by Isabelle Esteves

Created on: February 18, 2013

The first cake mixes came out in the 1920s. It was a good idea and caught on but it wasn’t until the 1940s that they really started to taste pretty good. As more and more women entered the work force, they were looking for ways to save time and still offer their families some of the things that their mother used to produce. Ever since that time, women having been trying to doctor up the cake mix so that it tasted more like homemade and less like the box. A creative woman can come up with lots of ways to enhance a basic cake mix.

Some cake mixes come with instant pudding already added, if your mix has not had the pudding added you can add it yourself. You can also substitute buttermilk for the water or add sour cream.

Apple upside down cake

No one will even suspect that this is a cake mix. Peel six large Mackintosh apples. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of nutmeg to ¼ cup sugar and toss the apples in the mixture. Grease a 13 by 9 cake pan and place the apples in the pan. Mix a yellow cake mix according to the directions and pour over the top of the apples and cook per package directions. Allow to cool and flip the pan over. The apples are now the top of the cake. Slice and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.

Orange cake

Turning a yellow or white cake mix into a great orange cake is really very simple. You just replace the water in the cake mix with orange juice. It can be fresh squeezed, frozen or refrigerated. To really take it up a notch add the zest of one orange. Frost the cake with orange butter cream frosting and garnish with fresh orange slices.

Cherry cake

Use a white cake to get the best color with this recipe. You will need a 10oz jar of maraschino cherries. Drain the juice off but retain. Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box use the cherry juice with the addition of water to make the amount of liquid required.  Chop the cherries and add to the cake mix. Cook according to directions. This cake will come out pink and very pretty and looks great frosted with a white frosting.

There are no limits to the enhancements that you can add to your cake mix. You are only limited by your imagination.

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