Key Points
Adding one extra egg transforms boxed cake texture and flavor. Pastry chef Trung Vu explains that eggs provide structure, moisture, and richness—so adding one more than the box calls for helps the cake rise higher, taste richer, and feel more bakery-quality, especially in gluten-free mixes.A few simple swaps make a big difference. Replacing oil with melted butter enhances flavor and gives cakes a firmer, more luxurious texture, while substituting coffee for liquid ingredients in chocolate cakes deepens and amplifies the cocoa flavor.Moisture is key to a professional finish. Brushing cakes with simple syrup (plain or flavored) locks in moisture, extends freshness, and gives even boxed cakes the soft, tender crumb and flavor depth of a from-scratch bakery dessert.
Whether you’re hosting a last-minute party or craving something sweet, you can’t go wrong with boxed cake mix. It’s a delicious shortcut for all your dessert needs—and it can be made into cupcakes or cake pops, too. However, there are ways to make boxed cake even better, and they’re surprisingly easy to do.
The simplest trick: Use one more egg than the box calls for. The addition can enhance the texture and flavor of the cake, transforming ordinary cake mix into an extraordinary confection. But why does this trick work, exactly? To find out, we asked pastry chef-instructor Trung Vu how the hack helps, along with other quick swaps to elevate your boxed cake mix.
Trung Vu, chef-instructor of pastry and baking arts at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City
Why You Should Add an Extra Egg to Boxed Cake Mix
Before exploring the effects of an extra egg, it’s helpful to understand what eggs do in cake to begin with. “First, they work as a binder to hold everything together,” Vu says. They also add richness and moisture, which assists in leavening. “The water found in eggs (as well as other parts of the recipe) become steam when heated, which expands and helps the cake rise,” Vu adds. Also, when eggs are heated, its proteins coagulate (i.e., thicken or solidify), thereby trapping liquids and providing structure, Vu notes. As a result, “adding extra egg to a boxed cake mix may heighten these effects,” Vu shares.
It’s worth noting that the aforementioned characteristics of eggs can pave the way for a top-notch cake, regardless of the cake type, but they’re especially useful in gluten-free varieties. That’s because, according to Vu, such cakes lack the gluten network that wheat flour creates to provide structure.
To try this baking trick at home, simply use an extra egg when it’s time to incorporate the wet ingredients with each other. Just be sure to stick to one extra egg, as it’s possible to overdo it. As Vu points out, adding too many eggs can give the cake an overwhelming eggy taste or rubbery texture.
Other Ways to Make Boxed Cake Mix Better
In addition to using an extra egg, consider these other simple swaps to elevate your boxed cake mix when baking at home.
Use melted butter instead of oil: Melted butter is a wonderful oil substitute in baking. Whereas most oils used in cake are neutral or flavorless, butter tastes great, Vu points out. Another benefit? It will yield firmer cakes, which can be useful if you’re stacking them, per Vu. “Butter is high in saturated fats, which makes it solid at room temperature or below, whereas oil stays liquid at room temperature or even when refrigerated,” Vu explains. These qualities will transfer to the cake, he adds.
Add coffee to chocolate cakes: According to Vu, coffee and chocolate share many similar characteristics. “Both are bitter in taste and can contain flavor notes of nuttiness, fruitiness, and citrus or acid. These flavors can be complementary, or even amplified or heightened, when paired,” Vu shares. To incorporate the ingredient, replace some or all of the liquid ingredients (like milk or water) with coffee.”You can also mix instant coffee into the dry ingredients, if that’s what you have on hand,” Vu says.
Soak cake in simple syrup: For a delightfully moist cake, Vu suggests reaching for simple syrup. To make it, mix equal parts sugar and hot or boiling water until the sugar is completely dissolved; feel free to add vanilla extract, a splash of rum, or orange zest for extra flavor, Vu notes. “Brush this onto your cake to add more moisture and to help it retain moisture longer,” he explains.
Dining and Cooking