How Can You Improve Betty Crocker Red Velvet Cake Mix? 8 Ways

When you’re short on time, boxed cake mixes are a terrific method to satisfy your sweet taste. And Betty Crockers Red Velvet Cake Mix is unquestionably one of the best selections. However, store-bought cake mixes might get monotonous after a while. So, how can you improve Betty Crocker Red Velvet Cake Mix while still saving time?

You can improve Red Velvet Cake Mix by adding an additional egg, substituting water with buttermilk, and sprinkling a few drops of vanilla extracts on top of the normal red velvet cake mix. Furthermore, you may use add-ins to personalize the cake, such as toasted coconuts and almonds, spices, chocolate chips, and so on.

Betty Crocker’s red velvet cake is a delicious treat in and of itself. There is, however, always opportunity for development. And in this post, we’ll look at several clever ways for achieving this enhancement in flavor and texture.

How to Improve Betty Crocker Red Velvet Cake Mix? 

The most prevalent criticism about most boxed mixes is that the tastes are artificial. Many of them might leave an unpleasant chemical taste on the mouth after consumption.

Betty Crocker’s red velvet cake now eliminates many of these concerns. However, handcrafted cakes have a warmth and sweetness that commercial cakes just cannot duplicate. So, the goal is to make modest but visible changes to the recipe to raise the cake beyond normal boxed cakes.

With that in mind, here are some ways to improve on Betty Crocker’s red velvet cake mix.

Substitute Water With Buttermilk

The first ingredient listed in the Betty Crocker red velvet recipe is 1 and a quarter cups of water. However, just adding water to your cake will not improve its flavor or texture.

Substitute equal parts buttermilk for the water. Buttermilk will provide a lovely tanginess to your cake. It will also make the cake richer and softer than simply using water. The tanginess complements a red velvet recipe exceptionally nicely. To produce the tang, you may substitute half of the water with sour cream.

Buttermilk is rather simple to manufacture at home. You may also use nondairy buttermilk if your diet requires it. Simply combine 3 parts almond yogurt and 1 part almond milk, along with a teaspoon of vinegar. After 10-15 minutes, your dairy-free buttermilk will be ready.

Spare an Extra Egg

Betty Crocker recommends for three eggs in the batter, as do most cake recipes. However, adding an egg to the batter makes the cake taste sweeter and contain more moisture. The egg yolk essentially functions as an emulsifier, binding water and fat together. This adds volume and moisture to the cake.

You may make a white cake with only the egg whites or with the whole egg. You may also whisk in the egg whites separately to provide more air and make the mixture lighter.

Enhance the Chocolate Flavor

You wouldn’t guess it from the name, but red velvet cakes are meant to have a chocolatey flavor. Of course, compared to full-on chocolate cakes, the chocolate in red velvet is considerably more muted. However, the taste is discernible albeit little bland.

Betty Crocker’s red velvet is no exception. It also includes a little bit of cocoa in the recipe. The chocolate, as in other boxed velvets, plays a small part in the overall image.

Well, there is a fast and easy approach to boost the chocolate flavor in your velvet cake. All you need is one ingredient: coffee. Espresso powder may likewise perform a similar function. A teaspoon of powdered coffee or espresso powder added to the batter may significantly improve the chocolate taste.

No Oil, Just Butter

The next element we’ll look at is oil. In any case, fat’s job is to offer softness, richness, and to keep the cake moist and soft.

Betty Crocker’s recipe calls for a cup of vegetable oil. However, vegetable oil has a rather neutral taste. It may soften and moisten the cake, but not much more. That is beneficial if you want to reduce your calorie consumption. However, if you want to give your velvet cake an edge and aren’t concerned about calories, butter is the way to go.

Because vegetable oil is so flavorless, you may simply substitute it with butter without fear of flavor clashes. To begin, melt the butter in a microwave or skillet and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Naturally, too much fat will make your cake seem thick and dense. When using butter, it is ideal to use a one-to-one ratio. So, for a single velvet cake, use melted butter instead of a cup of vegetable oil.

Get the Right Temperature

In baking, temperature is crucial. It is best if the melted butter, buttermilk, and other ingredients are at room temperature. So, if you take these ingredients out of the fridge, let them to come to room temperature. This will guarantee that your cake has the proper texture and consistency.

A Little Vanilla Extract Goes a Long Way

It’s amazing how much fragrance can influence our dining experiences. It is possible to transform an excellent recipe into something unforgettable. Vanilla extract is the greatest approach to obtain this outcome in cakes.

Pour in 1 or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla essence while preparing the cream cheese. You may even add a splash before mixing the batter.

Make Your Own Cream Cheese Frosting

When it comes to cream cheese icing, no velvet cake is complete without it. However, store-bought frosting may have an unpleasant texture and unnatural tastes. So, if you have some more time, you may make your own cream cheese and spread it on top of the cake.

Cream cheese, unsalted butter, vanilla extracts, and a pinch of brown sugar are required for the frosting. In a big enough mixing basin, combine the cream, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth. Then, while stirring, gradually add the sugar. You now have wonderful homemade frosting on hand. Use it immediately away or keep it in the fridge for later.

Put Some Add-Ins

This is where you can make this velvet your own by adding a distinctive touch. Shredded coconut, roasted almond or cashew, pudding mix, and chocolate chips are other common add-ins. However, you are free to add any mix of items you believe would better the test. A thin coating of melted chocolate in the cream cheese frosting is my personal favorite addition.

There are two methods to include the extras. You may mix them into the batter. For example, making a Funfetti cake with rainbow sprinkles for a children’s party. You may also use them in the end to decorate the cake. Drizzling some chocolate syrup on top of the cake is always a good idea.

Again, you may combine your favorite add-ins to create the ideal mixture. Pudding mix and shredded coconut may be added to the batter. After you’ve applied the frosting, top the cake with toasted nuts and drizzle with chocolate syrup.

• RELATED: How to Make Any Betty Crocker Cake Mix Taste Better?

To summarize, having a great velvet cake in a single mix is unquestionably handy. And with a few easy changes, you can make the experience even more enjoyable.