Baking is awesome and relaxing and my favorite part is decorating and getting all creative. I’ve baked a lot of things from scratch as I can follow a recipe but I’m busy and sometimes I just want quality baked goods in a very short period of time with no more than five ingredients. It’s totally possible to pass a boxed cake as something more by making the batter your own and getting a bit creative. Here are some of my favorite hacks to get your creative juices flowing and to save you some time because ain’t nobody got time for scratch!

Just grab your favorite boxed cake preferably the one that calls for oil, water and eggs.

Warning: What I’m about to inform you about will either underwhelm you or change your life!

Add an extra egg for moisture and fluffiness.

Who knew an extra egg could be the difference between boxed and fluffy and airy? I don’t know who discovered this hack but it’s genius and I swear by it.

Swap the Water for your Fav Alcoholic Beverage

Swap out the water for champagne, rum or even tequila. I’ve done it and even though the alcohol bakes out you still get the flavor (Check below on how to get drunk off dessert). If the recipe calls for 2 cups of water just add 2 cups of tequila. (Cheers) I’ve made Malibu cupcakes, Margarita Cupcakes, and Champagne cupcakes.

Go bolder and add your favorite fruit

Fruit is life! Chop up your favorite fruit rather it be blueberries, pineapples, or even strawberries. Strawberries bake very well. Eyeball how much to add but don’t get crazy and mess up the balance.

Add Flavor to the Batter

So what you bought a vanilla cake? That vanilla cake can be whatever you want if you try hard enough. I don’t believe in labels anyway, so add some vanilla extract, lemon juice, brown sugar or even bacon. Make it yours!

Get the Cupcakes Drunk

I’ve been making drunken cupcakes for quite some time and I’m like “Let’s get rid of this whole the alcohol will bake out,” problem. I purchased some small pipettes on Amazon and filled them with the drink of my choice (Recently mango margarita) and put it into your cupcake. Your friends will love you.

No Icing, No Problem

One day I forgot icing. Yikes! I had nothing to make icing but never fret if you take a jumbo marshmallow and place it on the cupcake during the last few minutes of baking, you have icing. You’re welcome!

Bonus: Homemade Fruit Carmel Like Sauce: I found this recipe and made it mine. It’s supposed to be for ice cream but I didn’t have icing and I wanted a sauce on these cupcakes. Turns out it works well when you do have icing also. It’s been everything from Pineapple caramel to strawberry caramel.

Do you make boxed cake? What’s your hack? If you try any of them let me know. I wanna see!