Tips and Tricks: Better Box Cake

It's no secret that I love to bake. However, making something from scratch can be time consuming and expensive, and between classes and precious naps, who has the time? 

"Not I," said The Great Dawn.

"So, you want me to just make something.... from a box?"

"SURE!"

I'm not here to make master chefs of you, just make you seem like one. So here it is:
My number one super secret to making any box cake or brownie mix is- Vanilla.

It doesn't seem like much, but one tablespoon of some of that stuff and your cake will be so moist and fluffy, your friends will wonder if you hired their grandmothers to make this baked awesomeness. 

The great thing about box cakes is that they don't take forever to make, and you can get as creative as you want!

Here's some more ideas you may want to try:

• Adding chocolate chips
• Swirling food coloring in light colored batter
• Pecans or walnuts (I haven't had much luck with almonds)
• M&M's
• Cadbury eggs
• Cereal (Fruity Pebbles or Cookie Crisp would be awesome in brownies)

If you're decorating your cake or brownies with sprinkles, it'd be really neat to add some into the batter.
  
If you're making cupcakes, You can place a fun sized candy bar, like a resee's, in the pan or a ball of cookie dough.
  

If you've tried anything crazy and awesome, comment! Let me know how it turned out and I might add it to this or a later post!