The Best BOX Cake

Was it really more than a month ago that I updated my blog? Yes, it’s true. We’ve had a lot of changes come about recently in my family and the blog just wasn’t a priority.

A couple of friends emailed me today and asked if, “I was still cooking?” They were being cute of coarse- “Yes, I’m still cooking….all the time!”

Let me explain the delay in my posting on the blog first.
1.) I have a one-year-old! Yes, Caston will turn ONE tomorrow. Wow…that is so hard to say. Can my baby really no longer be a baby?

2.) I have begun making cakes. I finally finished my professional cake classes (2 night classes a week) and started making cakes. It’s been a blast and a ton of work, but it was on my bucket list and I’ve got it knocked out. I promise to post some of my cakes is the future! (PHOTO: One of my first cakes for my mother-in-law)

3.) I went from a part-time working mama to a full-time employee in October! HUGE change for our entire family, including the youngest- Caston. I was working part-time as a writer and marketing consultant (although the last couple months had really became a full-time job). Then, a blessing and dream job popped into my lap! I’m working as an editor for a farm publication and I get to do what I’ve always wanted to- tell the story of agriculture!

So, between all of this….the blog has suffered. I do hope to change that now! So, stay with me all…I promise not to let you down.

From the title of my post, you can tell I’m going to share a great recipe! I’ve been doing some baking to find the best cake mix and I have a winner! Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Cake Mixes- truly the best cake mix I’ve eaten. And, I’ve ate a lot of cake.

My favorite has become the Golden Butter mix. But, I don’t just follow the mix recipe – I add to it. Lots of folks do this…they take a mix and add some things to make it taste homemade! Well, this really does taste homemade- ask anyone that I’ve made cakes for lately.

Here is how I turn a boxed mix into something delectable!

Add to a boxed mix some of the following:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 box instant pudding
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- Butter instead of oil
- Milk instead of water
- Add vanilla flavoring
- Add extra butter flavoring
- Add other extract flavorings (lemon, mint, orange, almond)Add some spirits to the spice up the flavoring. Rum is always good, but my favorite is Irish cream or amaretto. You will substitute for half of the water called for in the mix.
- Do the same with coffee (strong). Great with chocolate!
- Grate in some citrus peel

By adding some of the above ingredients you can make a boxed cake mix moist and tasty! You will follow the boxed mix instructions, but replace the water and oil with butter and milk and add extra vanilla flavoring (usually about 1 T.).

Or, you can follow the mix recipe and add instant pudding before you add the liquid ingredients. Next, add the liquid ingredients and mix well. When your mix is mixed well and not powdery add sour cream and beat.

That’s all you do! Enjoy and happy baking….