• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Wheat by the Wayside
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • GF Resources
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • GF Resources
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • ×

    Home » Resources for Gluten Free Living

    How to Make Gluten-Free Cake Mix Taste Better: 10 Expert Tips!

    Published: Nov 2, 2022 · Updated: Nov 2, 2022 by Katie | Wheat by the Wayside · This post may contain affiliate links, through which I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    Save or Share this Post!

    912 shares
    • Share14
    • Reddit
    A box of gluten free confetti cake mix on white surface, text overlay, "how to make gluten-free cake mix taste better"

    Not everyone loves to bake from scratch and with plenty of gluten-free cake mixes on the market, you really don't have to! But have you ever wondered how to make gluten-free cake mix taste better? If so, keep reading to find my top 10 tips for jazzing up a box of gluten-free cake mix.

    A box of gluten free confetti cake mix on white surface, text overlay, "how to make gluten-free cake mix taste better"
    Jump to:
    • Tip 1: Use a High Quality Gluten-Free Cake Mix
    • Tip 2: Add Extra Flavor
    • Tip 3: Use Butter Instead of Oil
    • Tip 4: Use Milk Instead of Water
    • Tip 5: Add an Extra Egg
    • Tip 6: Add Instant Pudding Mix
    • Tip 7: Add Some Almond Flour
    • Tip 8: Use the Correct Pan
    • Tip 10: Use Good Icing
    • Tip 9: Add Fillings or Toppings
    • Bonus Tip: Make a Homemade Gluten-Free Cake

    A note before we begin, don't use every single one of these tips on each cake! Use your best judgement, especially when adding extra ingredients to the batter. Pick one or two additions, but don't go overboard or you could change the entire chemistry of the cake.

    Tip 1: Use a High Quality Gluten-Free Cake Mix

    Gluten-free products are already expensive, so it's tempting to buy the cheapest option and hope for the best. But...

    I would urge you to put quality over quantity in this case! Give yourself the best opportunity for success by using the best mix right from the start! A good cake mix will yield a fluffy cake with great texture, right out of the box.

    Put it in perspective! I would rather pay a couple bucks more for a good quality boxed mix, than spend any money on a sub par mix! Besides, you're still baking a cake at home, which is going to be cheaper than going to a bakery.

    What is the Best Gluten-Free Cake Mix?

    • King Arthur Flour: King Arthur Flour is the gold standard in my opinion! I've used most of their mixes. They are always enjoyable and reliable. No one would know they're gluten free.
    • SImple Mills: Simple Mills mixes are also grain free. The cake mix has an almond flour base, which is surprisingly delicate and flavorful.
    • Bob's Red Mill: Another high standard for gluten-free baking mixes, Bob's is always a go-to.
    A box of King Arthur flour box confetti cake mix on white surface.

    Not bad but passable, these mixes are good but in my opinion not the best. I will still use them if needed and use the other tips to improve them a bit.

    • Betty Crocker: The Betty Crocker gluten-free mixes are not bad for gluten-free. Not my favorite but they work!
    • Krusteaz: While I love the blueberry muffin mix, the cake mixes just aren't as good as King Arthur, but they do produce good cakes!
    • Pillsbury: I have used Pillsbury boxed mixes many times, but in my opinion they are a little bit grainy. It's good, but again, others are better.

    Tip 2: Add Extra Flavor

    An easy way to make a gluten-free cake mix taste better is to simply add more flavor. This can be done in several ways. With all of these, it's important to think about the flavor you're adding and whether or not it would be a good fit with the flavor of the cake you're making.

    McCormick extracts on a white surface.
    • Extracts: Add a splash of vanilla or another extract to your cake batter. Just be careful not to overdo it. With the exception of vanilla, extracts can be quite strong so start with ½ teaspoon. Vanilla extract goes well in just about any flavor of cake mix. Extracts like lemon, orange, or butter would be great choices for white or yellow cake mix.
    • Zest: Adding lemon zest to a yellow or white cake mix can really add just the right punch of flavor. Use the zest of ½ to 1 whole lemon, orange, or lime.
    • Instant Espresso Powder: Coffee and chocolate are the perfect pair. Instant espresso powder can actually make chocolate taste more chocolatey! It adds a depth of flavor that will enhance your gluten-free chocolate cake mix. Add ½ - 1 teaspoon, depending on your preference, to the dry ingredients.
    • Applesauce: Not only can applesauce be an effective replacement for up to half of the oil, it can also add a hint of flavor.
    • Fruit or Vegetable Puree: Similar to applesauce, adding pumpkin purée, sweet potato purée, or mashed banana can totally change the flavor of a boxed cake mix. These purees will also add moisture and richness to the cake. Start with ½ - 1 cup of purée added to the liquid ingredients.
    Delallo espresso powder on white surface.

    Tip 3: Use Butter Instead of Oil

    Using melted butter instead of vegetable oil will undoubtedly add more flavor and richness to your cake. Butter also changes the texture slightly, giving the cake a more homemade texture.

    As far as unstilted butter vs salted butter, use what you have on hand. Unsalted butter will be the safest choice as far as flavor goes, especially if you're sensitive to the amount of salt.

