How to Improve Boxed Gingerbread Mix? 7 Tips
Making cookies and other desserts from scratch can sometimes be difficult. Luckily, there are a lot of boxed mixtures that will help you obtain a perfect cookie or cake with ease. One of them is gingerbread mix. However, I can tell you from the experience that the boxed mix needs some adjustments so it would taste homemade.
You can improve boxed gingerbread mixtures by following simple tips and including some basic ingredients. One of the easiest ways to achieve that is by replacing water with milk, adding more eggs, adding more sugar or flour, choosing a high-quality gingerbread mixture, and adding different toppings or layers.
In this article, I have explained how you can achieve a homemade taste from boxed gingerbread mixtures. The tips will help you become a master in baking sweet desserts. No one will be able to tell whether your treat has come from a box or from scratch.
Jump to RecipeHow Do You Make Boxed Gingerbread Mix Better?
Indeed, boxed gingerbread mixtures do not have the best taste, i.e. they do not have that homemade flavor that we all crave in a dessert.
However, that does not mean that you should be in despair since there is always something you can do to improve your baked goods’ taste. For instance, you can use some simple tricks to make your gingerbread cookies or cake taste ten times better, even if you do not use special ingredients in your boxed gingerbread mix.
Below, I have included some simple tricks you can follow, so you will be able to achieve the taste and flavor you desire in your gingerbread baked goods. You can try all of them, or use some of them as it seems convenient to you. A kitchen is a place where you need to get a little bit creative, and this especially applies to baked goods.
Choose a High-Quality Boxed Gingerbread Mix
Firstly, and most importantly, you need to pick a boxed gingerbread mix that is proven to taste good even without taking special steps.
This does not mean that you should opt for the most expensive one, but you need to choose something that is proven to be tasty. Since there are many options, the decision might be overwhelming. You might find yourself lost among the variety of choices offered on the market.
However, you should not settle for the first thing that comes into your hands. Remember that the quality of the boxed gingerbread mix significantly impacts the taste and flavor. So, you will need to choose carefully. To ease your decision, I have included some of the best boxed gingerbread mixtures further in the article, so your choice will be narrowed down.
Replace Water with Milk
One of the easiest and most convenient ways to improve the taste of your baked gingerbread goods is by replacing water with milk. Most recipes call for water instead of milk, especially the recipes included at the back of the box of the mixture. This is usually the easiest solution to make the texture for baking.
However, if you opt for milk, you will have the chance to make the texture denser and give your gingerbread the perfect homemade taste.
Whole milk will work magically, but you might also want to opt for buttermilk as well. The type of milk will definitely be your choice, but remember that milk is the first step towards homemade-like baked goods.
Add Different Toppings
Gingerbread mixtures don’t usually ask for toppings, but this doesn’t mean that you are not supposed to add some. You can add white chocolate ganache, different nuts (for example, walnuts and almonds) or buttermilk frosting.
Add Extra Eggs and Jam
Some extra eggs will do miracles to your gingerbread recipes. Adding more eggs than recommended will give extra richness and moisture to your baked goods. This way, you will obtain the homemade flavors we all desire. Therefore, two extra eggs might really make a difference, so you should definitely try it.
Usually, gingerbread mixtures require a lot of moisture, which cannot be achieved only by water and one egg. Always strive towards something that will enable your baked goods to become richer in texture and taste, and the way you get this is to add two tablespoons of peach jam to the mixture.
Use Butter Instead of Oil
Gingerbread cookies will be richer in flavors if you opt for butter rather than oil. The rich homemade flavors cannot be obtained by using vegetable oil. Namely, vegetable oil is great, but if you replace it with butter, you will discover many more flavors, even from a boxed gingerbread mixture.
Add Flour and Sugar
Usually, the boxed gingerbread mixes do not call for flour in their recipes. Since the mixture is already prepared for you, you just need some liquidity to prepare the cookies or the cake for baking. However, if you add more optional liquid ingredients, you can also include some flour and sugar. The flour will dry the mix, and sugar will impact the taste of your baked goods.
You can also add more spices like cinnamon or nutmeg if you are afraid that the cake won’t be flavorful enough.
Include Layers
The best-known feature of the cake is layers. When someone tells you to imagine a cake, there is a high possibility that you will have a picture of some cream between two pieces of batter. This is what you can do with bought gingerbread mixture, too.
4 Best Gingerbread Cake Mixes
As I mentioned above, the mixture you choose for your cake plays an essential role in the taste that you will obtain later. Even if you do not make a cake from scratch, you can still obtain homemade flavors.
I already mentioned the tricks you can use to achieve that, but you first need to select the appropriate gingerbread cake mixture with which you can actually work.
Below, I have provided some of the best boxed gingerbread cake mixes, so you will not waste a lot of time trying to find the best one on the market.
Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cake Mix
Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cake Mix will allow you to make some delicious cookies or cakes with some homemade flavors. Both adults and children love Betty Crocker mixtures, so you will not regret choosing this gingerbread cake mix. It goes with a really convenient and quick recipe that will only take a little amount of time, and you will have your baked goods in no time.
Stonewall Kitchen Gingerbread Mix
If you are looking for real gingerbread spices, then Stonewall Kitchen Gingerbread Mix is the real deal. The best thing about this mixture is that it comes with additional spices that really contribute to the homemade taste we all want in cookies and cakes.
This gingerbread cake mixture is especially convenient for the holidays, i.e. the time when gingerbread baked goods are in every household.
Trader Joe’s Gingerbread Cake Mix
Trader Joe’s Gingerbread Cake Mix is characterized by the traditional gingerbread flavors that remind us of the past.
While most gingerbread cake mixtures contain noticeable artificial flavors, that is not the case with Trader Joe’s. It comes with crystalized gingerbread pieces, and that is everything you need for some delicious gingerbread cookies or cake. They will taste as if they were made from scratch.
Krusteaz Gingerbread Mix
You will never go wrong if you opt for Krusteaz Gingerbread Mix since it is suitable for any kind of baked goods you intend to make. You can work with this mixture and obtain the homemade flavors by just adjusting the recipe a little bit. No one will be able to tell that your baked goods actually come from a boxed gingerbread mixture.
What Flavors Go With Gingerbread Cake?
The most common flavors with gingerbread cake are rum and cinnamon. If you want to spice up the flavors, then cinnamon is the way to go. If you are looking for good icing options, then applesauce and whipped cream will work magically.
What Fruit Goes With Gingerbread?
Gingerbread usually goes with strawberries since they give a certain refreshing flavor to the cake. In addition, broiled or poached pineapple might also work amazingly with gingerbread recipes. But, if you do not want domination of sweetness, then it is better to go with some berry-like fruit.
As you can see, there is no reason why you should not go for a boxed gingerbread mix since you can still obtain some homemade flavors and tastes. By using a few tricks, you can really improve the taste of your gingerbread baked goods. No one will be able to notice the differences.
How To Improve Boxed Gingerbread Mix?
Ingredients
- 1 pack Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cake Mix
- 1¼ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup jam
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325°F for nonstick pan.
- Stir Gingerbread Mix, milk and eggs in medium bowl until blended. Stir vigorously until well blended. Pour into pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of pan comes out clean.
- Let it cool a little and cut the cake into two each layers.
- Put a jam on the first layer and add a second layer on top of it, and enjoy your gingerbread layered cake.
Nutrition
Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.
