Just use homemade frosting.

What do you need a hack for?? The instructions are on the box.

For kids cupcakes, I wouldn’t bother with hacks. Just use the basic cake mix as directed and frost liberally. Bonus points for sprinkles.

Why would you hack a cake mix in this situation?

I don't understand. Just buy like 2 or 3 box mixes abd be done with it. Make them mini (bite size) if you want to really reach 5 doz quickly.

You're making 5 dozen and for little kids who don't really care) to bootm.

Add colorful sprinkles or m&ms or whatever on top. Done.

Keep in mind that many box mixes are less ounces now so you won't get as much cake as before.

I’ve used sour cream before, and buttermilk one time. Wouldn’t recommend for kids; it tastes better to adults but many kids think it adds too much tang. Just use the box as written!

Anonymous wrote:If you are going to use mix, just use the mix. The kids won't know the difference anyway.

+1

Put a decorative candy on the top of it and you're a hero.

We did green frosting with Haribo gummy frogs for a rainforest theme one year.

I've done milk for water and couldn't tell at all. My MIL does coffee for water and I can't tell. I've done butter for oil and can't tell.
As far as I can tell, these hacks are worthless. MAYBE the applesauce for oil is good if you're trying to save calories and fat.

I'll post some hack recipes for you. By and large, if you just want it tastier, you can substitute buttermilk (or milk + vinegar) for the water. Or even milk, although it isn't as good as buttermilk. You can also add an extra egg.

1 Box White Cake Mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup room temp milk
1 small box of instant chocolate pudding
3 eggs (room temp)

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Cream butter, add eggs one at a time and mix well, alternate adding dry ingredients with the milk, and mix until the dry ingredients are just combined. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until the center of the cake springs back from the pan.

OR

1 Box cake mix (any flavor)
1 cup AP flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
1 cup water***
3 large eggs
1 Tbsp flavoring of your choice

Sift together dry ingredients (especially important with chocolate cake)

Mix all the wet ingredients together. Mix the dry ingredients in, 1/3 at a time. Bake at 325 until done.

*** Instead of water, you can use milk, buttermilk, juice, thawed frozen concentrate, etc. Depends on what flavors you want.

For a "Birthday cake" flavor, you can use Vanilla with a touch (like 1/2 tsp) of almond extract. Butter vanilla flavor works even better, but most people don't have that lying around.

If you are going to use mix, just use the mix. The kids won't know the difference anyway.

The only thing I do is sub coffee for water in chocolate cake mixes, use butter instead of oil and use milk instead of water in white/yellow mixes. And I will often add a dash of vanilla extract to the mix.

I have heard that adding an extra egg is a good hack but have not tried that.

adding pudding does not change the texture. It adds moisture, but you need the right quantities of water, oil and eggs. Check online for recipes.

Just follow the instructions, OP. If you haven't tested your hack before today, it's likely to fail and then the kids won't have cupcakes.

I need to make 5 dozen cupcakes.

It’s for kids. So nothing fancy.

I know people add dry pudding mix.

The ingredients in mix are sugar & cornstarch then 2 % other stuff (flavoring one)

So it seems it just adds sweetness, not moisture? Does mix change the texture?