    Tip 4: Use Milk Instead of Water

    Similar to butter, swapping milk in place of the water will add more flavor and make the cake feel more homemade. The added proteins found in milk also aid in browning, a problem sometimes encountered with gluten-free baked goods. Use what you have on hand, but whole milk would add more richness than 2% or skim.

    Another option is to swap the water for buttermilk or cooled coffee. You can also use dairy free milk, such as unsweetened almond milk.

    Milk, eggs, and butter on white wooden surface.

    Tip 5: Add an Extra Egg

    Add just one extra egg beyond what the mix calls for. It will add richness, extra moisture, and make the cakes more light and fluffy.

    Extra Baking Tip! Make sure your milk, butter, and eggs are at room temperature for proper mixing!

    Tip 6: Add Instant Pudding Mix

    Instant pudding mix might just be the best kept secret here. Pudding mixes are primarily cornstarch and flavoring. The cornstarch will lighten the mix and thicken the batter slightly. The extra flavor in the mix will do just that, add the best flavor to your cake!

    Vanilla pudding mix is a safe choice, but you can get creative! Add one small box of instant pudding mix to the dry cake mix. See it in action, check out this gluten-free cake that uses white chocolate pudding mix!

    Instant pudding mixes on a white wooden surface.

    Tip 7: Add Some Almond Flour

    Almond flour is another great addition! Similarly to the pudding mix, almond flour can add a really great texture and slightly nutty flavor to your cakes.

    Add ½ cup of finely ground almond flour to the dry ingredients.

    Tip 8: Use the Correct Pan

    Always bake cakes in light-colored metal cake pans. Cakes baked in glass or ceramic pans are more likely to overcook around the edges. This is because glass, ceramic, and dark colored pans retain more heat, the edges of your cake will bake faster and be overcooked by the time the center is finished.

    Aluminum pans laid out on a table.

    Tip 10: Use Good Icing

    I am a staunch advocate for homemade frosting. It tastes so much better than the canned stuff and is well worth the effort. A good icing can absolutely take your cake from blah to amazing!

    If there's one piece of advice you follow, I hope it's this tip! Here are some of my favorite homemade icings:

    • American Buttercream
    • Chocolate Buttercream
    • Chocolate Sour Cream Icing
    • Cream Cheese Icing
    a bowl of chocolate icing with a pink spatula on white surface.

    Tip 9: Add Fillings or Toppings

    If you want to make your layer cake extra special, add a filling in between the layers! Not only will it add more flavor, your cake will instantly be more fancy!

    Pipe a rim of icing around the bottom layer, to act like a dam. Add the filling in the middle. Place the next layer on top and continue with stacking or icing your cake.

    Here are some filling ideas:

    • Store-bought jam
    • Hot fudge sauce or caramel sauce
    • Marshmallow fluff
    • Raspberry Cake Filling
    • Lemon Curd

    Bonus Tip: Make a Homemade Gluten-Free Cake

    If you're consistently let down by boxed cake mixes, it may be time for you to make your own gluten-free cake from scratch! These recipes are designed to be flavorful, moist, and fluffy without any further tweaks! Here are some delicious gluten-free cake recipes:

    A half eaten slice of gluten free vanilla cake on a small white plate.
    • The best Gluten-free Vanilla Cake!
    • Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Cake with peanut butter icing.
    • Gluten-Free Texas Sheet Cake is easy and delicious.
    • Gluten-Free Peach Upside Down Cake is a fun twist on a classic!
    • This stunning Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bundt Cake is perfect for fall.

    Thank you for reading! If you liked this article, be sure to check out related topics below!

    Feel free to join my newsletter! I'll send new gluten-free recipes right to your inbox!

    Share this on Facebook and Pinterest using the social share buttons below! Sharing helps more people like you learn from these articles!

    If you made this topic, let us know in the comments!
    Thank you for your support! ♡

    More Resources for Living with Celiac Disease

    • Is Beef Broth Gluten-Free? A Guide and List of Safe Brands
    • 14 Amazing Recipes With Caputo Fioreglut Gluten-Free Flour
    • Is Nutritional Yeast Gluten-Free?
    • Is Starbucks Gluten-Free? Safe Menu Options and What to Avoid

    Save or Share this Post!

    912 shares
    • Share14
    • Reddit

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Katie Olesen headshot.

    Hi, I'm Katie! I'm the blogger behind Wheat by the Wayside. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2018 and have been following a strict gluten-free diet ever since. The goal of WBTW is to share tried and tested, easy, and delicious gluten-free recipes to give you confidence in the kitchen! 

    More about me →

    Gluten-free Valentine's Treats

    • Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Peanut Butter Cups and M&M's
    • Gluten-free Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Gluten-Free Crumbl Sugar Cookies Copycat
    • Gluten-free Oreo Cheesecake

    Cozy Gluten-free Recipes

    • Gluten-Free Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
    • Gluten-free Potato Soup
    • Gluten-Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup
    • Gluten-Free Chili with Beef and Beans
    • The Best Gluten-Free Vegetarian Lasagna
    • Gluten-Free Fettuccine Alfredo

    Footer

    Back to Top

    Quick Links

    • Recipe Index
    • Blogging Resources
    • Web Stories

    About

    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    This site contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

    Copyright © 2023 Katie Olesen | Wheat by the Wayside. Created with the Feast Plugin.