I tried every hack I could find for how to make box cake mix better and determined the simplest way to make a moist, flavorful, better-than-scratch cake by adding two simple ingredients to any mix!

Boxed cake mixes, like those from Duncan Hines ... While the mixture properly prepared according to the package’s directions has more of a domed top than the other reduced-egg versions ...

make the boxed cake mix according to the package directions and bake in two 8-inch cake pans at 350° for 24–28 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. While the cakes cool, make the pudding.

Ditching the usual eggs, oil and water renders a cake that tastes way more sophisticated than what you with get with the instructions on the back of the box. Much like adding a can of soda to the mix, ...

While the cake is baking, make the topping by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown ...

Then, dump in your dry cake mix, stir to combine and bake the cake according to the instructions on the box. Overall, I think ricotta makes for a wonderful ingredient in addition to boxed cake mix.