For Ultra-Flavorful Boxed Cake, Take One Extra Step Once It's Out Of The Oven

Homemade, from-scratch cakes may have the reputation of being the best you can possibly get, but they'll never beat the convenience of a pre-packaged mix. There are even some boxed cake mix hacks that produce cakes that would give any bakery confection a run for its money. For example, adding fizzy soda pop makes boxed mix ultra fluffy, and mixing canned sweetened condensed milk into boxed cake batter will give you unbelievable results.

Another way to create unmatched flavor and moisture in your cake is to simply add a soak. A cake soak is when you brush your fresh-from-the-oven cakes with a flavorful liquid, which soaks right into the confection. In this way, you can transform a boxed cake into something totally unique and personal.

Turn out the cake from the baking pan onto a cooling rack, and place it so that the bottom (which was in contact with the pan) is face-up. Because this side is warmer and doesn't have that hard shell (the way the top of the cake does), your soak will be better absorbed. The liquid can be as simple as a sugar syrup flavored with ingredients like coffee, orange blossom water, citrus zest, or liqueurs. You can also use something like coconut milk or melted fruit preserves. Use a pastry brush or a squeeze bottle to apply a layer of the soak right onto the cake. It will absorb rather quickly, imparting moisture and flavor into the cake itself. Once cooled, you can move forward with your fillings and frostings.

There are tons of flavors of boxed cake mixes at the store to choose from, and the good news is that you can create a delicious cake soak for all of them. Simple syrup — which is made by melting together equal parts sugar and water until a syrup is formed — can be used to impart moisture to any boxed mix cake, but why not add some extra flavors as well? Consider the flavor of your cake, as well as any fillings or frostings you plan to use, and go from there. If you're using liqueurs and prefer a bolder taste, you can even use them straight.

For chocolate cake, create a chocolate simple syrup by adding cocoa powder to the syrup. For carrot cake, make your simple syrup by substituting pineapple juice for a portion of the water. Use sparkling wine for the liquid in the syrup, and brush it onto a strawberry cake to make a celebratory Champagne dessert. For funfetti cake, simply brush the cakes with strawberry-flavored milk or regular milk flavored with a little vanilla extract. Lemon cake tastes fantastic with a basil- or mint-infused simple syrup, while brushing coconut cake with coconut milk makes it extra tropical. Let your culinary imagination run wild with different fruits, herbs, extracts, spices, jams, and juices.