Syrup to add more moisture. The guys love it! (Sweetie and grandson). 5 stars for this adjustment. Plan on using it for 2 cakes I’m making later this week…
This is the only way that I make cakes anymore. I add a snack cup of applesauce or a small package of pudding into the mix… moisture problem solved!!
I tried this “trick” for both a cake and cupcakes. It did not work. When I took everything out of the oven, initially it looked super fluffy, but once it cooled, it caved in on itself and went all wrinkly. Would not try again.
Mine did the same thing ?
Same! Came out of the oven beautiful, and began to collapse a few minutes later. I’m so grateful that I made a “test” batch of cupcakes before making a multi layer birthday cake! Even though collapsed to flat tops, the cupcakes are delicious and very moist. Unfortunately that moisture is oil and has completely soaked through the pretty paper liners.
This didn’t come out. Followed the instructions to the letter and the cake did not rise – super thin. You also have to reduce baking time.
Making a yellow cake taste like bakery??