Make Boxed Cake A Whole Lot Fancier With This Moist Addition

Boxed cake mix is an easy way to get a dessert on the table with minimal time and effort required. The beauty of this method is that the simple addition of one or two ingredients can trick everyone into thinking it's homemade. From adding tea to your boxed cake or using a canned ingredient, like evaporated milk or canned peaches, the possibilities are endless. Sandy Folsom, school director of the Wilton Sweet Studio, gave us another great addition to elevate our boxed cakes: ricotta cheese.

Folsom told us, "You can add ricotta cheese to any flavor of boxed cake mix though it will change the end flavor a little differently depending on the base flavor. Use a full-fat ricotta cheese and add ¼ cup to ⅓ cup into the cake mix with your other wet ingredients (eggs, oil, water)." Adding ricotta to your boxed mix not only makes your cake extra moist and tender but also helps it retain this texture for days after it's been baked. Although, Folsom brought up a crucial point — use ricotta as an addition, rather than substituting it for the oil. As she notes, "I do not recommend swapping out the oil in a cake as the oil helps ensure a tender crumb by preventing too much gluten from forming."

If you're not a fan of ricotta, Sandy Folsom also suggested adding other ingredients like yogurt or sour cream. These will similarly "add additional moisture to your cake without overpowering the flavor." Incorporating either of these dairy ingredients is a boxed cake hack you'll wish you'd known sooner. Sour cream is a great way to add moisture and richness to your cake, while still keeping the batter thick. It's best to stick to full-fat sour cream, as this will create a luscious texture.

Yogurt is also the perfect moisture addition to your cake, though keep in mind it has less fat than sour cream, so your sponge will be slightly less rich. That being said, the high protein content in yogurt creates a fluffier cake — so it really depends on your textural preference. Yogurt and sour cream are also both acidic, which softens the gluten and activates any leavening agents, creating a tender cake with a good rise. So, whether you use ricotta, sour cream, or yogurt, your cake (and guests) will thank you for it.